4. (19) The reward of focus: The solid foundation of God.
Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
a. Nevertheless, the solid foundation of God stands: In the preceding passage, Paul sounded as if he were under severe attack and might not stand against the rising tide of deception and wickedness. But here, he makes it clear, both to himself and to us that the kingdom of God cannot be shaken.
i. Though men like Hymenaeus and Philetus made dangerous attacks against the church and their message spread like cancer, and even though the faith of some might be overthrown, nevertheless, the solid foundation of God stands.
ii. God has a plan, God has a purpose, God has a strategy, and it is not going to fail. It doesn’t matter how many fall away, how many reject the truth, how many go their own way after profane and vain babblings - Nevertheless, the solid foundation of God stands.
b. Having this seal: There are two seals on the solid foundation of God. “The one seal bears two inscriptions, two mutually complementary parts or aspects.” (White)
i. It seems that Paul drew these allusions from Numbers 16, in reference to the rebellion of Korah.
· The Lord knows those who are His: “The words are taken from Numbers 16:5, ‘In the morning the Lord will show who are His.’” (White)
· Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity: “The language is perhaps another echo of the story of Korah (Numbers 16:26-27). But Isaiah 52:11 is nearer in sentiment.” (White)
c. The Lord knows those who are His: This is the first inscription on the seal. If Hymenaeus and Philetus continue their destructive ministry, the Lord knows those who are His.If profane and vain babblings sweep through the church like cancer, the Lord knows those who are His. If the faith of some is overthrown, the Lord knows those who are His.
i. We don’t always know those who are His. We can know for ourselves, for as Romans 8:16 says, The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. But with others, we cannot always know those who are His.
ii. God does not sit in heaven, wondering and worrying if you are saved or not. He does not hope or wonder if you will make it to the end. He knows. The Lord knows those who are His.
d. Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity: This is the second inscription on the foundation of God. It is true that God knows those who are His; and He calls those who are His to leave their sin behind.
i. Some might say, “I belong to the Lord, I know I’m His. I am going to heaven. It doesn’t matter so much how I live.” Yet, such a son has forgotten that there are two inscriptions on the foundation of God. There are two - and those who are His will have the desires and the actions to depart from iniquity.
ii. If someone does not have the desire or the actions to depart from iniquity, it is fair to ask if they really belong to Jesus or if they have just deceived themselves.
e. The solid foundation of God stands: It isn’t going to change; therefore, we can keep our focus on it. It is hard to focus on something that often changes, so God gave us a solid foundation in His Word to keep our focus on.
i. “The first seal marked it for the Lord, the second secured its removal from the common stones around it. First comes election, and sanctification follows. I want every professing Christian to have that double mark, and so to be Christ’s man, known of all to be such by coming out from the unclean, and being separated unto the Lord.” (Spurgeon)
D. Living your life and being used by God.
1. (20-21) Vessels of honor and dishonor.
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. 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.
a. But in a great house: Paul just used the picture of God’s building (the solid foundation of God stands). Now he thinks of that building as a great house that has a variety ofvessels in it – bowls, plates, vases, and other such things.
i. The church of God is indeed
a great house.
a great house.
· It is a great house because of who it belongs to. The house of our great God is certainly a great house.
· It is a great house because it is planned and designed on a great scale. It has the most brilliant Architect and houses a great multitude of the greatest people to ever walk the earth.
· It is a great house because of the great cost it took to build it. This is a mansion far more valuable than any real estate on earth, built by the great work of Jesus on the cross.
on earth, built by the great work of Jesus on the cross.
· It is a great house because of its importance. This house and what happens in it is at the center of God’s plan of the ages. The business of this house is more important than any of the trivia most of the world is interested it.
b. Vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay: Some of these vessels are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. Some are used on occasions of great honor (the gold and silver vessels), and some are used for dishonor - such as a garbage bin or an ashtray.
c. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from the latter: The latter things are the things of dishonor mentioned in 2 Timothy 2:20. If we cleanse ourselves from dishonorable things, God will regard us as vessels of honor, sanctified and useful for the Master.
d. If anyone cleanses himself: Paul spoke about a cleansing that isn’t just something God does for us as we sit passively. This is a self-cleansing for service that goes beyond a general cleansing for sin.
i. There is a main aspect of cleansing which comes to us as we trust in Jesus and His work on our behalf. This work of cleansing is really God’s work in us and not our work. This is the sense of 1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
ii. But there is another aspect of cleansing which God looks for us to do with the participation of our own will and effort. Not that it is our work apart from God, but it is a work that awaits our will and effort: If anyone cleanses himself. This aspect of cleansing is mostly connected with usefulness for service, and closeness to God.
iii. “Oh, happy be you that you be now in this scouring-house; for shortly you shall be set upon the celestial shelf as bright as angels.” (Trapp)
e. Sanctified and useful: Sanctified means set apart, just as much as there are certain bowls and plates that we use more than others, or are set aside to some honorable purpose, so some people are more sanctified and useful to God than others. They are more prepared for every good work than others.
i. We must never think that some Christians are better than others, or that some have passed into a place where they are super-spiritual. However, we must also realize that some Christians are more able to be used by God than others, because they have cleansed themselves, and made themselves more usable to God.
f. Prepared for every good work: We must not think of being usable primarily in the sense of serving in the church. God wants to use His people for every good work, including those at the workplace, the school, in the home, in the community. This happens as one will cleanse himself and set yourself aside to God as a vessel for honor.
i. There is a large sense in which it is left to us how we want to be used by God. We have the potential to be used as a vessel of honor or as a vessel of dishonor. According to this picture, we could be a gold platter in the house of God, beautifully displaying the fruit of the Spirit. Or we could be an ashtray or a garbage can in God’s house.
ii. Your conduct - clean or unclean; set apart to God or not set apart to God; useful to Jesus or not useful to Jesus - really matters. It greatly effects how God can use you and will use you to touch the lives of others.
2. (22-23) How to cleanse yourself.
Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.
a. Flee also youthful lusts: This is the first aspect of cleansing that Paul mentioned to Timothy. Youthful lusts describes the sort of desires and temptations that are especially prominent when someone is an adolescent or young adult. Sexual temptation, illicit pleasure of the flesh, and a longing for fame and glory often mark one’s youth.
i. The command is simple: Flee also youthful lusts. Don’t entertain them. Don’t challenge them. Don’t try and endure them. The idea of “I will just test myself on this one to see if I can stand against it” has made many fall into sin.
ii. If you cannot flee also youthful lusts, there is a real limit to how much God can use you, a limit to how useful to the Master you will be. You can’t really say “yes” to God until you can say “no” to some other things.
iii. “He has just been cautioned against the errors of the intellect; he must be warned also against vices of the blood.” (White)
b. But pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace: Cleansing can never be a matter of just avoiding bad things. It must also be the pursuit of good things. Therefore there are both things that we must flee from and things we must pursue.
c. Pursue . . . peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart: To be cleansed, we must do everything we can to be right in our personal relationships with others. Cleansing needs to extend to how we treat others.
i. Sometimes relationships are not right with others, but we have done all we can do to set it right. We must take great care that we do all we can do. As Paul wrote in Romans 12:18: If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
ii. Bad relationships really hinder our service to the Lord. We must do what we can to set things right if we want to be used of God as much as we can be.
d. But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes: Walking clean also means staying clear of endless disputes and arguments. These distracting interests can limit how much God can use us.
No comments:
Post a Comment