VESSEL FOR HONOUR

“…he will be a VESSEL FOR HONOR, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work”” – 2 Timothy 2:21

In Christ, I am a VESSEL for HONOUR: “Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a VESSEL FOR HONOR, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work” (2Tim.2:21). God’s Perfect Will for His children is to be Vessels “made of purest gold – the very best in the house – so that Christ Himself can use you for His highest purposes” (v.21, Living Bible). His clear intention is to use us for honourable, sanctified, and glorious service. He gives gifts for us to function as active and good stewards in His House, not bench-warmers or occasional spectators!

Paul’s letter reveals the characteristics of God’s approved and disapproved workmen. He does not necessarily use highly gifted person with impressive skills, seminarians with extensive training and chains of degrees, or men of eloquence and great knowledge! God uses cleansed people who flee sin and pursue godliness – righteousness, faith, love and peace with the Lord’s true people (v.22). Paul uses the illustration of a mansion with different kinds of vessels. The gold and silver vessels are kept sparkling clean in order to be used for honourable purposes, such as dinner parties. Whereas, vessels that are used for dishonourable purposes such as to collect garbage, would often get broken and are cheaply replaced.

We could argue that dishonourable vessels serve legitimate functions and are just as necessary as the gold vessels. This misses the point. The large house represents the professing or visible church, which contains both the truly born again, and others, such as the false teachers Hymenaeus and Philetus – vessels of dishonour, who were most likely, not born again. Paul’s admonition is that no one should be a vessel for disgrace. How appalling would it be for guests seated around a magnificent table at a wealthy home, to have food dished out of a garbage pail?  Even so, God will not use a garbage pail life to serve the pure gospel to a hungry world or dirty lives to serve the good news of Christ!

Ultimately, God is Sovereign in the making of His Vessels. As the Potter, He can do whatever He wants with the clay without the right of resistance. He can make from the same clay a vessel for honour and another for common use; a “vessel of mercy…prepared for glory” and a “vessel of wrath prepared for destruction” (Rom.9:21-23). The Sovereign of the Universe uses even evil people for His righteous purposes: “The Lord has made all for Himself, Yes, even the wicked for the day of doom” (Pro.16:4). He used Pharaoh to demonstrate His power (Rom. 9:17). He used the likes of Judas, Herod, and Pontius Pilate to execute His plan of putting Jesus on the cross (Acts 4:27-28). Yet, even these ignoble vessels made their choices!

Conscious choice and deliberate decision are critical to being God’s preprared vessel. Here, the options are clear: Would I be a clean, gold or silver vessel, used for honour, or a cheap, filthy pot, used for dishonour? More crucial than the vessel’s material, is the glory or otherwise of its use! Most importantly, we are responsible to cleanse ourselves from the defilement of sin, in order to be vessels for honour (vv.20-21). We are responsible moral agents accountable for our choices, not puppets or robots! Cleansing is my responsibility: “Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself…” (v.21a).

To cleanse myself is not to try to atone for sins by self-effort. It is to avail myself of the means of cleansing that God has provided in Christ: the blood of Jesus and the Word of Truth (1 Jh. 1:7, 9; Jh.17:17; Eph.5:26). Yes, I was completely clean the moment I trusted in Christ as Saviour; but as I walk in the world and get dirty and defiled, I confess and apply the blood of Jesus and His Word for continual cleansing. Vessels for honour walk in the light; while vessels of dishonour walk in darkness and refuse to be cleansed! I have chosen to be a Vessel for Honour and Mercy, sanctified and prepared for Glory!