2 Timothy 2:20-26: True nobility.(please click here for todays passage)

What do you need to cleanse yourself from? (21a). I know that ‘’…the blood of Jesus…cleanses us from all sin.’’ (1 John 1:7), but this is about repentance. This is about what you, and I, have to do – by God’s grace. So what’s impeding your progress? What is clogging up the channel of your ministry? Where is there a build-up of sinful plaque that might stop the flow altogether if it is not dealt with? It might prove dangerous – even fatal – to your spiritual health and effectiveness. What’s God talking to you about today and what are you going to do about it? Where are the ‘’ignoble’’ things needing to be cleansed away? An old hymn says, ‘’It is not trying, but trusting.’’ But the balanced truth is that it is both. We have a real part to play in our own spiritual growth, but we can only do what we have to as we continually ‘download’ God’s power.

‘’Become the kind of container God can use to present any and every kind of gift to his guests for their blessing.’’ The Message.

This message is addressed to a human being who is responsible/accountable to do something about it.

Here are three complementary attitudes a Christian needs to hold – and especially a Christian leader, like Timothy – if they are to be ideal ‘containers’ for God to use; instruments ‘’for noble purposes’’ (21):

  • With regard to sin, there must be total rejection/repudiation (21). There are things to run away from at full pelt (22a). In the radical words of Jesus, there are things to be ‘gouged out’ and ‘cut off’ (Matthew 5:29, 30). We cannot afford to be half-hearted about repentance. Firm resolve and self-discipline are required if we are to skedaddle from places where we’d quite like to loiter. The passage again reminds us of the need to put distance between ourselves and false teaching, and indeed everything that leads to division between God’s people (23ff.)
  • With regard to holiness there must be pursuit. Go after these qualities with all your heart (22b): ‘’Run after mature righteousness – faith, love, peace – joining those who are in honest and serious prayer before God.’’ The Message. A John Pantry Song, ‘Empty handed’ has this line in it: ‘’Oh how I wanted to be godly.’’ Do you feel anything of that? Does it resonate with you at all? Do you share that heartbeat?
  • With regard to people there must be kindness, patience and gentleness (24, 25). This particularly applies to those who are not easy. If people want to quarrel you may not be able to stop them, but don’t get sucked in. Never lose the hope that people can change. They can repent and be different. Persevere in your ministry trusting in God’s ability to transform. He did it for you, didn’t He? He can do this for others.

Prayer: Holy God, please show me everything that you want evicting from my life. Please give the strength and courage to show sin the door.