If there's one thing Reformed Christians are usually very clear about, it is that salvation is not by works. In many places and in many ways, Scripture teaches us that our status with God depends not on any­thing we do but only on the obedient life and atoning death of Christ Jesus. Everything that needs to be done for our salvation has been done long ago in the life, death, and glorious resur­rection of Jesus Christ.

Here in Ephesians 2, the apostle repeatedly emphasizes that salvation is God's gift. In verse 5 he says, "It is by grace you have been saved." Again in verse 8 we read: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith ­and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God." The corollary of salvation by grace is stated emphatically in verse 9: "Not by works, so that no one can boast."

For good reason, then, Reformed Christians are untrusting of any preacher who does not emphasize that our position with God rests ex­clusively upon the work of the Sav­iour. Rightly we say that salvation is by grace alone, in Christ alone, and is received by faith alone. Any dilution of these biblical truths leads to the charge of "works reli­gion" which is seen as the negation of true Christianity.

From a different perspective, however, the Bible does promote "works religion." In many places and in many ways, Scripture teaches us that receiving the gift of salva­tion through faith alone will have a transformative effect upon our lives. Works are not the basis of our accept­ance with God, but they are the ne­cessary and expected result of being saved. It's not too strong to say that the purpose of salvation is that we would abound in good works.

In Ephesians 2:10, the apostle says that Christians are "God's work­manship." When you look at the life of a believer, you are seeing the result of God's creative and skillful labours. Just like a potter might shape a lump of clay into an attractive vase, so God is forming us into people who are liv­ing attractive lives of obedience to their Creator.

How can God transform dead sin­ners into beautiful saints whose lives abound in good works? The answer is found in the next part of the sentence which reads, "Created in Christ Jesus to do good works." The dynamic of the Christian life is our unity through faith with Christ Jesus. By faith we are made one with our Lord and Sav­iour. Apart from Christ we can do nothing, but as believers grafted into him through faith we may abound in good works.

By linking God's workmanship in our lives to Christ, the apostle also points us to the goal of God's creative work in our lives. What God works toward in our lives is that we would be conformed to the image of Christ (see Rom 8:29). In Galatians 4:19 the apostle says that the object of his strenuous labours among the Gal­atian believers is that Christ would be "formed" in them. A Christ-like life of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control is the purpose God has in mind in saving us.

At the end of verse 10, the Apos­tle Paul brings the good works we are called to do into the framework of eternity. He says that God "prepared" these good works "in advance for us to do." The meaning is similar to what we read in 1:4 which states that God chose us in Christ before the creation of the world "to be holy and blame­less." God's election, then, cannot be separated from our way of life. The fruit of his election is faith, and with that an enthusiasm and resolve to live according to God's will.

In view of passages like Ephesians 2:10, the Reformed faith emphasizes on the one hand that we are not saved by good works, while on the other hand it strongly affirms that we are saved for good works. When people in the church are "eager to do what is good" (Titus 2:14), that is evidence of good doctrine. When people in the church show indifference and apathy to the commandments of the Lord, this is a sure sign they know nothing at all about the grace of God.