2 Timothy 2 Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness." In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
Imagine walking into a room and noticing two ceramic vessels. One is a gracefully curved gold pitcher. The other is a plain pot. Which would catch your eye and draw you in for a closer look?
In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul used this metaphor to explain how some Christians honor the Lord with their life and service. Others bring shame to the Gospel through selfish living. Scripture commonly uses the vessel image because believers should be “filled with” the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 5:18 says the Holy Spirit trains us in righteousness and strengthens us in suffering. His work begins on the inside, where He adjusts our thinking to align with God’s Word. Our beliefs affect our actions. The Lord wants our behavior to conform to the perceptions the Holy Spirit places on our spirit.
If a person cooperates with the Lord in removing ungodly actions and attitudes, then he becomes a “vessel of honor.” He can be used for God’s kingdom. As believers, our responsibility in the sanctification process is to work with God to eliminate sin from our lives.
The believer’s job is to deal with sin. We must flee from it, or confess and repent when necessary. When we’re vigilant about keeping a sinless life, then the Holy Spirit can work to mature our faith. This makes us golden vessels who pour God’s love upon the world.
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