Holy and Useful

Paul uses a metaphor in his letter to Timothy, comparing people to vessels. In a great house, he says, there are vessels of gold and silver and also vessels of wood and clay. Some are for honorable use, some for dishonorable use. One commentator had this to say regarding the vessels of wood and clay: “There are others in a visible church state, who are like dry wood, destitute of the grace of God, and are fit matter for Satan to work upon, and by them raise and increase the flames of contention and division and will be fit fuel for everlasting burnings…” (John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible). And indeed, Paul seems to feel the same way; he says that these dishonorable vessels have been snared by the devil to do his will (v. 26).

On the other hand, Paul describes what it looks like to be a gold or silver vessel: “Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work” (v. 21). There is a fantastic argument for holiness: I want to be useful to my Lord! And as the Lord’s vessels, we should “pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart” (v. 22). The outcome? Perhaps the vessels of wood and clay will be granted “repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth” (v. 25).