FOR US, IN US AND WITH US

That we should be the subjects of the work of God should fill the hearts of those who believe upon our Lord Jesus with praise and thanksgiving.

"We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10).

"Of His own will begat He us, with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of His creatures" (Jas. 1:18).

The same almighty power put forth "in the beginning" when God created the heavens and the earth, creating "all things by Christ Jesus," has been put forth in the "new creation" of which every believer is part. The same God who said of old, "Let there be light, and there was light," "hath shined in our hearts," to-day (2 Cor. 4:6).

Thoughts such as these may rightly cause us to consider our ways that we may act in suitability to our gracious God. They will solemnize us and lead to the condemnation of everything which is unbefitting those who are called with such a calling.

But let us occupy ourselves for a little with the Work of God from three different points of view. 1. His work for us. 2. His work in us. 3. His work through us.

1. He has wrought for us, and is working for us still. Rom. 8:31-33 brings this into view clearly. The gospel of the grace of God may be summed up in the three words, "GOD FOR US." When we were against Him, sinners, without strength, ungodly and enemies, He was for us.

His own love, peculiar in its kind and nature, was shown then. "God commendeth His love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8). He "spared not His own Son, but delivered Him for us," "delivered Him," at the cross of Calvary, "for our offences."

Herein we perceive the love of God, "the work of God" on our behalf in laying the righteous foundation on which He could justly justify a sinner. Then He has wrought for us who believe in clearing us completely from every charge. "It is God that justifieth" exclaims the apostle in triumph, and then challenges all who would oppose, "Who is he that condemneth?" The case of the sinner who believes the gospel has been carried into the highest court in the universe. The whole matter has been gone into and settled for ever to God's glory and to the honor of His throne. The believer IS justified now (Rom. 5:9).

He is justified by God Himself, as we have seen (Rom. 8:33).

He is "justified by grace," in the free and undeserved favor of God (Rom. 3:24).

He is "justified by" the "blood" of Christ. This is the ground. Christ has died for him (Rom. 5:9).
He is "justified by faith." This is the hand put out to receive the free gift of God (Rom. 5:1).

He is justified from all things. Nothing can ever be rightly brought up against him (Acts 13:39).

Now argues the apostle, "He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" Having given already the greatest of all gifts He will not withhold any lesser one which will be for our spiritual well-being and true advantage. He will make "all things work together for good to them who love Him and are the called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28). In ways inscrutable to us He causes everything to bring about our real blessing.

"We understand Him not,
Yet earth and heaven tell,
God sits as sovereign on His throne,
And ruleth all things well."

Thus we see that the work of God, as declared in this passage, is for us in a threefold way.

He is for us in giving His Son.

He is for us in justifying us.

He is for us in caring for us in all the details of our lives.

2. His work in us may now engage our attention. Here again we shall find that He has wrought in us, and is working in us, and will work in us, all the while that we are left here awaiting the return of our Lord Jesus.

He has wrought in us in the matter of our new birth. We who believe have been "born of God." An entirely new beginning has been brought about. All that we were in our natural condition, as born of our human parentage, has been set aside in the death of Christ. "Our old man has been crucified with Him" (Rom. 6:5). Sinful flesh has been judged at the cross. The life we have now is "of God." He has wrought in us in giving the Holy Spirit to indwell our hearts. He is the power in which we can walk so as to please God, in which we can worship and witness and work for the good of others. He is working in us now the willing and the working of His good pleasure, fashioning us and moulding us "after Christ." It humbles us as we find how little like Christ we are, and leads us to judge ourselves increasingly. But all is in view of Christ being formed in us so that more and more we may be Christ-like in our pathway.

And He will work in us until the glad day of Christ's coming again. "He that has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ". (Phil. 1:6).

Well may we echo the prayer of Hebrews 13:20,21:May "the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that Great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ."
We find then that God is working in us in our new birth, in giving to us the Holy Spirit to indwell us, in forming and fashioning us after Christ.

3. His work through us calls for a few remarks. It is based upon the work for us, and is dependent upon the work in us, progressing day by day.

If we turn to Acts 14:27 we read that Paul and others "rehearsed all that God had done with them." Again, in 15:4,12:"They declared all things that God had done with them," and "what God had wrought among the Gentiles by them." Yet again the apostle Paul in writing to the Romans says, "I will not dare to speak of any of the things which Christ hath not wrought by me" (chap. IS:18). "With them" and "by them) God had wrought His works in the conversion of the Gentiles.

He has chosen thus to use redeemed sinners as His messengers to men. They have learned what His grace is in their own salvation and are employed to carry the tidings to others. No angel has this privilege. No angel is allowed to be put in trust of the gospel. When Cornelius was to be told the sweet story of grace, and to hear words whereby he and all his house were to be saved, he was directed by an angel to send for Peter. The angel did not tell the story himself.

Surely we should count it among the highest favors which have been conferred upon us that we should be in a position where God may work through us in the carrying out of His purposes for the glory of His Son in the world. Earnestly we should seek to be "meet for the Master's use, and prepared unto every good work" (2 Tim. 2:21).

The carpenter uses his various tools of differing size and character to carry out his various thoughts and purposes. In themselves they are powerless. But in his hands they may effect much that shall be to his credit as a workman. He works by their means. In ourselves we are powerless. But in the hand of our God we may accomplish much for the blessing of those with whom we come into contact day by day, if He is but pleased to work by our means. High honor is this"! We may be but very small "tools" compared with the servants of God of whose labors we have read. But we may comfort ourselves as we think that the carpenter needs small chisels and other tools as well as large ones. And what matters it if we may be for the pleasure of God in any way, anywhere, at any time. The carpenter's tool cannot fit itself for service. So we need to be fitted by Him whose we are and whom we serve to be ready for Him to employ. Every one of us is called to be of some service. For this cause we are left in the world. The Lord needs us here to work through us for His glory.

Thus we have seen that the God of all grace who has wrought for us, is working in us, and is seeking to work through us, for the blessing of others. May we answer to His desire and be more and more for His glory. Inglis Fleming