The House Built by God, NOT The House Built by Man

The House Built by God, NOT The House Built by Man – 2 Timothy 2:20-26

“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. 21 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.

22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. 24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient,

25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.”

In the New Testament, after the Pentecost and the massive conversion in different places, people needed to be taught the doctrines of Christ otherwise referred to in Acts 2:42 as the Apostles doctrines.

The office of a Teacher became visibly pronounced. So, some started coveting the office of a Teacher. They wanted personal honor, fame, glory and the control of the people. Soon, Simony, the art of buying ministry offices with money, became popular.

Pater and Paul warned about the presence of false teachers in the midst of the church assembly. “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers AMONG YOU, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction” (2 Peter 2:1).

Despite the presence of false teachers in the physical church assembly, the saints of the Lord is known by the Lord.

Paul warned the younger minister, Timothy, to be aware of these elements and to be careful.

He used the illustration in 2 Timothy 2:19-22 to convey the message directly to Timothy as he describes a great house which is the professing church.

“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.” Paul quoted Moses in Numbers 16:5: “The Lord knows them that are his.”

The foundation refers to the Godward aspect of the Christian life.

God chose us who trust in him as his elect. “Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory” (2 Timothy 2:10).

This foundation of the house is safe and secure because God’s seal is on it. In the Bible, a seal is a mark of ownership and security.

We are chosen in Christ therefore we should be holy and without blame.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,”(Ephesians 1: 3-4).

But there is also a man aspect of the Christian life.

“Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity” (2 Timothy 2:19). This is a quote from Numbers 16:23-27:

“So the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.’ ”  25 Then Moses rose and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him.

26 And he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart now from the tents of these wicked men! Touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins.” 27 So they got away from around the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the door of their tents, with their wives, their sons, and their little children.”

The Lord warns the people to get away from the tents of Korah and the rebels. In all, the elect of God prove the WORD by living godly lives.

This great house not only has a solid foundation that is sealed, but it also has vessels, that is, utensils of various kinds for performing household functions. These utensils are in two categories of honor, which is gold and silver, and those of dishonor, which is, wood and clay.

Paul is not distinguishing between kinds of Christians, but it’s making a distinction between true teachers of the word and the false teachers he described in 2 Timothy 2: 16-18:

“But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. 17 And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, 18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some.”

A faithful pastor (minister) is like a gold. This vessel brings honor to Jesus Christ. Just as the head of the house displays his costliest and most beautiful utensils and gets honor from them, so is a faithful minister who teaches and lives by the Word of God. God beautifies His servants who faithfully handle the Word of God.

False teachers are not valuable. They are like wood and clay. They are utensils that do not bring honor no matter how popular they may be today. Wood and Clay would not survive the test of fire.

In the great house of the professing Church, there are true believers who exercise spiritual discernment and are careful to ensure that their vessels are sanctified onto honor, and there are false preachers, teachers, and vessels unto dishonor, too.

The important thing is that the honorable vessels do not get contaminated by the dishonorable ones.

2 Timothy 2:21: “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.”

2 Timothy 2:20: “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.”

In a way, Paul was encouraging Timothy to live up to his name. The name Timothy comes from two Greek words which together mean ‘God honoring.’ He admonishes Timothy to separate himself from false Teacher. If he does, God will honor him, separate and keep him for service useful to the Master.

A useful human vessel of honor does not get involved in the popular things of the world even the religious world. Rather, he or she must remain holy, and this means he must be separated from everything that will defile him.

“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” (2 Timothy 2:21).

CLEANSES FROM … the sin of the flesh.
Paul use a similar admonition in
2 Timothy 2:22:

“Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”

1 Timothy 6:11-12: “But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”

FLEE (like someone caught in a terror)

FOLLOW (pursue righteousness, peace, virtue, truth)

FIGHT (the good fight of faith)

True Bible separation is balanced, we flee sin, but we follow after righteousness. If we are not, then we would be isolated instead of separated.

In fact, we are to fellowship with them that call on the Lord out of the pure heart. After all, this is the purpose of the ministry of the word .

“Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,” (1 Timothy 1:5).

For God to be able to use us, the vessels must be empty, clean and available. He would take us and fill us and use us for His glory. But if we are filled with sin, filed by disobedience, He would have to purge us and that may not be an enjoyable experience.

Thank you.