Good morning. Today we're
going to look at second Timothy. Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God
stands, having this seal, "the Lord knows those who are His," and,
"let everyone who names the name of the Lord abstain from
wickedness." Those who are Christians should abstain from all wickedness.
Sadly they don't. They try to blend the world with Christianity; but they
always fail to do so. Not only should they abstain from wickedness; but from
even the appearance of wickedness. Now in a large house there are not only gold
and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and earthenware, and some to honor
and some to dishonor. 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. It doesn't matter if we are a gold candelabra or a clay pot,
we can still be one of honor instead of dishonor. But we first have to cleanse
ourselves from all worldly things. Of course it is the Holy Spirit who does the
actual cleaning, but we have to cooperate with Him. Even if you are a gold
candelabra, you can still be to dishonor, if you don't cleanse yourself. When
we are sanctified experientially and not just positionally, then we can truly
be useful to God. We are then ready for every good work. Then when it's all
over we can say as Paul said "I have fought the good fight, I finished the
course, I have kept the faith." Father thank You that the reader is a
vessel for honor, and is useful to You for every good work. When all is over he/she
too can say that he/she has fought the good fight, has finished the course, has
kept the faith.
Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me
Good morning. Paul then gives a list of a lot of things that he has gone through as an apostle. I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. There could be many people that you listen to either in church or through the Internet or other means; but there was only one person (as a general rule it was a person) that lead you to Christ. Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me. He was saying that just like a child imitates his or her father, they were to imitate him. He says that again seven chapters later. Since it is easy to forget some things about people we have not seen in a while, Paul says that he sent Timothy to them to remind them of his ways which are in Christ, just as he taught everywhere in every church. Some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. I shall find ou...
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