God’s Work For us & God’s Work In us

And you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. Colossians 2:10 NKJV.

God is amazing. I’m coming back to something I have written and spoken about before in recent times.

It is this: God has done things for us, and God is doing things in us. Here’s what I mean, in five contrasts, five tensions that appear to be contradictory but are in fact complimentary.

1. Identity VS Activity

When we understand who God is, His identity, we understand what He does, His activity. A false understanding of God, results in a false interpretation of His actions. We may think God is mean, or has favourites, or punishes us for wrongdoing. But that’s not what God is like.

When we understand who we are, our behaviour takes on new meaning. When we understand someone’s identity, we can understand their behaviour.

But identity always comes first. What anyone does comes from their identity, who they are. If they see themselves as this or that, then their behaviour will testify to that perspective.

God does what He does because of who He is. It’s the same with us.

(See Brief Word #113 July 2021).

2. Received VS Receiving.

There are many things we have received in full at our conversion. There are also many things we are receiving as we grow in Christlikeness. We need to get clarity on these and not confuse one for the other.

(See Brief Word #128 October 2022).

3. Grace VS Growth.

The forgiveness, righteousness and justification you receive at the new birth is a judicial act, making you a member of God’s family in good standing. That’s Grace. It is complete, nothing more can be added to it.

But the change that takes place in our lives on a daily basis is a relational act. That’s Growth. It is incomplete, and it is being added to every day. And, When grace flows, growth follows. (Thank you Bob Gass).

(See Brief Word #129 November 2022).

4. Are VS Becoming.

People don’t understand the tension between the fact that we are some things, and, we are becoming some things. We are complete in Him: Forgiven, righteous in Christ.  We are forgiven, justified, sanctified, holy, pure, righteous, worthy, in Him! And you can’t be half forgiven, half righteous, when you’re in Christ! The Devil lies to us about these truths.

We are becoming, more like Him. This is the changing process; actions, character and the fruit of our life are changing to be like Him.  He does it!

5. God’s Work For Us VS God’s Work In Us.

Here’s another tension. It is between the work Christ has done for us, and the work He is doing in us. One is done — completed, finished, accomplished. The other is in progress — it is underway, it is working towards being finished but is not yet.

There is a sense in which our salvation is complete, in the truth that Jesus has done a complete work for us. Still there is also a sense in which our salvation is incomplete, in that it is not yet a complete work in us.

Perhaps this will help.

a)  The finished, complete work For us. Done.

• and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. Colossians 2:10 NKJV
• For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
  2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

b)  The yet to complete work In us. Doing.

• But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
  James 1:4 NKJV
• being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
  Philippians 1:6 NKJV
• for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
  Philippians 2:13 NKJV

This is an incredible truth. If you and I can get it, really get it and understand it so that it touches us deep in our heart, it will transform your whole life. You will never be the same again!

The thing with Biblical tensions, is that faith holds the two in tension without conflict.

Done ⇐ ⇒ Doing.                         Are ⇐ ⇒ Becoming.

Grace ⇐ ⇒ Growth.                     Received ⇐ ⇒ Receiving.

It is important though that we get the order right.

What do we focus on first? Is one more important than the other? Well, yes and no. Both are important, but one has greater implications in that it leads to the others. Do we focus on the pressing problems we face as part of our humanity, our sinful nature, our shortcomings because we are not yet mature?

Focus first on who God is, then on who we are and what we have in Him, then, on what we are becoming.

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 1 Corinthians 15:10 NKJV.

Paul knew who he was. He says it many times, e.g: Called to be an apostle by the will of God. 1 Corinthians 1:1 NKJV.

Paul knew who he was because He knew Who God was. But that revelation was not in conflict with the work of grace in his life, as he became more and more like Christ in character and conduct.

People over the years have asked me, what is God’s will for me? How do I know the will of God for me? What is the plan God has for me? Very good questions!

Well, it’s really the wrong question. The better questions are Who is God? Who am I? Who has God made me to be?

Because God’s will, His plans and purposes for our lives are made clear to us, when we discover more about who God is, who we are in Him, and our identity.

So, here’s three revelations we all need.

1. Discover who God is.
2. Then discover who I am in Him.
3. Then, we will discover what we are to do.

This is very important — whatever God has called you to be, the important thing is that you be what you are by the will of God.

It comes from knowing God. That’s the foundation, the source of our identity. We discover through relationship who we are in Him, then, we can know what we are to do.

Be who you are.

And you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. Colossians 2:10 NKJV.

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