Ephesians 2:10 (KJV)

Passage

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Nearby Context

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Ephesians 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

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.

Ephesians 2:11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;

Ephesians 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "created", "good works", "his workmanship", "christ", "jesus", "hath", and "before". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "created" and "good works", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 9's "Not of works lest any man should..." into verse 11's "Wherefore remember that ye being in time...", so "created" and "good works" belong inside that flow. In Saved by Grace for Good Works, the local focus is grace, faith, new creation, and good works.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "created" and "good works" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.