God’s Marvelously Functional Artworks

The author compares our bodies to fine sculptures, and we are indeed “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps. 139:14). Yet God did not make our bodies to be like statues standing stiffly in an art gallery. Rather, our soul-inhabited bodies are His marvelously functional artworks by which we may be useful (Ro. 12:6, 2 Tim. 2:21) and active (Heb. 10:24, Titus 2:14) and fruitful (Gen. 1:28, John 15:8) — to His glory and our joy!

Joyfully Employing Our Faculties — Then, Now, and Forever

In the beginning, God was delighted to bring into being good things that would not otherwise exist. And God made man who, resembling Him, would similarly delight in being instrumental in bringing into being good things. “God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful…’” (Gen. 1:28).

For their sin, the first two human beings were condemned to bodily toil cultivating the ground to stay alive. Now, having received mercy in Christ, we have been made alive as a gift (Eph. 2:5, Col. 2:13), and yet we fulfill that life by inspired effort — “abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58), bearing fruit as God gives the grace (1 Peter 4:10). To the degree that we are mindful of our calling (Eph. 2:10, Titus 2:14, 1 Peter 2:9), we will find spiritual joy doing physical things — glorifying God and being blessed as we gratefully endeavor to fulfill the purposes for which He created us, redeemed us, and sustains us in body and spirit (John 13:17, 15:8, 15:11; 2 Peter 1:3-8). Much more than static sculptures, we are “like living stones” (1 Peter 2:5) animated and energized by the Holy Spirit (Ro. 8:14).

Likewise in the life to come we will not simply lounge around with our perfected bodies. Rather, seeing all things fulfilled, we shall have more reason than ever to employ our faculties to joyfully serve our Lord (Rev. 5:10) — not by way of bringing Him things He needs, for God has never needed anything from us (Acts 17:25), but rather by way of conveying what He is supremely worthy of receiving, namely our everlasting gratitude and praise (Rev. 5:13)!