Becoming A Vessel Of Honor, Part 2

[for_his_glory]

I agree that the believers can come under fire for proclaiming His name. The vessels of honor will proclaim and honor the Father's name as the Savior said in Matthew 6:9. Would you agree that not many believers proclaim this name?

Many call themselves a Christian, but only give lip service to the Lord, but deny the power thereof as they have never been Spiritually born again from above nor have they the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, John 3:5-7. These are your Sunday morning type of people who carry their Bible to Church by first taking it off the shelf and dusting it off before leaving the house. Form of Godliness on Sunday morning, a heathen the rest of the week.

2Tim 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2Tim 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
2Tim 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
2Tim 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
2Tim 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

 

[live2blieve]

Many call themselves a Christian, but only give lip service to the Lord, but deny the power thereof as they have never been Spiritually born again from above nor have they the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, John 3:5-7. These are your Sunday morning type of people who carry their Bible to Church by first taking it off the shelf and dusting it off before leaving the house. Form of Godliness on Sunday morning, a heathen the rest of the week.

2Tim 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2Tim 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
2Tim 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
2Tim 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
2Tim 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Yes, there is the power in the name of Yahweh (Exodus 9:16). Let all vessels of honor proclaim and honor Him as He commanded (Psalm 148:11-13).

 

[Bruce.Leiter]

We no longer have the Old sin nature as we now have a renewed sinless nature that God sees in us through the Spiritual rebirth as we walk in obedience to God's commands that are never a burden to follow. Through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit we put on the new Spiritual self as the old man no longer lives in us.

Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Col 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Col 3:6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
Col 3:7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
Col 3:8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
Col 3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
Col 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
Col 3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
Col 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Col 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Col 3:14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
Col 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Col 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Paul give us 15 commands or imperatives (in Greek) in these verses. He calls us to improve spiritually even as he says we have the new nature. It's called the "already-not-yet" of the gospel. Both are true. God our Judge considers us "not-guilty" or justified when we believe, while God our Father enables us to make spiritual progress to overcome the sinfulness that remains within us, though it doesn't dominate us, the way it once did.

 

[for_his_glory]

Okay, but why then does Paul give us 15 commands or imperatives (in Greek) in these verses? He calls us to improve spiritually even as he says we have the new nature. It's called the "already-not-yet" of the gospel. Both are true. God our Judge considers us "not-guilty" or justified when we believe, while God our Father enables us to make spiritual progress to overcome the sinfulness that remains within us, though it doesn't dominate us, the way it once did.

Colossians Chapter 3 talks of putting on the new Spiritual inner man/woman that is in Christ as we have surrendered all and picked up our cross to follow Him. Colossians 3:5-9 list the things of our old man that was worldly flesh full of sin we allowed ourselves to fall into that separated us from the love of God. Colossians 3:12-17 is what we are to put on as being a Spiritual child of God as we seek those things from up above that makes us holy and acceptable unto God.

We are not perfect while in the flesh, but in the Spirit we are perfect in the eyes of God. Sanctification is a process as we press into Christ to become more like Him everyday while here on Earth.

 

[Hidden In Him]

Paul give us 15 commands or imperatives (in Greek) in these verses. He calls us to improve spiritually even as he says we have the new nature. It's called the "already-not-yet" of the gospel. Both are true. God our Judge considers us "not-guilty" or justified when we believe, while God our Father enables us to make spiritual progress to overcome the sinfulness that remains within us, though it doesn't dominate us, the way it once did.

Amen!

Sometimes we focus as Christians on the sins we still struggle with, while failing to look at the lives we once led when we were without God in the world. I'm not perfected yet, but MY what a different life I would have led if I had not come to Christ! What a truly different life I was leading. I had no consciousness of sin, and certainly had no consciousness of living to please the Lord Jesus Christ in everything I said and did. Those things never even entered my mind.

And for me to have faced the kinds of things I've had to endure from the enemy, including on the forums? No earthy way I would have refined myself as a vessel of honor. Quite the opposite. So pleasant to look back and see all Christ Jesus is doing in us as vessels fit to be honored in His household, and made good for every good and honorable use!

Blessings in Christ, and enjoyed your post.
- H

 

[Johann!@#]

Paul give us 15 commands or imperatives (in Greek) in these verses. He calls us to improve spiritually even as he says we have the new nature. It's called the "already-not-yet" of the gospel. Both are true. God our Judge considers us "not-guilty" or justified when we believe, while God our Father enables us to make spiritual progress to overcome the sinfulness that remains within us, though it doesn't dominate us, the way it once did.

Simply love this Bruce.Leiter

15 Imperatives in Paul’s Letters (Greek)
Romans 12:1
παρακαλῶ (parakalō) – “I urge”
Imperative: “I urge you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”

Romans 12:2
Μὴ συσχηματίζεσθε (Mē syschēmatizesthe) – “Do not be conformed”
Imperative: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Romans 12:9
ἀγαπᾶτε (agapate) – “Let love be sincere”
Imperative: “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.”

Romans 13:14
ἐνδύσασθε (endysasthe) – “Put on”
Imperative: “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”

1 Corinthians 16:13
γρηγορεῖτε (grēgoreite) – “Be watchful”
Imperative: “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”

1 Corinthians 10:14
φεύγετε (pheugete) – “Flee”
Imperative: “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.”

1 Corinthians 16:14
πάντα ὑμῶν ἐν ἀγάπῃ γινέσθω (panta humōn en agapē ginesthō) – “Let all that you do be done in love”
Imperative: “Let all that you do be done in love.”

Galatians 5:16
περιπατεῖτε (peripateite) – “Walk”
Imperative: “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

Galatians 5:25
εἰ ζῶμεν πνεύματι (ei zōmen pneumati) – “Let us live by the Spirit”
Imperative: “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.”

Ephesians 4:22
ἀποθέσθε (apothesthe) – “Put off”
Imperative: “To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires.”

Ephesians 4:24
ἐνδύσασθε (endysasthe) – “Put on”
Imperative: “And to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Philippians 2:14
ποιεῖτε (poieite) – “Do”
Imperative: “Do all things without grumbling or disputing.”

Philippians 4:4
χαίρετε (chairete) – “Rejoice”
Imperative: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”

Colossians 3:8
ἀπόθεσθε (apothesthe) – “Put away”
Imperative: “But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.”

1 Thessalonians 5:17
προσεύχεσθε (proseuchesthe) – “Pray”
Imperative: “Pray without ceasing.”

Reflection on the “Already-Not-Yet” in the Imperatives

In these verses, Paul is calling believers to actively pursue spiritual growth, even as they have already been justified by God through faith in Christ. The tension between the "already" (justification, being declared righteous by God) and the "not-yet" (the ongoing transformation and sanctification of believers) is evident in the imperatives. While believers are already declared righteous and have the new nature, they are still called to actively engage in spiritual disciplines, such as walking in the Spirit, putting off the old self, and growing in love and holiness.

These imperatives do not contradict the believer’s justification but rather highlight the process of sanctification...growing into the image of Christ even though, positionally, they are already seen as holy and righteous in God’s sight.

J.

 

[Johann!@#]

Brother Hidden, we are all steeped in sin as believers, because after God gives us grace to control our outward actions, we still have to deal with the old-nature qualities that Paul references that are the result of the remnants of sin that still reside in us. Sin is self-centeredness, which has to be rooted out of us our whole lives, sins like anger at people for their unloving actions against us, pride, frustration, and impatience. Cleansing from those and other inner sins comes from God over our whole lives as we seek them through Jesus' victory.

We shouldn’t be “steeped in sin,” brother-there’s a significant difference between living in a continual state of sin and the occasional missteps or failings of a believer who sometimes misses the mark.
Hence, sanctification.

Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Rom 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Rom 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Rom 6:8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
Rom 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
Rom 6:10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
Rom 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Rom 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Plenty of Imperatives right here in Paul's passage.

Johann.