I AM: A Masterpiece Week Five - Day Two

By Central Women

As we continue our journey this week, I want to bring us back to our theme verse.

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

Ephesians 2:10

Yesterday we focused on the first part of the verse: For we are God’s masterpiece. Today, let’s look at the second part the of the verse: He has created us anew in Christ Jesus.

There is a beautiful reality that comes from this verse. Not only are we God’s masterpiece, but He has created us anew in Christ. This means we are no longer stuck in our old ways of thinking or former life of sinning. Of course, we will still sin, but because of the Holy Spirit living in us, we are a new creation.

Our identity is now in Jesus, not our old self.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

2 Corinthians 5:17

Did you notice that this verse doesn’t say we were refurbished? No one wants a refurbished phone or refurbished sofa. Wouldn’t we rather have something new? In 2 Corinthians, Paul stresses that we are a NEW creation in Christ. We have been reconciled to God through Christ’s physical death on the cross, and He will present us holy in His sight. Not just cleaned up, but holy and without blemish.

“Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation.”

Colossians 1:21-23

What strikes me with this verse is how clear the state of our lives were before Jesus. Not only were we dead in our sins (Colossians 2:13), but we were alienated (separated) from God. Our sinful way of thinking made us His enemies. This verse shows me how very much I need Jesus, and through Him we find our forgiveness and grace.

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.”

Ephesians 1:7-12

Reread Ephesians 1:7-8 again. Did God give us just enough grace? No!

God lavished us with grace.

God’s free, beautiful gift of grace was lavishly given to us in abundance. The Master Artist uses the best materials to create our lives in Him. He writes the story using His favorite words in the poem. He lavishes the riches of His grace upon us.

So how should we respond to this gift of grace? How should our new life look?

“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:22-24

When we accepted Jesus, not only did God cleanse us of our sin, but He created us to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. To do that, we must put off our old self and be made new in the attitude of our minds. Paul tells us in Romans 13:14, “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”

I love the visual Paul gives us of clothing ourselves with Jesus. We no longer see our outward flesh, but instead, when we clothe ourselves in Jesus, He becomes our identity.

Reflect

Think about the sin of your former life before Christ…name some of them.

Now ponder how God has changed and transformed your life into something new. How are you different now?

What are some tangible ways you can clothe yourself with Christ?

Lord, thank You for the gift of grace that You lavished upon us. Help me to accept Your gift and to see myself as Your created masterpiece. I pray that through the power of the Holy Spirit, You would help me to set aside my old desires, my old ways, and my old sin and put on Jesus. Thank You for giving me a new identity in You. May my life bring You glory and honor.