“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works”

[Study Aired November 9, 2019 at Mobile, Alabama Conference]

2Jn 1:6-12 will set the tone as to why we all must “look to yourselves” being “his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works”. We will also look at old covenant and new covenant examples that explain what this work God is doing in His kind of first fruits (Jas 1:18) is all about, and why it must first be wrought within the Israel of God, who we are, first (Gal 6:16).

2Jn 1:6  And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.
2Jn 1:7  For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
2Jn 1:8  Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought [Php 2:13], but that we receive a full reward.
2Jn 1:9  Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
2Jn 1:10  If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
2Jn 1:11  For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
2Jn 1:12  Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.

[Our joy will be full in the earnest relationship that we have today in Christ (Eph 1:14) if we continue to abide in the doctrine of Christ being blessed to not neglect so great a salvation through that continuance. If we do those things, we will see Him face to face and be known “even as also I am known” of  (1Co 13:12)]

What is it that our Father is working in us and why, is explained in these verses (Heb 2:1-3, Eph 6:18, Luk 21:36, Mat 26:41, Heb 2:7-1, Heb 2:17-18) through the example of Jesus Christ who gives us the power to not “neglect so great a salvation” which can be accomplished by “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (Jas 5:16).

Heb 2:1  Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip^G3901.
Heb 2:2  For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast^{G949 G939} [if we are stedfast we won’t slip], and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; [1Co 4:6, 2Jn 1:9, Rev 22:7-9]
Heb 2:3  How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

1Co 4:6  And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.

2Jn 1:9  Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

Rev 22:7  Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book [Rev 1:3].
Rev 22:8  And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.
Rev 22:9  Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

Eph 6:18  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Luk 21:36  Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Mat 26:41  Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Heb 2:7  Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:

[No one will take us out of his hands, the work of God’s hands Joh 6:37-40, Joh 10:28, “For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works”]

Heb 2:8  Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.
Heb 2:9  But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man (Col 1:24, like Christ we taste death for every man 1Co 15:31, 1Jn 4:17).

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

1Co 15:31  I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

1Jn 4:17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Heb 2:10  For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
Heb 2:11  For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: [1Co 12:12] for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, [or to call us saviours who are his workmanship (Oba 1:21, Eph 2:10)]

1Co 12:12 For even as the body is one and has many members, yet all the members of the one body, being many, are one body, thus also is the Christ.” (CLV)

Oba 1:21  And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.

Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship [And saviours], created in Christ Jesus unto good works [to judge the mount of Esau], which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Heb 2:17  Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
Heb 2:18  For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

[This is what God is working, has wrought and will wrought, in the body of Christ  yesterday, today and tomorrow; and our sufferings and temptations are for the express purpose of preparing us so that we can rule and reign under Christ which answers the why portion of our question. He will not deny himself of this purpose that God has for us and will finish this work within us by giving us the strength to drink the cup and thereby not losing any that the Father has given him (2Ti 2:12-13, Mat 20:23, Joh 6:39)]

All doctrine is profitable for us when we are blessed to labor in it (2Ti 3:16, Joh 6:27), and so we are called to do just that as we lay our hands on the plow, not looking back and knowing that God is a faithful rewarder of those who diligently seek him (Luk 9:62, Heb 11:6). We are seeking him and finding him together, like Noah in his day, who was convinced that the world around him of his time was going to come to an abrupt end (Heb 11:7, Mat 24:37, 1Pe 1:12, 2Pe 3:11-12).

Luk 9:62  And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Heb 11:7  By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

Mat 24:37  But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

1Pe 1:12  Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into

2Pe 3:11  Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
2Pe 3:12  Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

The abrupt end of this world that was typified by Noah is also spoken of in the last part of these verses of the book of Revelation which we read earlier, right after the thought of keeping the sayings of the prophesies had been discussed (Rev 22:10-14).

Rev 22:10  And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.
Rev 22:11  He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
Rev 22:12  And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. [the work that God is causing Rom 9:21-23, Rev 22:11]
Rev 22:13  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
Rev 22:14  Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

With all these scriptures in mind, let’s look at what it is God is working within the body of Christ as His workmanship both to will and to do of his good pleasure (Php 2:13) and see how this message has been very consistent throughout the word of God from age to age (Isa 46:10).

Isa 46:10  Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: [Luk 12:32]

To understand what it is God is working within the body of Christ, we must first look to Christ, the true witness (Rev 3:14). It is through Christ that this true witness within each of us (Col 1:27) can be wrought or expressed as we are dragged to the light (1Jn 3:2-3), as we decrease and our Lord increases within us (Joh 6:44, Joh 3:30).

Rev 3:14  And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

1Jn 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
1Jn 3:3  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

1Jn 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Joh 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Joh 3:30  He must increase, but I must decrease.

On the other hand, Babylon is full of false witnesses and yet claims to come in His name but does not show the fruit of obedience having been wrought in their heavens (Mat 24:5, Isa 4:1, Luk 6:46).

Mat 24:5  For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

Isa 4:1  And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.

Luk 6:46  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

The stark contrast the scriptures draw for us regarding Babylon is for our sakes (2Co 4:15) to remind us that we must come “out of her” if we are going to “know that I am the LORD”. The Lord knows those who are His (2Ti 2:19), and He will work this work in us which exposes Babylon and causes it to fall within us so we can know Him: “and ye shall know that I am the LORD” (Jer 6:13-15, Eze 13:9-14):

Where we all start (Eph 2:3):

Jer 6:13  For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.
Jer 6:14  They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
Jer 6:15  Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: (Rom 2:4) therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD. [Luk 19:44, Rev 19:20]

Luk 19:44  And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; [false doctrines] and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. [Mat 24:2]

Rev 19:20  And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. [“because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation” We don’t know the day of visitation until judgement comes upon us and these verses apply to us when they apply to us in our day of judgment or visitation 1Pe 4:17]

Eze 13:9  And mine hand shall be upon the prophets (Eze 14:9) that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the assembly of my people (Heb 10:25), neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel [Mal 3:16], neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD.
Eze 13:10  Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying [this is what the false prophets do that God caused them to do], Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered morter:
Eze 13:11  Say unto them which daub it with untempered morter, that it shall fall: [Eze 3:17-19, Eze 33:2-6] there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it.
Eze 13:12  Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said unto you, Where is the daubing wherewith ye have daubed it?  [1Ki 18:27, Joh 12:48, Mat 12:37]
Eze 13:13  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even rend it with a stormy wind in my fury; and there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger, and great hailstones in my fury to consume it.
Eze 13:14  So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered morter, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

It is through the deceitfulness of sin not being repented of, or by growing weary in well doing as we see the day approaching, that iniquity can abound within us causing the love of many to wax cold, but God has blessed us to know in this age, through the work He has wrought and is working within His workmanship, that we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us, as He gives us the strong desire to overcome and heed the admonitions which are able to make us wise unto salvation (Joh 3:20-21, Isa 26:9, Heb 3:13-15, 2Ti 3:15).

Joh 3:20  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Joh 3:21  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God [the good and the evil works that are shown us when we continue or abide in the light 1Jn 1:7].

Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

Heb 3:13  But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. [Heb 10:25, Mal 3:16]
Heb 3:14  For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; [get comfortable in the fire (Isa 33:14-17, Heb 11:14, 1Co 13:12)]
Heb 3:15  While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

2Ti 3:15  And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Hearts are hardened when we despise the needful and necessary chastening and scourging which reveals our Father’s love for us (Heb 12:6). He purges the iniquity within us that is also in the world but not being dealt with today as it is in the body of Christ (Rom 2:4-6, Rom 11:8, 2Co 3:13-14, Rom 11:25-26, Isa 8:17, Isa 54:8, Joh 12:40). This veil of blindness upon the world is going to be done away with in Christ and His body by having the same veil ripped which is his flesh, which is the church (Eph 5:30, Heb 10:20, 2Ti 2:12). The world will be reconciled through the church which will have been already judged and been made ready to reconcile the world as kings and priests (Joh 12:40-48, 1Pe 4:17).

The verses in John 3:1-19, with Nicodemus coming to Christ “by night”, lead up and point to the process that is being wrought in the lives of those with whom Christ is working in this life (1Pe 1:12, Joh 3:20-21) and demonstrate how it is after we have been cleansed and made ready that we “Jesus and his disciples [go] into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized”.

Joh 3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Joh 3:21  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light [coming to Christ first by night as Nicodemus did as a type of the elect (Isa 26:9)], that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

The gospel we preach is connected with our walk and is something that must be prepared or “wrought out” in our heavens before we can be a true witness of Jesus Christ (Eph 6:15). That dying daily process of lying dead in the street or mortifying the deeds of our flesh on a day-to-day basis is how we witness of His power that He gives the two witnesses who represent Christ in us (Rev 11:3). It is in that power we find our peace that comes about by the Lord cleansing the temple and giving us the power to live by faith as we endure to the end through Christ (Php 4:13).

The grace that chastens and scourges us teaches us to forsake ungodliness in this age (Tit 2:12). That is how peace comes about, and that work is being wrought in very few,  and is despised by the world because it requires that we be crucified on the cross with Christ (Gal 2:20), transparent, coming to the light so “that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God” (Joh 6:44). If we despise his goodness (Rom 2:4) which we do until we don’t, and “hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved”, then we will remain in darkness, but if we walk in the light as he is in the light we will be purified (1Jn 1:7-10, 1Jn 2:1-2).

“Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:” who comes to Jesus by night, has Christ explain to him the only way that light can come out of darkness, by being born again so we can be led by the spirit of God (Rom 8:14) as a spiritual Jew who rules the nations inwardly (Rom 2:28-29), which means we will be dragged to our Father to have our deeds reproved so that ultimately we can be sent to witness, which is how the chapter concludes (Joh 3:22-30).

The Gospel Preached After we are Cleansed:

Joh 3:22  After these things [Joh 3:3-21] came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.

Joh 3:28  Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. [similar to Nicodemus]
Joh 3:29  He that hath the bride [God’s elect the bride] is the bridegroom: [Christ] but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. [the friend of the bridegroom is John who anon with joy hears the word of the bridegroom but is not granted to be the bride. John therefore represents the many called, and the bride, the few chosen  (Mat 11:4, Mat 22:14). John clearly stated that he “is not the Christ” (the head or the bride Joh 3:28) and Christ confirmed this witness by witnessing back to John that He, Christ, was indeed who John said he was (Mat 11:4-6)].

God gives power to His two witnesses to fulfill this witness in the earth outwardly (Rev 11:3), starting with a witness that puts to death our inward man of sin who will be destroyed by the brightness of His coming causing us to decrease and allowing the witness of Christ within us to increase outwardly to all the world (Joh 3:30, Col 1:24, Col 1:27).

Rev 11:3  And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

Joh 3:30  He must increase, but I must decrease.

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Our prayer is that the Lord will continue to work these words in each of our lives as fellow laborers of the true gospel, not eating our own bread or wearing our own apparel (Isa 4:1) but laboring for the words of eternal life together (Joh 6:68), those living waters that come from Christ alone (Joh 6:55-57).

Joh 6:68  Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

Joh 6:55  For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
Joh 6:56  He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
Joh 6:57  As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.