Gospel of John [17:17-18]. The Lord's priestly prayer; part 37. 2Ti 2; Practical Sanctification.

Title: Gospel of John [17:17-18]. The Lord's priestly prayer; part 37. 2Ti 2; Practical Sanctification.

 

2TI 2:20 Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor.

 

"honor" - timh,[time] = the value of a gold or silver vessel that is useful to the Master. "dishonor" - avtimia,= dishonor, lowness, disgrace.

 

The "and" or conjunction kai likely distinguishes the honor and dishonor from the types of vessels. We know that all unbelievers fall under the category of dishonor as unregenerated, however, not all believers, the gold and silver vessels, walk in honor, which is sanctified in the truth. So the "and" reveals the distinction. None of us naturally walk in a manner of honor, worthy of our calling. We bring all kinds of trends and habits from our fallen sin natures into the Christian way of life. It takes dedication, tenacity, humility to the truth and the ministry of the Holy Spirit in order for our minds to be transformed so that we may prove what the will of God is, that which is good, acceptable, and perfect.

 

2TI 2:21 Therefore, if a man cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.

 

cleanses - evkkaqai,rw[ekkathairo] = to cleanse out, to cleanse thoroughly. "from these" - to not be defiled in thinking by the vessels of dishonor.

 

1CO 5:7-8

Clean out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity [pure motive] and truth.  

 

The verb, katharizo, meaning cleanse is used in several places in the New Testament. It is like sanctification, righteousness, light and other words that are related to us in terms of both position and experience. We are righteous and so we are qualified to walk righteously. We are sanctified in position and so we are qualified to walk in sanctification of the truth. We are totally cleansed in the eyes of God ("just as you are in fact unleavened") and so we can live clean or pure from the defilement of the world or the sin nature, which was not an option before God cleansed us at salvation.

 

Katharizo is used in such a sense in the following passages.

 

2CO 7:1

Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

 

HEB 9:14

how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

 

EPH 5:26

that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word

 

1JO 1:7

but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

 

The implication is that the thinking of the vessels of dishonor is not clean and if we were to allow that thinking to take root again in our hearts after regeneration and the truth has delivered us from it then our thinking would become unclean and unclean thinking does not work with a fully cleansed new creature.

 

To Timothy some people like this who have already caused destruction to the minds of some believers is in verses 16-17.

 

2TI 2:16 But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness,

 

2TI 2:17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus

 

2TI 2:21 Therefore, if a man cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.

 

Sanctification in the truth enables us to be useful to the Master in terms of worship of Him and service to Him. Prepared means that we are fully equipped for correct and proper service.

 

A right thing is done in a right way. In Christianity the ends do not justify the means, for both the means and the end result must be righteous. God does not compromise with the world and the believer must not either. Useful and equipped believers are sanctified from the thinking of the world and operate according to God's standards of virtue, the epitome of which is agape love. His instruction is from God the Holy Spirit and he relies completely on the instruction of the word of God. He strives to maintain his thinking as the thinking of Christ during His incarnation, complete humility, submission, and obedience to the Father's will. In this way he is useful and equipped to produce the service of his Master.

 

2TI 2:22 Now flee from youthful lusts, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

 

Timothy has been warned of the vices of the intellect and now he is warned of the vices of "youthful" flesh" and to strive for maturity in righteousness, faith, virtue love, and peace from a sanctified heart.

 

2TI 2:23 But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels.

 

"Refuse stupid questions from the uninstructed which always cause contentions."

 

We are not to get involved in the stupid questions of the uninstructed. Satan's world system states that there is no stupid question and so the believer standing in the truth who refuses to get sucked into debates and quarrels over things that the uninstructed boast of knowing is labeled as unloving. We cannot be concerned about our reputation above the truth. When we compromise we hinder the truth and so hinder its effect on those who hear. There are many things that the unbeliever cannot understand since he rejects the foundation of all truth, Christ. There are some things that the uninstructed believer cannot understand. Rather than debate things that he cannot comprehend and draw him into a quarrel, point him to a prepared pastor teacher and comfort him with the truth that in time he will grow in grace and knowledge. Learning about the infinite God takes a lifetime of commitment to the word of God. He is not found in superficial momentary conversations. To find Him one must search for Him with all of his heart. This is what must be made clear to the uninstructed believer and do so in gentleness. Yet as far as instructed believers are concerned, doctrinal discussions are wonderful and will not turn to the stupid or controversial.   

 

2TI 2:24 And the Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach [skillful in teaching], patient when wronged,

 

Any believer will be skillful in teaching when he learns the truth first in perception and then more fully in application. You can skillfully teach what you have mastered.

 

2TI 2:25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance [change of mind] leading to the knowledge [epignosis - true or full knowledge] of the truth,

 

Those who place themselves in opposition to the true servant of the Lord and to true doctrine, are to be dealt with as tenderly and considerately as they who walk in error from right living.

 

God will give or grant them repentance only in accord with their free will. For the change of mind to take place there must be an understanding of the truth. For even the smallest understanding of the truth there must be a free-will decision on the part of the reversionistic believer or unbeliever to want to learn. No one can force another person to learn. God has the most effective means to motivate learning in a negative person through suffering, but even then, He does not violate their free-will. As soon as a person, believer or unbeliever, has a desire to learn, God the Holy Spirit leaps into action using the word given by the Church.