Commentary

The Peculiar Project of God’s Choice

Scriptures: Ephesians 2:10
by Jacob Abshire on December 18, 2017

Watching those home renovation shows on television is fascinating. To see experts take a condemned house and turn it into something completely new reminds me of how God takes dead sinners and makes them into living saints. One of my favorite parts of the renovation is the demolition.

During the demolition, the workers swing sledgehammers and pull crowbars to rip and remove all of the old and dead components of the house. In most cases, only the frame remains. The heart and guts are completely removed. It is a painstaking process as it requires a great deal of muscle and grind.

In the same way, there is a demolition process that God does in our soul whereby He swings and pulls and rips and removes all of the old and dead components of our life. It too is a painful work—well, for us it is, anyway. In this case, we are the home.

Ephesians 2:10 tell us that God is the preeminent purchaser of our souls and we are His peculiar project. The verb “we” in this verse includes Paul, the saints at Ephesus, and indirectly, all who are “in Christ Jesus.” This means that when it comes to the soul renovation work of God, you are not an impossible work, you are not getting worked alone, and you are not excused from the pain.

You are Not Impossible

Getting from Ephesians 2:1 (dead in sin) to Ephesians 2:10 (alive in righteousness) seems like an impossible feat. You might wonder if God is up for the challenge. Rest assured, you are not beyond His might. Consider this: the word “we” includes Paul. He was probably worse than you and arguably better than you.

Before Paul was the apostle, he was the persecutor. He killed Christians as a vocation. “But God,” as it says in Ephesians 2:4, saved him and turned him into a preacher of Christ. He is arguably the most courageous Christian ever. His story is a reminder to us that God renovates even the worst and makes them the best. No matter your mess, God is up for the job.

You are Not Alone

It may be obvious already, but it is worth the saying—you are not alone. The demolition process is painful. God supernaturally breaks us apart. He removes the deadness of the life we’ve cultivated for years. He pulls down false thinking. He divides unholy relationships. He destroys pride. He bulldozes our authority issues. He smashes selfishness. It hurts something fierce.

We need others when we are suffering. The “we” comes to our rescue. It tells us that there are others who are also suffering with you as well as some who have suffered before you. They will be there to empathize and sympathize. They can be our comfort. We are all works-in-progress, under-construction. You are not alone.

You are Not Excused

Gutting out the deadness of sin and folly will hurt, but it is necessary. Don’t try to avoid it. You are not excused. The “we” reminds us that we are not impossible projects, nor are we alone in the work, but also that it must happen. Demolition cannot be avoided, if rebuilding is to take place.

Without brokenness, there will be no newness. No worker would rebuild a home that is decaying inside. For this would assure the home would never stay alive. In the same way, God will not build new life where decay remains. We are new creations, not polished dead ones (2 Cor. 5:17). Demolition must happen. You are not excused.

Though it hurts, it is momentary and light. God is not an ruthless destroyer of souls. He is a gentle builder of life. Will you allow Him to work on you? Will you submit to His cutting away of sin? It will hurt, but God is good.

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