Being God's workmanship means God saves a person by grace and then makes that person into a new creation in Christ, designed for good works.
Les Feldick teaches that salvation is entirely God's work, received by faith plus nothing. Once saved, the believer is God's workmanship—created in Christ Jesus for good works—so the saved life is not for earning salvation but for living it out.
Ephesians 2:10 — This verse directly states that believers are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.
Ephesians 2:8-9 — These verses establish that salvation is by grace through faith as a gift, not of works, which is the foundation for understanding workmanship.
Romans 4:4-5 — This passage reinforces that those who work for reward are not receiving grace, while faith is counted as righteousness.
Ephesians 2:8-10 declares: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." The Bible says salvation is not the result of works; it is the gift of God. The believer is described as God's workmanship—a created being in Christ Jesus—with a purpose: to walk in the good works God has prepared. Additionally, Romans 4:4-5 says: "Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." This separates the idea of earning from the idea of receiving grace by faith, which is the same framework that makes Ephesians 2:10 meaningful.
Les Feldick reads Ephesians 2:8-10 to show that God saves by grace through faith, completely apart from works, then makes the saved person His workmanship. He explains that the Greek word behind "workmanship" is poema, from which we get "poem"—and, as one Bible teacher he mentions put it, "symphony." Just as a poem brings beautiful words together and a symphony blends many instruments into one harmony, God forms the believer into a work of art. Les emphasizes that the believer is not saved to do nothing; he or she is God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. So, good works do not save anyone; they follow salvation as the result of God's workmanship. Les also teaches that the miracle of salvation must be performed by God; a person cannot do anything first without leaving the realm of faith plus nothing. God takes the sinner as he or she is, performs the miracle of salvation, and then the person becomes a new creation with a changed lifestyle.
Les Feldick says God has to take the sinner right where he is, and God has to perform the miracle of salvation. The person cannot do it first, because doing something first would move away from faith plus nothing. After God saves, there is a dramatic turnaround and the person becomes a new creation. As Les puts it, we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.
No. Les is clear: you work absolutely not at all for salvation. Salvation is by grace through faith plus nothing. But once someone enters into that salvation, God expects that believer to work for reward, to enhance His work, and to bring honor and glory to His name. So good works are the result of being God's workmanship, not the cause of salvation.
Les Feldick says there is not going to be a single soul in glory who can brag about what they did to get there, because every believer is there by faith plus nothing. Verse 9 says salvation is "not of works, lest any man should boast." Since God is the one who performs the salvation and makes the believer His workmanship, all the glory belongs to Him.
Righteousness Without Works
Les points to Ephesians 2:8-10 in the same passage that says God imputes righteousness without works, establishing that being God's workmanship comes after grace, not from human effort.
Workmanship as a Divine Work of Art
Les calls the believer a work of art and compares God's workmanship to a symphony, showing God blends every part of the believer's life into one harmonious whole.
Poema: Poem and Symphony
Les says the Greek word behind "workmanship" is poema—the root of "poem"—and describes a beautiful poem as someone putting words together in a beautiful way.
God's Recreation
Les teaches that no one in glory will brag about what they did to get there; believers are God's workmanship, the result of God's own recreation.
Saved by Grace Through Faith
Les explains that faith is simply believing, and then God does everything needed; the next verse, Ephesians 2:10, says we are His workmanship.
Working After Salvation
Les clarifies that we do not work for salvation, but after salvation God expects us to work for reward and bring honor and glory to His name.
Not of Works
Les says trying to merit favor with God by works puts God in debt and turns a reward away from grace; this is contrasted with the workmanship of the believer.
God Performs Salvation
Les emphasizes that God must perform the miracle of salvation; He makes the person a new creation, and there is a change of lifestyle after God does the saving.
Ephesians 2:10: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
This is the direct verse on being God's workmanship; it shows the purpose of salvation is good works.
Ephesians 2:8: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Shows salvation is a gift, not of ourselves.
Ephesians 2:9: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Rules out works as the basis or boast of salvation, setting up verse 10.
Romans 4:4-5: Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Shows the Bible's consistent contrast between working for reward and faith being counted as righteousness.
No. Les Feldick teaches that salvation is by grace through faith and not of works. God does the saving, and the believer becomes His workmanship after salvation, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.
It means the saved person is a new creation with a purpose: to walk in good works. Les compares it to a poem or symphony God has composed—salvation is not the end but the beginning of a different life.
Yes, in the sense Les explains that the Greek word behind "workmanship" is poema, from which we get "poem." He also mentions that a Bible teacher connected the root to something like a symphony.
Watch the Teaching: Why God Imputes Righteousness Without Works — Romans 4