Becoming An Implement For Honor
Part One
“Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from THESE THINGS, he will be an implement for honor, sanctified, USEFULL to the Master, (after being) prepared for “every good work (2Tim. 2: 21 NASB2020 parenthesis mine).”
“These things” can consist of anything (good or bad) that hinders a born-again believer from entering, advancing, and or remaining on, the road of discipleship.
Any experienced pastor-teacher or advancing disciple can tell you, it is much less difficult to edify a former atheist, than it is to edify a newly born-again individual coming from a “religious” background.
After being born again, the primary purpose for one’s presence here on Earth during the Church Age, is to enter into Biblical discipleship.
Biblical discipleship calls for the learning and applying of Bible Doctrine to all that one thinks, says, and does, regardless of where one is or what one is otherwise doing, with the long-term objective of participating in the Great Commission (1).
When being used of God to evangelize or to edify others, one must deal with either immoral degeneracy, moral degeneracy, or both.
Immoral degeneracy is in view when an individual entertains anything that the Bible labels as sin.
Worldly-minded folks and spiritually weak believers, either reject, dispute, or rationalize away, many things that the Bible labels as sin.
But what cannot be denied, is that this IS what God, through His Word, has said, and or the fact that they have been forewarned of the inevitable consequences (2).
Moral degeneracy is not as easily identified, especially when it is promoted through apostate pulpits. Moral degeneracy is in view when one tries to accomplish a good thing, but through the wrong means.
Moral degeneracy is in view when an individual entertains and embraces the erroneous religious teachings and accompanying practices that are the products of men, but are promoted as being necessary, and as having come from God.
Yes, discipleship will require that even what could be an otherwise good thing (personal relationships, secular careers, personal plans independent of God, etc.) may have to be terminated, or at the very least, repositioned on one’s list of priorities.
As much as we may want to do so, we cannot simultaneously serve two masters (4), with one foot on the path of God, and the other along another path that we desire, and or that the devil, would have us tread.
As one advances in the life of discipleship, these two Matt. 7: 13, 14 paths spread further and further apart, bringing one to the point where we must choose one, and leave the other one behind.
There will be times when an advancing disciple must choose between being a people-pleaser, and paying the price for walking the path that God would have him or her tread (5).
If one should promote ANY other (or any additional) means to obtain salvation, beyond faith in the Person and the atoning Work of the Lord Jesus Christ that He finished (6) on the cross, he or she actually becomes an Phil. 3: 18 enemy of the cross (the unadulterated Gospel Message), and will, many times, unwittingly, be in conflict (7) with God.
The unspoken “testimony” of our daily lives will either support or contradict much of what we have to say, enhancing or neutralizing any efforts to evangelize or to edify others.
Obviously, discipleship requires refraining from, or the removal of, anything that the Bible labels as sin. Otherwise, the born-again believer can become useful, not to the Lord, but to the devil, promoting his agenda by what the believer condones, facilitates, or participates.
“These things” spoken of in 2Tim. 2: 21 not only include any form of what the Bible labels as sin, but include the “meaningless” religious traditions created by men, that are promoted as if they came from God (8).
This was an issue that Jesus had with the Pharisees and their followers when He walked among us, and it remains to be an issue that advancing disciples will have with persons in positions of misguided “religious” leadership and their followers, WITHIN the Christian Community throughout the course of the Church Age.
Jesus warned that such confrontations can become quite intense.
“… an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering a service to God (John 16: 2 NASB2020).”
Any experienced pastor-teacher or advancing disciple can tell you that it is much easier to edify a former atheist, that it is to edify a newly born-again individual coming from a religious background, or an individual that has been deeply hurt by the sins, evil words, or actions by a professing “Christian,” or clergy.
Erroneous religious beliefs and practices grow deep roots that are not easily removed.
Rest assured, God will deal with the hurtful sins and stumbling blocks (9) in His own timing and in His own way.
In the meantime do not play into the devil’s hand by allowing such things to drive a wedge between you and an intimate walk with the Lord.
Some of the “walking wounded” have gone as far as blaming God for what He sends or allows to take place.
Granted, accepting some of the things that God sends or allows to take place is one of the highest hurdles to overcome along the road to spiritual maturity.
(1) Matt 28: 19, 20 (2) Romans 6: 23 (3) Mark 7: 7,8 (4) Matt. 6: 24 (5) 2Tim. 3:12 (6) John 19: 30 (7) Acts 5: 39 (8) Mark 7: 7 (9) Matt. 18: 6, 7
End of Part One
Part One
“Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from THESE THINGS, he will be an implement for honor, sanctified, USEFULL to the Master, (after being) prepared for “every good work (2Tim. 2: 21 NASB2020 parenthesis mine).”
“These things” can consist of anything (good or bad) that hinders a born-again believer from entering, advancing, and or remaining on, the road of discipleship.
Any experienced pastor-teacher or advancing disciple can tell you, it is much less difficult to edify a former atheist, than it is to edify a newly born-again individual coming from a “religious” background.
After being born again, the primary purpose for one’s presence here on Earth during the Church Age, is to enter into Biblical discipleship.
Biblical discipleship calls for the learning and applying of Bible Doctrine to all that one thinks, says, and does, regardless of where one is or what one is otherwise doing, with the long-term objective of participating in the Great Commission (1).
When being used of God to evangelize or to edify others, one must deal with either immoral degeneracy, moral degeneracy, or both.
Immoral degeneracy is in view when an individual entertains anything that the Bible labels as sin.
Worldly-minded folks and spiritually weak believers, either reject, dispute, or rationalize away, many things that the Bible labels as sin.
But what cannot be denied, is that this IS what God, through His Word, has said, and or the fact that they have been forewarned of the inevitable consequences (2).
Moral degeneracy is not as easily identified, especially when it is promoted through apostate pulpits. Moral degeneracy is in view when one tries to accomplish a good thing, but through the wrong means.
Moral degeneracy is in view when an individual entertains and embraces the erroneous religious teachings and accompanying practices that are the products of men, but are promoted as being necessary, and as having come from God.
Yes, discipleship will require that even what could be an otherwise good thing (personal relationships, secular careers, personal plans independent of God, etc.) may have to be terminated, or at the very least, repositioned on one’s list of priorities.
As much as we may want to do so, we cannot simultaneously serve two masters (4), with one foot on the path of God, and the other along another path that we desire, and or that the devil, would have us tread.
As one advances in the life of discipleship, these two Matt. 7: 13, 14 paths spread further and further apart, bringing one to the point where we must choose one, and leave the other one behind.
There will be times when an advancing disciple must choose between being a people-pleaser, and paying the price for walking the path that God would have him or her tread (5).
If one should promote ANY other (or any additional) means to obtain salvation, beyond faith in the Person and the atoning Work of the Lord Jesus Christ that He finished (6) on the cross, he or she actually becomes an Phil. 3: 18 enemy of the cross (the unadulterated Gospel Message), and will, many times, unwittingly, be in conflict (7) with God.
The unspoken “testimony” of our daily lives will either support or contradict much of what we have to say, enhancing or neutralizing any efforts to evangelize or to edify others.
Obviously, discipleship requires refraining from, or the removal of, anything that the Bible labels as sin. Otherwise, the born-again believer can become useful, not to the Lord, but to the devil, promoting his agenda by what the believer condones, facilitates, or participates.
“These things” spoken of in 2Tim. 2: 21 not only include any form of what the Bible labels as sin, but include the “meaningless” religious traditions created by men, that are promoted as if they came from God (8).
This was an issue that Jesus had with the Pharisees and their followers when He walked among us, and it remains to be an issue that advancing disciples will have with persons in positions of misguided “religious” leadership and their followers, WITHIN the Christian Community throughout the course of the Church Age.
Jesus warned that such confrontations can become quite intense.
“… an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering a service to God (John 16: 2 NASB2020).”
Any experienced pastor-teacher or advancing disciple can tell you that it is much easier to edify a former atheist, that it is to edify a newly born-again individual coming from a religious background, or an individual that has been deeply hurt by the sins, evil words, or actions by a professing “Christian,” or clergy.
Erroneous religious beliefs and practices grow deep roots that are not easily removed.
Rest assured, God will deal with the hurtful sins and stumbling blocks (9) in His own timing and in His own way.
In the meantime do not play into the devil’s hand by allowing such things to drive a wedge between you and an intimate walk with the Lord.
Some of the “walking wounded” have gone as far as blaming God for what He sends or allows to take place.
Granted, accepting some of the things that God sends or allows to take place is one of the highest hurdles to overcome along the road to spiritual maturity.
(1) Matt 28: 19, 20 (2) Romans 6: 23 (3) Mark 7: 7,8 (4) Matt. 6: 24 (5) 2Tim. 3:12 (6) John 19: 30 (7) Acts 5: 39 (8) Mark 7: 7 (9) Matt. 18: 6, 7
End of Part One