<< Back

Chosen no: H1-750 ,   from: 0 Year.

Change lang

"In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth, and some to honor, and some to dishonor. If a man, therefore, purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified and meet for the Master's use, and prepared unto every good work." 2 Tim. 2:20, 21

This text shows that the Apostle was solicitous for the Church because of a sectarian spirit of contention which prevailed where the spirit of fellowship should have manifested itself. This does not signify that the Apostle ignored the importance of fidelity to the Truth, for concerning this he had already written that the Church should "contend earnestly for the faithonce delivered to the saints." He here objects to the disposition of many to contend about matters of no moment, which he terms "words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers," and again "profane and vain babblings, which would increase unto more ungodliness and eat as cloth a canker." In a word, man-made differences should be ignored and only those doctrines which the Scriptures clearly and distinctly set forth are to be insisted upon and contended for. In all other things the Lord's people are to have fervent charity and liberty among themselves. After exhorting Timothy, "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth," he declares that notwithstanding these various bate" brings and twistings of the Scriptures, the "foundation of God standeth sure." God's great plan will stand and will finally triumph no matter who may babble against it and no matter how much the Adversary may seek to draw attention away from the fundamental facts to the theories and fancies of the egotistical and hypocritical. The Apostle's thought seems to be that some of the Lord's people, by following the course he has outlined, and becoming thoroughly furnished in the word of truth and able to rightly divide it to others, will be vessels of honor in the service of the Lord in the present time. On the contrary, sometruly God's people, truly consecrated to him, yet neglecting these important principles-will be vessels of less honor and used of the Lord to accomplish less glorious results.

TO HONOR AND LESS HONOR

How manifestly true is this inspired declaration only the more advanced of the Lord's people may know. The world judges by outward appearance, and perceives the prosperity of many who have the form of godliness without the power thereof; it perceives the prosperity of many sects and parties, divided chiefly by mere quibbles, and it perceives the lesser prosperity of those who ignore sectarian lines and stand only for the word of truth, and contend only "for the faith once delivered to the saints." Only the spiritually minded can see the situation from the Lord's standpoint-only these can realize which, from the Lord's standpoint, are the gold and silver vessels and which are those of wood and of earth. Only this class can discern which vessels the Lord uses to the greater honor-through which he sends the greater riches of his grace and truth, and which he uses in an inferior sense.

The "great house" of the Apostle's parable is the household of faith-the house of God-the Church of the living God. This Church is now in an embryo condition; unfinished, imperfect; it bears a similar relationship to the Church in glory that Israel's tabernacle in the wilderness bore to the temple at Jerusalem. We are not to understand that only the most proficient of the Lord's people are recognized by him and others entirely ignored, but, as the Apostle says, our sure foundation lies in the fact that "the Lord knoweth them that are his," and also in the fact that those who name the name of Christ should depart from iniquity. Every servant of God, every vessel in his house, must come under these conditions to be vessels at all:(1) The Lord must know them as his; they must be of the class mentioned by the prophet who have made a covenant with the Lord by sacrifice-self sacrifice, consecration to death; (2) they must also be of the class that depart from iniquitythat recognize righteousness, truth, holiness, and strive toward perfect attainment.

But not all of those who make a full consecration and who strive for righteousness shall occupy the same station in the Divine service, either now or hereafter. The degree of honor in the Lord's service will depend upon their degree of honesty and zeal. While, therefore, we may well rejoice to be vessels in the Lord's house, to be used of him either in more honorable or less honorable capacity in his service, nevertheless he is pleased to have us aspire to such faithfulness in thought, in word, in deed, as would have his approval and win for us the higher stations in his esteem and service here and hereafter.

"IF A MAN PURGE HIMSELF"

The Apostle tells us how as Christians we may attain to the highest positions in Divine favor. He says, "If a man purge himself from these he shall be a vessel unto honor." He does not mean, however, if any man do so, for here and elsewhere he shows, in harmony with the other Scriptures, that the world has nothing whatever to do with this matter-that the first step of approach to God must be through the door, through Christ, and that only those who come unto the Father through him have any standing whatever at the present time. Hence the Apostle's thought is that if any man in the Church will purge himself, will purify himself, will seek to put away these elements of dross and unrighteousness, will seek to avoid profane and vain babblings, will cease to strive about words to no profit, and will seek more and more by the Lord's assistance to "rightly divide the word of truth"-such a man in Christ, whether his talents and opportunities be great or small, will be blessed of the Lord and reckoned of him as one of the more honorable vessels for his service here and hereafter.

Continuing further he declares that the man who thus purges himself and seeks to bring himself closely into alignment with the will of God, will not only be reckoned a vessel unto honor, but will be sanctified and set apart by the Lord for his service. He will give him opportunities, special opportunities, to do and to be assisted, which he would not have provided for him otherwise. Christian people too often seem to overlook this matter-to forget how much God has to do with his Church, with those who have made consecration of themselves to him.

More and more should we all remember, as is urged by the Apostle, that "God hath set in the Body the various members as it hath pleased him." It is for us not to be ambitious for a high station, but to humbly desire to be and to do those things acceptable to the Lord, leaving it for him to give us whatever experiences in life will be best for us-either larger opportunities for service or lesser opportunities, for the testing and proving of our loyalty. Selfish ambition in any of the Lord's people would be the surest road to Divine disapproval. It might succeed in securing place and power in nominal systems of human origin, but such a course-so far from bringing these into greater prominence with the Lord or into greater opportunities of service in connection with his truth-would work in an opposite direction; as it is written, "The Lord disdaineth the proud, but showeth favor to the humble." The Apostle, therefore, urges, 'mumble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time"-in the present life or in the future life or both. It is for the Lord to choose our place and our work for we; it is for w to seek to be instruments willing and ready, "for the Master's we made meet."

"HOUSE OF MANY MANSIONS"

Looking beyond our present opportunities and privilege of usefulness in the Lord's service, and the degree of opportunities secured by w now through faithfulness, we perceive that the great work for which we are called, chosen, being schooled, is that of the future, of which the Apostle says, "That in the ages to come God will show forth the riches of his grace, in his loving kindness toward w in Christ Jesus." (Eph. 2:7) Our Lord referred to that glorious future condition when he declared to his Apostles, "In my Father's house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you." The many mansions, the many stations, the many planes of celestial being and blessing are here pictured, and the suggestion is further given that one special place in the Divine family would be made for the special followers of the Lord-those known throughout the Scriptures as "the Bride, the Lamb's Wife," and again as "the Royal Priesthood" under Christ, their great Chief Priest. The chief mansion will be for these who, called to the highest honor, are represented by the golden vessel.

And again they are called the "Lord's jewels," and he says of them, "They shall be mine, saith the Lord, in that day when I come to make up my jewels." (Mal. 3:17) As jewels are scarce, so these are described to be only a little flock to whom it is the Father's good pleasure to give the Kingdom. (Luke 12:32) To be of this company styled in the Scriptures as "more than conquerors through him that loved them and bought them with his precious blood," the Apostle Paul declared that he was glad to suffer any loss-to count all things but as loss and dross that he might win Christ and be found in him-as a member of his Body, a member of the royal priesthood, a member of the little flock, a partaker of the divine nature.

In the tabernacle and in the temple gold was used as a symbol of this divine nature, the highest of all natures, superior to the angelic. Our Lord described this immortal condition as signifying the possession of life in himself-life not derived from other sources. "As the Father hath life in himself (immortality), so hath he given unto the Son to have life in himself" (immortality). John 5:26) And he has been given the privilege of giving this to whomsoever he will-to the worthy ones constituting his elect Bride, otherwise styled "members of the Body of Christ," vitally connected with him, their living Head. It is to this glorious quality of the divine nature, symbolized by the gold, and again in our text styled the vessels of gold, that Peter refers, saying "God hath given unto w exceeding great and precious promises, that by these we might become partakers of the divine nature." 2 Peter 1:4

"VESSELS OF SILVER"

All recognize silver as less precious than gold, but much more abundant. As one of the precious metals it is used in the Scriptures to represent a spiritual class, but a different class from that represented in the vessels of gold-a more numerous class. While all of the Lord's people of this Gospel Age were called, as the Apostle says, "In one hope of their calling," with at least the prospect or opportunity of becoming golden vessels, nevertheless the Lord foreknew that not all of his true followers would prove in the end to be "more than conquerors;" not all of those who love righteousness and hate iniquity would be so zealous for the service as to be esteemed worthy to be of that little flock, the Bride, because all would not run in the race with zeal, following in the Master's footsteps; hence we find in the Scriptures another class, another division of the Church, clearly pointed out.

In the types of the Old Testament they were represented by the Levites, who had an important work to do in conjunction with the priests and as their assistants. In the New Testament this class is referred to in our text as "vessels of silver," or less honorable than the vessels of gold, and they are particularly brought to our attention in our Lord's last message to his Church, in which he pictures them as a "great company" in contrast with the "little flock."

This great company he designates as in the end honored and honorable victors, with palm branches-the crowns being reserved for the little flock, the vessels of gold. In the same picture he shows us that while the little flock of more than conquerors are to sit upon the throne with him, these others, worthy but less worthy, are to be before the throne. He points out that while the "little flock" will share his glory and honor as his Bride, this greater company, represented by the more numerous vessels of silver, will serve him in his temple. (Rev. 7:9-15) He points out further in the same message that while the little flock will be the Bride class, the "great company" will be honored with an invitation to be present at the marriage supper of the Lamb in glory. (Rev. 19:9) And through the Prophet David he pictured the distinction between these classes, the little flock, the vessels of gold unto greatest honor, and the greater multitude, the vessels of silver unto less honor, picturing them as the Bride and her companions-bridesmaids. The picture shows the Bride all glorious in rainment of fine needle work, of embroidery and gold, brought in before the King, and then it shows w the "virgins, her companions, who follow her." Psalm 45

"VESSELS OF WOOD AND OF EARTH"

To be in any part of God's great house--to be in his service in any capacity, either now or hereafter, is an honor, is no dishonor. Hence we prefer that translation of our text-vessels unto more honor and vessels unto less honor. The vessels of earth and of wood are specified as indicating those unto less honor, and to our understanding represent in the future those who will be servants of God on the earthly or human plane. Whoever through the portals of the Divine Word catches a glimpse of the coming glory of the earth during the Millennial Age-a glimpse of the "times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets"-can rejoice with any who will be found worthy to be a vessel of less honor in the Master's cause in the future on the earthly plane. To our understanding the majority of Christian people have never appreciated the glorious grandeur that is to come to earth during and as a result of the reign of Messiah-his Bride included. will be times of restitution which God hasdeclared Surely, as Saint Peter declares (Acts 3:19-21), these through all his holy prophets.

H1 - 750