CALL ON THE LORD OUT OF A PURE HEART

Passage: 2 Timothy 2:20-26

Key verse: 22

NIV

20 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use.(A) 21 Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.(B)

22 Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love(C) and peace, along with those who call on the Lord(D) out of a pure heart.(E) 23 Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.(F) 24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.(G) 25 Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth,(H) 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil,(I) who has taken them captive to do his will.

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Source: BibleGateway

ESV

20 Now in (A)a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, (B)some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 21 Therefore, (C)if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable,[a] he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, (D)ready for every good work.

22 So (E)flee (F)youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with (G)those who call on the Lord (H)from a pure heart. 23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant (I)controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24 And (J)the Lord's servant[b] must not be quarrelsome but (K)kind to everyone, (L)able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents (M)with gentleness. God (N)may perhaps grant them repentance (O)leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from (P)the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

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Footnotes
  1. 2 Timothy 2:21 Greek from these things
  2. 2 Timothy 2:24 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. An instrument for a noble purpose (2

-21)

A utensil or a tool is good or evil depending on the purpose of the user. We can be used by God for his noble purposes if we repent and are cleansed by Jesus' blood. He makes us holy and prepares us to be useful to the Master, ready to do any good work.

2. Pursue righteousness (22-26)

We cannot please God or be used by him if we live 'naturally.' We must flee the evil desires of youth and set our direction to pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace. We do this by calling on the Lord for his help, not by engaging in stupid arguments. We don't seek to win arguments. We must teach the Bible with gentleness, praying that God will grant repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth to those who oppose gospel work. They are captives of the devil who uses them to do his work. We want to escape the snare of the devil and help others to do so too.

Prayer: Lord, help me to call on you with a pure heart. Change my desires so that I may seek holiness, not worldly things.

One Word: Call on the Lord