Bible Reading: Leviticus 23; Psalm 30; Ecclesiastes 6; 2 Timothy 2
2 Timothy 2:20-21 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
A man has to purge himself from profane babbling and from profane men.
2 Timothy 2:16-18 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. 17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; 18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
If you want to be used by God, you must not let false teaching influence you. The Bible's illustration here is of a great house. In that house are many different kinds of vessels. A vessel is a container. There are some that are very ornate that one might put out on a table for display containing flowers. There are some that are beautiful serving vessels for meals. There are also common vessels that are used in an everyday context. These might include coffee cups and ordinary flatware.
That house also has vessels that you would never put on display. There are mop buckets and dish basins for cleaning up the house. There might even be chamber pots which are necessary and useful, but not something that would be considered 'unto honor'.
A person is a vessel. We are a clay pot. If we have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ alone for salvation, we are a clay pot with God's Spirit living inside.
2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
You and I must consider what kind of a vessel we will be. If we allow false teaching to influence us and we use our bodies for dishonorable purposes, we will be a vessel to dishonor. Judas Iscariot is an example of a vessel unto dishonor. His vessel was filled up with Satan himself.
Luke 22:3 Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.
But, if we purge ourselves from these things, we will be a vessel unto honor. Then we will be useful to our Master – King Jesus.
What kind of a vessel are you? Do you contain the Holy Spirit of God? Are you born again? Do you allow your vessel to be used for dishonorable purposes or yield yourself to dishonorable men to fill you up with false teaching? Any vessel that is filled up with Jesus is meet for the Master's use!
In Christ,
Rody
