2 Timothy 2:20-21 ESV
“Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.”
So, what is the context here? Paul was giving instructions
to Timothy with regard to the things he should teach the believers in Christ. And
he was talking about how, when we do what is right, and when we follow Jesus
with our lives, that we will suffer persecution and rejection. And he was
talking with him about the importance of obedience to our Lord and of
faithfulness to the calling of God on our lives, and how we will live with him
if we have died with him to sin, but how he will deny us if we deny him by our
actions.
And then he spoke with him about how we are not to quarrel
about words, and how we should avoid irreverent babble, and how we should
present ourselves to God as those approved, who are workers who need not to be
ashamed, but who rightly handle the word of truth. And then he talked about how
the Lord knows those who are his and how everyone who names the name of the
Lord is to depart from iniquity. And then we have this discussion about “a great
house.”
So, the “great house” appears to be in reference to the
gatherings of the church, which include both those of sincere faith in Jesus
Christ who have departed from iniquity and those who have swerved from the
truth who are upsetting the faith of some. They both name the name of the Lord,
but Jesus said that not everyone who says to him, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the
kingdom of heaven, but only the ones DOING the will of God the Father who is in
heaven (see Matthew 7:21-23).
So, in this “great house,” i.e. in these gatherings of the
church we have some vessels (people) which are honorable, and we have some
which are dishonorable. And so the encouragement here is that we are to cleanse
ourselves of what is dishonorable to God so that we can be vessels of God for
honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to our Lord and ready for every good
work. And to be holy is to be separate (unlike, different) from the world
because we are being conformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 2:22-26 ESV
“So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.”
Therefore, if we are to cleanse ourselves of what is
dishonorable so that we can be the Lord’s vessels for honorable use, then we
have to flee sinful passions, and we must pursue righteousness, faith, love,
and peace. And biblical faith involves dying with Christ to sin, not just once,
but daily, and it means living to him and to his righteousness and obeying his
commands (New Covenant). And love prefers what God prefers which is moral
purity, faithfulness, honesty, godliness, holiness, and uprightness.
Also righteousness is what is deemed right and godly in the
eyes of God, and peace is peace with God which only comes via genuine God-given
faith in Jesus Christ whereby we are crucified with him in death to sin, and we
are raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer living as
slaves to sin, but now living as slaves to God and to his righteousness. And
those of us who call on the Lord from pure hearts should be living just like
this describes, and we should not be living in deliberate and habitual sin.
Now, when we follow Jesus Christ with our lives we are going
to be opposed. We are going to have people who will come against us and who
will attack us and who will do evil against us. But we are to patiently endure
their evil attacks, yet while correcting our opponents with gentleness. Now
this gentleness is not weakness and it does not involve any compromise of truth
or righteousness so as not to offend the ungodly. It is another word for meekness,
and Jesus was meek, but he was not weak.
For, as followers of Christ, we are to be those who are
speaking the truth of the gospel and who are refuting the lies. And we are to
be speaking the truth in love to one another, so that we are not carried away by
false doctrines. And we should be exhorting one another so that none of us are
led astray by sin’s deceitfulness. And we ought to be provoking one another to
love (as God is love) and to good deeds (which God prepared for us to do). So,
be kind, but never compromise truth and righteousness.
The goal of all of this is that the Lord would grant to our
opponents repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, that they may come to
their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by
him to do his will. So, don’t be afraid to speak the truth in love, to speak it
boldly, and with the passion of Paul and of Jesus, but with kindness and in
love, and with sincerity, and with the right purpose. For many people profess
faith in Jesus who are headed to hell, but on the promise of heaven.
Follow Him
An Original Work / February 21, 2013
Based off Luke 9:22-25
Jesus, Son of God,
Died for us on a
cross.
Anyone who would
come to Him
Must deny himself
and follow.
He must take up his
cross daily;
Die to sin and self
each day.
Father, God above,
Loved us so: gave His
Son.
If you want to save
your old life;
Keep on sinning,
follow your ways,
You will lose your
life forever;
Hope of heaven gone
away.
Spirit of our God
Gives us life in
God’s Son.
Nonetheless, if you
die to self;
Forsake your sin;
follow Jesus,
You will live with
God in heaven,
And forever praise
His name!
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