There's a fascinating progression in Ephesians 2 that captures the essence of our relationship with God's Torah (Instruction) and "good works." While verse 8 clearly establishes that salvation comes through grace and faith alone, the passage doesn't end there. It continues to unfold a beautiful truth about our created purpose and divine calling.
We begin with a fundamental truth: we are His workmanship. This declaration carries a significant dual meaning. First, it echoes back to Genesis 1:26-27, where humanity was created in God's image. But even more significantly, in Christ, we experience a divine re-creation, restoring us to our original purpose (Ephesians 2:15, 4:24; Colossians 3:10). We're not just saved from something; we're restored to something.
When Paul speaks of "good works" in Ephesians 2:10, he's making a crucial distinction from the "works" mentioned in verse 9. These "good works" are the deeds of Torah expressed from a heart transformed by grace – flowing from love and gratitude rather than obligation. As Yeshua himself said, "If you love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15). It also expresses the intent of the promise we find in Ezekiel 36:26-27:
“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.” (Ezekiel 36:26–27, NASB 95)
This restored walk in God’s ways aligns with the prophetic vision of the Messianic age, when the nations will say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD… that He may teach us His ways and we may walk in His paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the Torah, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem” (Isaiah 2:3; cf. Micah 4:2). This reveals that God’s ultimate purpose has always been a people transformed by His Spirit, walking in His Instruction, and spreading His light to the world.
This understanding finds powerful confirmation in Titus 2:14, where Paul explains that Yeshua "gave himself for us to redeem us from every lawless (without Torah) deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds." Notice the progression: redemption from lawlessness (without Torah) leads to purification, which naturally produces zeal for "good deeds" (Instruction/Law, Torah). This perfectly parallels the Ephesians 2 pattern where salvation by grace leads to walking in "good works." In both passages, the transformation of our nature precedes and produces the "good works." And, like the creation was prepared in advance of man, these "good works" were prepared 'before hand.'
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for "good works," which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10, NASB 95, emphasis mine)
The concept of "good" here is particularly revealing when we trace it back to its usage in Genesis. When God declared His creation "good," He was affirming that everything functioned according to its intended purpose. This same Hebrew concept carries through to the New Testament understanding of "good works." When we engage in "good works," we're not just performing random acts of kindness – we're operating in harmony with our created purpose and image following God's instruction.
This connection becomes even clearer when we examine Ephesians 2:10 alongside Genesis 1:4 ("God saw that it was good"). "Good works" are those that are useful, pleasant, and proper – bringing us into harmony with God's design. They're beautiful because they reflect the original intent of our creation. Just as Moses was described as "good" as a baby (Exodus 2:2), using the same terminology, our "good works" are meant to reflect God's perfect design—His image seen in our actions.
Yeshua affirmed this same purpose when He declared, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your "good works" and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). In this, He connects the light of creation with the light of redemption. Just as God said, “Let there be light,” and the world was illuminated with His glory, so He now commands His people—recreated in Messiah—to shine as lights in the world. Our "good works" are not self-glorifying acts; they are reflections of divine light that point others to the Creator.
This understanding transforms our view of Torah observance. Rather than seeing it as a burden or means of earning salvation, we recognize it as the natural expression of our restored nature in Christ. It's the pathway God prepared beforehand for us to walk in (Ephesians 2:10). This truth is reinforced throughout Scripture, from the wisdom of Psalm 37:3 to the practical faith described in James 2:14-26, and even in the call to return to our first love in Revelation 2:4-5.
The journey from salvation to "good works" isn't about earning God's favor – it's about living out our restored purpose. We're not just saved by grace; we're recreated by grace to walk in the "good works" God always intended for His people. This is where true beauty and purpose intersect: when our actions flow naturally from our transformed hearts, aligned with the divine design established at creation.
