Vessels To Honor & Vessels To Dishonor

2^nd Tim.2:20] But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.

[21] If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

[22] Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

The word ‘vessel’ is often used to refer to a ‘vehicle’ by which we transport, or contain something that cannot sustain itself alone towards its destination. And vessels are used by someone to ‘safely carry about,’ and ‘store’ its contents. And whether it is a plane, a boat, a bottle, or a glass; it safely holds another ‘form’ to it’s designed destination. We are often referred to as vessels in God’s word of Truth, we see Man viewed ad either a vessel unto godliness, or a vessel unto ungodliness. And our Father desires that His Word would dwell, and be ‘carried about’ within His sons. And notice Paul’s teaching unto us about the ‘precious cargo’ we ought to carry about in our “earthen vessels.” In the verses below, Paul refers to the Power of the Word of God as “treasure,” but not just treasure unto us, but also unto God. Paul notes that there is “Excellency of the Power” concerning the Word of God dwelling richly within us.

2^nd Cor.4:5] For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.

[6] For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

[7] But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

Moreover, Paul says that the “excellency of the Power may be of God, and not of us.” Could the power be of us? If we are not allowing the Word of God to work effectually within us, we would in turn walk according to the “power of the air,” and Satan’s “table of devils.” Those who are in Christ could in fact be a vessel unto dishonour, they could ‘carry about’ the “spirit of this world” within them, they too can be ‘prepared for their master’s use,’ they don’t think that Satan would be called their ‘master,’ but as 2ndTim.2:20 says, the saint is either going to be a “vessel to honour,” or a “vessel to dishonour,” there is no ‘in between.’ There are not many Saints that will say that they are a vessel to dishonour in the sight of God, but if the members of His Body are operating upon the ‘power’ of another, and not His Word and His “Treasure” within them; then they too would actually be under the power of another. And being under the power of someone, you would be also under the dominion of them, and “subject,” and giving service unto their will. And to put it more into perspective; we would be under submission for our master’s use.

Rom.9:21] Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

[22] What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

[23] And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

Furthermore, we are exhorted to be “sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.” And being His vessels, what He created as a ‘Wise potter’ creating something unlike any other form for His intended purpose. And our Father “predestined’ that His Power would be within His faithful sons and daughters in Christ.  This glorious privilege that we have to be His vessels of honor is what godliness is all about, and being “in His Image and after His likeness” is the type of vessel that our Father has chosen to ‘carry about’ His Word, and adorn His Power. And when we want to ride about in a vessel, or carry about a substance in a vessel, or container, we choose the best vessel for our intended purpose, and so that it’s contents will safely arrive to the destination we have chosen for our purposes. And our Father has graciously given unto us the excellency of the power of God, but we must be the “chosen vessel” of the Lord as a vessel to honour. We ought to “know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;” this is the will of God, and our sanctification. But most importantly, being His vessels, we are His power on the earth by His Word, and make an impact in Heavenly places as well. And as 2nd Timothy 2:20 shows, both “vessels” are “in” the great house, but only one vessel is “meet for its master’s use,” we as sons should desire to be ‘that vessel,’ because we know that how would we feel if our cups, pots, etc. had holes in them, and were of no use unto us, they are still ours, but we could no longer use them for its intended purposes. We ought to desire to possess our vessels in sanctification and honour unto His honour and glory as sons and daughters in Christ.

1stThess.4:3] For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

[4] That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;

Rod Jones