IN A GREAT HOUSE

Friday 14

“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor.” 2 Timothy 2:20 (NKJV)
Read: 2 Timothy 2:16-21

The illustration used in our text is about different vessels in a great house, talks about whoever would be used as God’s instrument or vessel. There are vessels of gold and silver that are used by the master of the house, whilst other vessels of wood and clay are also available that are used for other things—dishonourable things.

Of course, the vessels of gold and silver would be used for dining and wining by the master of the house. But vessels of wood and clay are the ones that could be used either in the kitchen or within the compound or premises of the house.

Now, the vessels being used by the master of the house are considered vessels of honour. Such vessels are specially treated and kept, whilst vessels of wood and clay are kept just anywhere because they are dishonourable vessels.

Now, in God’s kingdom or vineyard, you can make yourself a vessel for honour by doing a number of things. The first requirement to be a vessel for honour in God’s vineyard is being cleansed from the latter, iniquities (2 Timothy 2:21).

If iniquity is found in your life, you are not qualified to be a useable vessel for the master of the house. To be qualified to be used for honourable things in God’s vineyard or kingdom, you have to depart from iniquity (2 Timothy 2:19,21).

No one would like to eat or drink with a dirty vessel in his house. God likewise would not be pleased to be served with a dirty vessel, someone who lives in sin.

Someone who lives in sin cannot serve on His altar. Verse 21 says: “. . . If anyone cleanses himself from the latter, that is, iniquity.” The latter there in the passage is about iniquity being talked about in the verse 19. So if the person is cleansed, he will be a vessel for honour, sanctified or set apart and useful for the Master—the Lord Jesus Christ—and prepared for every good work.

We could see that the main condition for the usefulness of any potential vessel is being cleansed from iniquity. It is not versatility or potentiality of the person, but the cleanness of the person. This shows that attention should be put more on cleanness of whoever would be used as God’s vessel or instrument.

The admonition that follows in verse 22 of that same 2 Timothy 2 is: “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of A pure heart.”

We could see a number of things mentioned there:

• Youthful lust should be avoided or fled from, and righteousness should be pursued (2 Timothy 2:22).
• Faith and love should also be pursued (2 Timothy 2:22).
• Peace should likewise be pursued, and with others, especially those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. In other words, you should have peace with other believers who call and serve God with a pure heart (2 Timothy 2:22). We could see that to become a vessel for honour that could be considered for the use of the Master, Jesus Christ, the person must be far away from iniquity. Those who name the name of Christ Jesus should depart from iniquity (2 Timothy 2:19).

You cannot be wallowing in iniquity and be claiming that you are of God, No, it cannot be. There should be separation between you and iniquity if you are truly of God (1 John 5:18).

Reflect:

• Is there an area of iniquity you’ve been tolerating that is keeping you from being a vessel of honour?
• What would it look like to actively pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace this week, as this passage urges?
  Peace.

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