Understanding Ephesians 2:10 and 1 Corinthians 12:4-7
Have you ever had the feeling that something was missing from your life? Like you need to fill a hole but are unsure how to do it? Maybe you’ve been searching for significance and purpose, wondering why you were put on this earth. It’s a common feeling, and one that we all experience at some point in our lives.
The good news is that we are not alone in our search for significance. From the beginning, God had a plan for each of us, and fulfilling that plan is what lends our lives their ultimate significance. Let’s look at this idea of our search for significance and how it ends in knowing why God made us. We will delve into specific scriptures that speak to this topic, such as Ephesians 2:10 and 1 Corinthians 12:4-7.
Ephesians 2:10: For We Are His Workmanship
Before getting into the meaning of this passage, it’s helpful to know when and where it was written. Ephesians is one of the letters written by the apostle Paul to the early Christian church in Ephesus. Ephesus was a major metropolis in the Roman Empire at the time, but it was also a place of pagan worship. Paul wrote this letter to the church in Ephesus to help them work through some of the issues they were experiencing as a multiethnic congregation.
In verse 8, he says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” In verse 10, Paul then shifts to the purpose of our salvation. He writes, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
This verse tells us that we are not saved simply to sit around and wait for heaven. Rather, we are saved to do good works, which God has already prepared for us. Verse 10 emphasizes that we are God’s handiwork, which highlights the sovereignty of God in our lives. We did not end up here by chance; rather, God designed us for a particular function.
1 Corinthians 12:4-7: Now There Are Varieties of Gifts
1 Corinthians 12 is another passage that speaks to our purpose in life. This passage was written by Paul to the church in Corinth, which was a key Greek trading city at the time. The Corinthian church included Jews, Gentiles, rich, and poor followers with different spiritual gifts. In this passage, Paul is addressing the issue of spiritual gifts and how they should be used in the church.
Verse 4 emphasizes the variety of Holy Spirit gifts. In verse 7, Paul then makes a theological statement about the purpose of these gifts. He writes, “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” The gifts are for the church, not the person, according to this statement.
This passage teaches us several important lessons:
1. The importance of unity in the church. We are all part of the body of Christ and asked to use our gifts for the common good, regardless of our differences.
2. Servanthood. The gifts are not given for our own benefit, but rather, for the benefit of others.
3. The importance of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in the life of the church. The Spirit gives us gifts and empowers us to use them for His ends.
Discovering Your Purpose
So how do we discover our purpose in life? It starts with a willingness to seek God and to follow His leading.