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Ryan's gonna be preaching out of Second Timothy today. Second Timothy chapter two, verses twenty through twenty six, in reverence of the word of God. Would y'all stand as the word is read? Second Timothy chapter two, verse twenty. Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. Now flee from youthful lusts, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart, but refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels. The Lord's bondservant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness, correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance, leading to the knowledge of the truth. And they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. You may be seated. Brian, will you come, please lead us in reverence of God.

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Oh, what a joy it is to be able to open the word with you together, to be able to proclaim the truth, to be able to hear and see what the Lord has for us. Let's pray in light of this. Let's never take this for granted or take it lightly. Heavenly Father, we thank you for the honor that it is to be here this morning worshiping. We thank you that you would be so kind and so loving and so generous so as to draw us together for worship. You alone are worthy of all praise and adoration. May you be glorified through the preaching of your word. We pray in Christ's name. Amen. Well, again, what a wonderful little book we have, 2 Timothy, to study through. Probably Paul's last letter written before death. As we've been venturing through these glorious truths of the Word of God and this powerful little book, we've seen week by week thus far that if we're in Christ, then we're his soldiers. Not in a traditional militaristic sense, but soldiers for Christ, honoring him. And each passage thus far we've studied has brought to bear a different weapon that is in the arsenal for the Christian soldier. Today, as we dive back into this word that was just read, we're going to be looking at a weapon, a weapon called purity. Again, not the traditional weapons of our day and age, right? And that's okay because these are far better. Purity. We as Christians are to be wielding the wonderful weapon of being pure before the Lord and his people in the world. Christians are called to be pure. This is an unmistakable teaching of the scriptures. I think sometimes all too often we resolve to or we resolve ourselves to just say, Well, I'm a sinner in need of grace, and I just rest thankful that I'm saved. But what the Bible paints for us is that the man or woman who has been redeemed by the grace of God then necessarily goes on to seek purity and life. Not to win favor with God for salvation, now that's his gift, but that from the salvation that has been wrought in the heart and the mind and the life and the soul, the Christian now desires, has a new desire to live pure and godly for his honor. Again, we're saved by the grace of Christ, but that means that we are saved unto what's called sanctification. Or in other words, we are saved by the grace of God from our sins to then live for him while seeking to kill sin in our lives, that Joe mentioned earlier, that sin that still remains in us until we are taken to be with him. That's that sanctification process. And so the Christian seeks purity, godliness, and holiness by doing the will of the Father that's spoken through the word of the Spirit, accomplished through the work of the Son. Purity. It's kind of a lost and forgotten truth in our day and age. One example is for those who follow the word and seek to remain pure or celibate. Those who seek to remain in their beautiful virginity until marriage, we see them today in our culture as archaic and naive. Right? That's a shameful stand on our world, by the way. Not that it's something new, but I'm not sure of that in the course of the history of the world there's been a time where the beauty of a chaste woman and a pure man is viewed as it is now. Almost as barbaric and unfair that we would teach and demand such a thing in the church. But I'm telling you, young folks in here especially, purity before the Lord, especially in regards to intimacy before marriage, is one of the greatest blessings that you can offer your future spouse. I'm telling you. Ask anybody who didn't live that route before marriage. It's honoring to Christ, and it provides for a full kind of marriage that many find difficult who have not done this, who have not reserved themselves for the one that God has selected. Now that's just one example of purity, right? And the lack thereof from our world. We could go on and on about the glory and the beauty of godly purity, and there are many, many more examples of purity that the Bible commands of us as soldiers for Christ. So read through it. But I just got to say this: purity is truly a rallying cry for an army that is not of this world. It's beautiful. And so today, with that on our minds, with that weapon on our minds, as we dive into this passage to look at these verses more specifically and more clearly, I want to tell you up front, if you're a note taker, have your pen ready and maybe a backup. Okay? I have 15 points for us. Don't worry, there's potluck to follow, so you'll be fine. But first, that the first point here is the illustration for purity that Paul gives us. Look at verse 20 again. Paul begins by using an illustration, and he says that there's a large house and contents that are in it. Obviously, Paul is not speaking of an actual house here, nor is he speaking of actual gold or wood. He is using those things as analogies to speak of the church and its people. Have you ever been inside of a mansion? Maybe just a large house that is really nice things. Now, I would know that that truth is kind of relative because many people from Malawi, for an example, or uh, you know, from Haiti would walk into many of our homes and say they've been in a mansion with fine things. But I think you get where I'm going. When I was a kid, uh my mom used to clean houses for a living, and I distinctly remember this one lady named Paulette who was in the church from France, and uh she had hired my mother to clean her house. She was very wealthy uh via a large inheritance, and she had, as you can imagine, very nice and very expensive things. Now we were on the other end of that spectrum, okay? We lived in an apartment, and so when we went to her house, you know, because we were still young enough to have to be with my mom when she went, I was always very surprised at how many things she had that seemed to me to just be made of absolutely precious things such as gold. Those are the things that were placed on those shelves and on display, beautiful things, valuable things, taking the place of a kind of honor in the house. And then were those other things, things that I would have actually allowed to touch. Like a rake or a shovel. And where were those things? Those things that we see of as little or no value. Whether under the house or in a shed or in the garage. Because gold and silver were honored, while those cheaply made wood and metal products were not. Could you imagine this wealthy lady placing a broken wheelbarrow handle on the glass coffee table that's lined with gold? No, what was it? It was that valuable, that gold depiction of some beautiful thing that's going to occupy that place in her home. So when Paul says this about the large house and the things that are in it, and which ones receive honorable mentions or places, he is speaking to the people in the church. And so, in short, those in the church who are living lives of faithful obedience and purity, those who are saved and are living out that salvation or being saved, the Bible says, are like gold and silver unto the Lord. I know it doesn't feel like it, does it? But those who are living for the world and therefore marching to the tune of the devil's orders, as Paul says in the last verse of our text, they're like those vessels that do not deserve honor. They're filthy, as they refuse to obey the word of the Christ. They're like a dirty shovel that just got done digging in the septic tank. They're like rubber gloves that are just thrown away from cleaning out the clog toilet. They're of dishonor in their filthiness of living for the world. When those who live for Christ and follow his word, not in and of ourselves, but because of what he's done, we are seen as beautifully refined gold and polished silver in and through his grace. Ponder that for a minute. You know who you are. I know who I am. That doesn't fit me. It is only in God's grace, only in his mercy. Paul just got done saying in what we saw last time in 2 Timothy, he just got done talking of a couple of false teachers in the church and names them. And he also speaks of the one who abstains from wickedness and calls on the name of the Lord and the dichotomy between the two. Therefore, we can easily deduce from this that he is continuing really in the same vein when he's speaking of these various vessels. One kind is pure, one kind is useful for God's purposes, his will, and the other is useless and defiled. Now, interestingly, both are in the same house or church, aren't they? Now that's where things get sticky. That's where this passage gets tough for us. What this means is that there are some in the church, in the church of Jesus Christ, and then there are some that are not actually a part of the church that may be here. They're just going through the motions, or maybe they just like the fellowship or the Balochs. Or because it's just what you do. That's what that's how I grew up. You see, one lives for Christ in all of life with all of life, and the other doesn't. They live for the world and the doctrines of the world, and as Paul says in many spots, doctrine of demons. You can say they're filthy because they've been defiled by the world's systems and more chaotically, the world's affections. And that's what their heart and life pursues. Now, again, we know that only the Lord can save us and make us pure, but when that happens, something happens in the life of a transformed believer. We start to desire that which is holy. We start to go after with everything we are, that which is righteous and good. We want to be different from the world. We've been a part of that. We want to be used according to his will in obedience to him and his word. The question for all of us every day is, which one am I? And which one are you? Are you a vessel of gold or silver? Are you a vessel that is clean by his grace for his service? Or are you still residing as a soldier of the world and therefore, as Paul says here, of the evil one, stained with the filth of the world, and those false doctrines are just worldly endeavors? Notice, please, I know that again this is hard to hear, I get it. Notice that there is only two kinds of vessels: pure or impure, clean or unclean? Beautifully adorned with Christ, life, or adorned by the world and the worldly things. Is your worth before the Lord as grand as gold in your obedience to him? Or is it like that shed-laden tool fit only for worldly use? Are you Christ elect treasure by his grace? Or are you simply milling around this spiritual house out of place and out of sorts because you don't belong? Not that you couldn't belong, but that you haven't been fashioned by his grace and purity for his work because you're still clinging to the world. And again, verse 26, clinging to the evil one. If that's you, I just want to say now, today is the day of salvation. Today is the day where the Lord will redeem. Today is the day of transformation. He is calling you through the word, by his spirit, to repent, which means turn from sin and turn to Christ and have faith. Right now. Let's dive into this further and see what the purified soldier looks like, according to Paul here. Second point, round number two. Verse 21. The purified soldier for Christ purges their relationships. Again, this is tough. Paul says in the beginning of verse 21 that anybody who cleanses himself from, and he uses these two words, these things. What things? Cleanses himself from wood and earth and ware. And as we just noted, those these are those in the church who are, uh maybe your translation says ignoble or dishonoring by the way that they live. So Paul says to Timothy here, purge yourself from them. Now, as dangerous as it would be in our context to stick your hand in a rattlesnake nest, living in sin is far worse. It is innate in all people from birth. It's in the nature of people, but it's also learned and adapted, isn't it? And the company that we keep can easily influence us in this. Right? I've been influenced for sure. Remember, Paul is on the heels of pointing out those two men that have denied the truth of the bodily resurrection of Christ, and so he's saying the company you keep, those whom you let influence you will have an impact on you. That's just how it is. In today's day and age, those could be those who are literally in the walls of this building, wolves among sheep, or more likely, because of our digital age, it's going to be those who are influencing you and infecting the flock from out, from other places. That's why I have no problem warning you from the pulpit of heretics or charlatans who wield an infecting influence and who deceive people with false doctrines. People like Joel Osteen. People like Rob Bell, Kenneth Copeland, T.D. Jakes. This list is long. Joyce Myers, Sarah Young, Todd White, Benny Hinn, Bill Johnson, Stephen Furtig. I mean, the list just goes on and on. And those are just the easy ones. Those are the no-brainers. Those are the popular examples of vessels of dishonor that have snuck into Christian homes and lives through deceitful means. That's what Paul's getting at here. And remember, Paul just named names too. But there are those who have and will continue to come into the church who are likened here to dishonorable vessels, and they've snuck into the master's house and are devouring people with their lives and lives of dishonor. John Calvin said in regard to this that all who would consecrate themselves to the Lord must purge themselves from the filthiness of the ungodly, the same indeed that God everywhere teaches, meaning what he's saying. It's a constant and clear teaching of Scripture. This, of course, could also apply to that man or woman who is just living a sin-laden life. Again, I just want to be clear. We're not talking about somebody who sins and repents, because that would be all of us. But the one who cares not for the truth of the word shown in how they live. In this passage, here is most relevant with men who are leaders in the church. If they are teaching heresy or profane things or living just an absolutely immoral and sin-filled life, then some in the church, guess what, will be led to follow. That's how it works in life, isn't it? This is why Paul says here, cleanse yourself from them. If you're close to somebody, and that's your good best friend, maybe, who shows up to church and yet you know that they live like the devil and that they don't care about the things of God, challenge them with the word, as we see in Matthew 18. Pour yourself out for them by coming alongside of them, putting your arm around them, pleading with them to come to the Lord in repentance. But if they refuse to repent, the Bible's really clear, both here, 1 Corinthians 5, we're to flee from them, to not allow our lives to be entangled in the snare. That's part of us, you and I, living as vessels of gold and silver. Honor pure to the Lord. Now I'm using analogy, it's probably not the best one, but willingly associating with immoral and profane people in the church. Again, we're not talking about people outside of the faith. We expect them to not live according to the Bible. That just makes sense. We just love them by calling them to the Lord in the gospel. But associating with immoral people and false people who are in the church who claim to be of Christ, who claim to be following Christ, and yet you know they're not, it's like hugging somebody who's infected with a stomach flu. They're feverish, they're thrown up, and you come up to them and you hug them, and you use their wash rag and their utensils and you share their cup in between throw-up sessions. Why do I say that? I know it's grotesquely graphic, so why? Because being close to people who are dishonorable vessels, who claim to be of Christ, they're gonna infect you with dishonor over time. It's just how it happens. You will be infected with some or all of their behavior, their teachings. It's natural to the human. That's why Paul speaks this way here. Interestingly, in 1 Corinthians 15, 33, right on the heels of speaking of the resurrection, again, the very thing that Paul is concerned with, false teachers, right on the heels of that he just says this. Have you ever heard this statement? Do not be deceived, bad company corrupts good morals. You ever heard that? That's Bible. Okay. That did that, you may have, kids, you may have heard it at school or whatever. That's from the Word. It's not some old saying that's lost its flair either. This is the Holy Spirit speaking through the great apostle Paul. Bad company corrupts good morals. That's what he's getting at. If there are people who are calling themselves believers and that they're of the Lord and yet their lives in their mouths prove otherwise, they are not to be your close companions, your confidants. Pray for them, but flee to Christ and those in the church who are following Christ for those close relationships. Again, I know these teachings are hard, but we must adhere to the word of God in this. Verse 21, again, third point. The purified soldier for Christ is being sanctified. Is being sanctified. Paul goes on after commanding Timothy and us to cleanse ourselves from perverse men in the church, and then says the word sanctified. Now in the Bible, again, I remind us, sanctification is a word that's very important. We know that we are justified by grace through faith. What that means is that we are declared righteous by the Father through the atoning work of Christ on the cross, but that that justification immediately, really simultaneously, leads to what's called sanctification. I love what John Piper says. He essentially says that we are seeking to become who we already are. So we're already sanctified eternally in Christ, but day to day we know that we aren't there yet. We're all sinners, and so we need to work to get there by his grace. We seek to walk in holiness and to adhere to his will with our new ability. And so the point is that our sanctification is to cleanse ourselves from immoral and unbiblical people who refuse to repent and follow Christ, yet claim to be of him, and find their way into the gatherings of the church. Again, we never, ever, ever prevent people from coming to worship. But we know there's a boundaries for those who refuse to repent. Because we cannot be both vessels of wood for dishonor and vessels for gold of honor at the same time. We're one or the other. If we are sanctified in Christ through the gospel, then we will necessarily live that out by living that set apart life. That's what it's indicating. And that means we are set apart even from those who hate God. Purity in life, Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 4 3, it's the will of God for us. How many times have you heard? I don't know what the will of God is for my life. 1 Thessalonians 4.3 says it's sanctification. Verse 21 again, fourth point the purified soldier for Christ is useful. Isn't that good news? We're useful. What that produces? Usefulness. I know. Groundbreaking. But in Ephesians 2, verse 10, Paul says that for the Christian, God has established the very works that he set up for us. Listen to what it says. It says, for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works. Now look at this. Which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. And in Ephesians 1, we realize that means before the foundations of the world were even created. So God's already set it up for us to be useful. And if we're living with or for the things of the world or false teachings and allowing ourselves to be influenced by them because they sound nice or maybe they have a comfortable feel or whatever other reason we allow for that, then we end up forsaking what the Lord has prepared for us as his vessels. Remember, your life, my life as a Christian, is not my own any longer if we're in Christ. We've joyfully become his vessels set aside to be used for his purposes. But that can't happen if we're defiled. So being sanctified, cleansing ourselves from immoral relationships and behaviors is a big part of whether or not we're going to be useful for the Lord or useless in the world. Would you put out tarnished silver for important dinner guests? Would you put out prized gold table decoration if it was defiled or covered in manure? No, they're useless for that occasion, right? Not that I have any silver to put out, but I just want to encourage us to never let ourselves to be found useless for the King of Kings. Instead, let us be found ready. Let us be found cleansed at any moment so that our master can use us how he wishes for his glory. Keep yourself pure as a soldier. You will be more useful than all the nuclear weapons combined. No weapon can compare to being purified and therefore useful for the Lord. Verse 21 again, fifth point. The purified soldier for Christ prepares for battle. The wonderful and beautiful thing for the believer is that our preparation doesn't just depend on us, does it? Isn't that good? As I've quoted, Ephesians teaches that our Lord has prepared beforehand the good works before we were even formed in the womb. Therefore, a big part of the preparation for battle is already ready to go. But we have a role to play in this as well, don't we? I think of Ephesians 6, as Paul goes on to talk about what? The armor of God. Talk about preparation. We know that he's prepared from beforehand, but if we don't have the belt of truth on, then our weapon will not be able to be used. It's going to fall out. If we refuse to put on the breastplate of righteousness, then we are exposing all of our vitals to every whim and swing of the defiled things of this world and its ruler. If we aren't stepping to the tune of the gospel of peace, then we will walk right off the cliffs of insanity of following the patterns of this world. If we drop the shield of faith, then our head, our heart, and our legs will be exposed to the faithless teachings that will come flying at you with just burning heresy saying there is no resurrection, for example. If we leave behind the helmet of salvation, then we're exposing ourselves to doctrines of demonic things that says, for example, there's many ways to God. And the Bible teaches something different. If we refuse to prepare for battle with the sword of the Spirit, then we're not able to attack wickedness in us first and those that come at us. And if we refuse to pray, maybe the most neglected piece of spiritual armor, then we're just going to willingly lay down and die. The point is, we will never be able to fight for purity of life if we do not prepare for battle each day by putting on all that the Lord has taught us in his word. We prepare in light of his preparation. Verse 26, sixth point. The purified soldier for Christ flees youthful lusts. Look at that verse again, verse 22. The soldier for Christ knows when to flee. Not that we flee from battle, no. We never cease to fight for righteousness and the honor of Christ's name, but that sometimes we need to run to Christ. When we're tempted by the lust that tempted us when we were young, we flee. We run to Christ in his truth. You see, useful lust, immature Christian struggles would include sexual lust, prideful hopes of being famous and loved by all. Have you struggled with that before? Hot-tempered jealousy, maybe? Or anger? Being envious of other people's stuff and status. That's what he's driving at when he says youthful lust. This doesn't mean that it's always youthful in age, does it? Typically so. But it can also be impurity and immaturity of faith, no matter what age. And so Paul is telling Timothy, again, he's a young man, flee from that which tempts the youthful. Don't go to where it thrives. Flee from it. Flee from that which is going to corrupt you. Run from that place of debauchery. Run from much of what the internet offers. Not all. Run from those who would tickle our ears with worldly flattery. Run from the desire to buy your happiness. Run from those who would teach that which is false. Run, flee to Christ in his word, put on the armor. That begs a question: if we are going to flee the lust of the flesh, what do we do instead? Verse 22 again, seventh point. Purified soldier for Christ pursues four things: righteousness, faith, love, and peace. Since Paul calls us to flee from the youthful lust of the flesh, he also calls us to flee to something, doesn't he? To flee to the things of Christ and his gospel and his word. By the way, what he is just saying right here is a great definition of biblical repentance. To live pure, to be pure, you are to flee from wickedness and pursue Christ. That's exactly what repentance is. Turn from youthful lust, youthful doctrines, and turn to Christ. And the soldier for Christ, especially the leader in the church, as the context seems to fit really well, is to pursue the righteous life like a bloodhound on the trail. He is to be a model for the world, is a clean vessel for his glory, as he has fled the lust of the flesh and is now relentlessly pursuing the righteousness of Christ in his life. I ask you today, leader or not, is that your life? Do you wake each day knowing that you are a vessel for the Lord and out of a desire to be used mightily for his kingdom, seeing your need to be fit for that kingdom, do you relentlessly pursue the things of Christ and His gospel, such as righteous or pure living? Paul says a pure soldier is going to pursue faith. Man or woman of God will refuse to live a faithless and disloyal life that lines up with the world and is therefore useless for the glory of God. Not that God can't take the profane and make it function for his glory, right? I'm standing here because of that. But that by the very countenance of who they are, the vessel of clean gold that walks in faithfulness can and will glorify God in its cleanness as we come to live according to the faith. Isn't that good news? Another opposite of youthful lust is Paul gives us genuine love. This is speaking of that agape kind of love, that sacrificial love, that which sacrifices self and the love of self, which is a youthful pursuit, by the way, in order to love like Christ. And in order that that may be known. He or she pursues this kind of love because they know the love of God in them, that love which takes a vessel of dishonor, a dirty and filthy vessel, and by the great grace and the love of God has been made clean and even seen now by the Lord. Get this as precious as gold and silver. Treasured possession, the Bible says. Old and New Testament. It is out of this love that the vessel then pursues the love of Christ in and through them. This is the same kind of love that caused a holy and righteous God to willingly give up his life for sinful man. The Christian pursues Christ with a love that seeks to emulate the love that it took to willingly absorb the wrath of the Father in the place of rebels who hated him. That's love that accomplishes what Paul says next. Peace. When this says that we are to flee from youthful lusts and pursue peace, this is speaking of the very souls of people. Since we know the peace of God and we have peace with God through the gospel, we are to pursue peace with all. What this means is that, on the flip side, it is violent aggression to pursue youthful lust. Think about that. Both to our own heart and to those around us, and especially toward our Lord. We are violated and assaulted by that kind of life. But to pursue the things of Christ in purity and godliness, that is pursuing lasting and real peace. Isn't our world always wanting peace? We pray for it. But we understand that peace with God is what ultimately matters. So let us, as his people, seek to put down the weapon of selfish lusts, and let us instead wield the weapon of pure obedience to the owner of the house. Verse 22 again, eighth point. The purified soldier for Christ will call on the Lord. Now get this, side by side with their church family. Isn't that good news? All of this, of course, will be done in and with the Church of Jesus Christ. You cannot do this alone. You will not do this alone. You need other believers near you, close to you, deeply ingrained in your life, speaking the truth to you. You need the people of God, other vessels of honor, not just in your home, but outside of that. You need others to accomplish any of what Paul is saying here. You cannot live a life of purity outside of a life of being intimately involved and connected with the local church. You can't. It's what the Bible says. A soldier is never effective when they seek to fight a battle all by themselves. Set aside the Rambo movies, okay? That doesn't really happen. Okay, soldiers need each other. And we, as the army of God, need each other around us. Paul says, with those. Here in verse 22, with those. With those who, and get this, call on the Lord from a pure heart. And here's the thing: this is not just a once and done one and done, okay? This is not, I joined the church and I went for seven years, it's a biblical number, and now I can do it alone. Not even for a while can you do that? You cannot live the Christian life on your own. That's not how God set it up. We're relational. That is the clear and consistent teaching of the Bible. Therefore, flee the youthful lust that will tell you you don't need the church to live for purity and sincerity of faith. You can't. This is one reason why the online church 100% falls short. It doesn't suffice. For you to live with a pure heart, you need to be changed by the Spirit of God, living according to the Word of God, striving in the power of God, side by side with the people of God. Calling on God with pure hearts as clean vessels. This necessarily means that you will live a life that's open and raw. Ready to receive help. Ready to receive correction, even, from other vessels of gold and silver. So good to know. Verse 23, ninth point. The purified soldier for Christ is about his father's business that's in accord with his father's word. About his father's business. We're all called, you've probably heard this statement before, we're all called to be Bereans. You ever heard that? In the book of Acts, we see this group of Christians from Berea who were diligent in the scriptures. They weren't just going to take what some guy said about the Bible and believe it, especially if it didn't sound right. They were going to test everything that is said by the Word of God itself. And so that's the call to all Christians. We're to think about the Bible and the scriptures and what they are teaching and commanding of us. It's not just simply this. Maybe you've heard this before, maybe you've said this before. I don't really have to know doctrine. I just love Jesus. To that statement, I ask you this: Who's Jesus? What Jesus are we talking about? Is he God? Is he human? Was he present and active in creation? What was the point of the incarnation? What's his role in eternity? What's his role in the Trinity? What's his role in salvation? I mean, these questions go on and on. How do we know any of that? Doctrine. These are vital questions to answer if we're ever going to be able to worship him rightly. And there are doctrinal questions that are essential. And so without answers to those kinds of questions, we're going to be tempted to fall for any and every whim of false teaching that comes crashing against what I would call our paper thin walls of self-prescribed ignorance. And so refuse the foolishness of that thought. Refuse the ignorance of the Gnostic tendencies of New Age thought that wrestle with foolish arguments that are akin to pagan ideologies that are just rampant in many places, including our universities. Refuse to waste your time with those kinds of things. Stick to the truth, the truth according to God and his word, and so purify yourselves from those poisonous teachings and fruitless discussions altogether. That's what Paul says here. That doesn't mean that we don't defend the faith or become knowledgeable about their errors, but that we don't waste our time and stain our purity by being consumed by endless and pointless conversations. Maybe it's politics. Maybe it's just other worldly things going on. Did you hear? Did you hear? What does the Bible say? Let's go there. Because as Paul says here, they're gonna produce quarrels. Unnecessarily and dangerous quarrels about fruitless matters. Let's stick to the gospel. Let's stick to the truth of his word. Let's stick to being caught up in worship, the worship of Jesus Christ, side by side with each other in the church, Sunday after Sunday after Sunday. Please, brothers and sisters, let us always cling to that which is true. Let us always wrestle over the beautiful doctrines of the Word of God together and don't allow ourselves to be defiled by false doctrines that intentionally distract or aim to pull us away from the gospel and question who Christ is. As I've heard it said before, no man, no teaching has the power to widen the path that the Lord has made narrow. Refuse what is foolish, cling to what is true, don't let chorals rule the day. Be purified in your doctrine. Be about your Father's word. Verse 24, tenth point. Purified soldier for Christ is his bondservant. Isn't that a good word? Two words together. You who are vessels for glory and honor are joyfully and excitedly seen, and you feel that you are bondservants. What that means is you are a slave. A slave to Christ. Willingly. Because again, as I've said before, you're either a slave to the things of this world and the things of it, including the love of self. It's either that, or you're a slave to Christ and his word. That's so free. And so what's it gonna be? Now that being said, we must acknowledge the context again here is emphasizing those who are ministers of the word of God. So what does a bondservant, the slave of Christ, look like? How does he act as a leader? Verse 24 again, 11th point, the purified soldier for Christ. First thing here is kind. It's kind. This is also listed as one of the qualifications in 1 Timothy 3 when speaking to those who are qualified for the office of elder or overseer or pastor. All synonymous, same thing. Kind to their families. I know this seems kind of like a no-brainer, doesn't it? But we've got to talk about it. Kind to their families, kind to the church, and kind to the world at large. Steadfast, firm in their conviction and words of truth, but yet kind. Speaking the truth in love, Paul says. Manifesting the kindness of God through biblical love and steadfastness in right doctrine, pursuing the salvation of his hearers. A leader in the church's desire to be steadfast in doctrine is being kind to the hearers. It's like having an iron fist of doctrinal devotion covered with a velvet glove that lovingly softens the blow so that the hearers are won over. Maybe some of you are saying to yourself right now, so far in this message, that I have sounded a little bit unkind, or maybe a lot, in speaking of some of these false teachers in this sermon and calling them out. But I'm telling you, there's nothing unkind about calling out false doctrine and false people if it leads to the salvation or at least a furtherance of faithfulness to the Lord and his saints. Remember, Jesus called the Pharisees a brood of vipers and whitewashed tomb. Why? Was it because he's unkind? Is Jesus unkind? No. Because it needed to be said to reveal their hearts both to themselves and to those who are under their influence. And I love you too much to not call out these things, these popular speakers, even, who defile the word of God and the gospel of grace. And that leads us to the twelfth point. Again, akin to the other point, purity and doctrine. Verse 24 again, the purified soldier for Christ knows the word. The leader in the church cannot lead if he does not know the full counsel of God. Pretty simple. Not that he has to know everything, but that he has enough doctrinal purity to be able to teach others and refute that which is false, as Titus chapter 1 says. Able to teach, again, a qualification for the elder pastor office in 1 Timothy 3. And in context here, Paul is obviously meaning the leaders in the church must be men who lead in such a way that a foolish argument would be shut down because they know the word and are able to teach the truth of it in such a way. That the hearers are then won over by the grace of God. As the word itself is rightly taught, that actually shuts down quarrels, doesn't it? That's how the Lord set it up. His doctrine is pure, therefore, he's able to be a useful vessel in the Lord's hands that resides in the house of his master. Verse 24 again, 13th point. The purified soldier for Christ. He goes on to say is patient. Isn't that good? This call and command, I would say, is maybe the most difficult in the bunch. To have purity in this regard takes a pure heart that is of the Lord. To be patient when wronged, is that a trait of the world or of the word of God? It is not found in the people of this world, but necessary for those who teach the word. A teacher of the word is sometimes called to rip off the velvet glove when the word of God and the truth of the gospel and his master is being attacked by those who claim to be of Christ. Not sinfully, of course, but with an undeniable passion for the truth and to prevent corruption in the name of our Lord. But when wronged by those who are in his charge, the velvet glove goes back on. Patience needs to carry the day. No matter how hard it is. This doesn't mean that the leader is to neglect what ought to be done or said, but that we realize that vengeance is the Lord's and He will protect those under his care and in his service. Patience must be a virtue of the man or woman in Christ, especially the leader. So pray for us, leaders, please. Verse 25, 14th point, we're getting there. Purified soldier for Christ says, gentle when correcting. Speaking of, pray also that we would remain gentle as the need comes to correct. When someone in the church falls for teachings that speak against the word and they become dirty wooden vessels, as he talks about here in the church family, pray that your leaders would remain gentle as the needed correction comes to bear. Now why would we do this? Why does it say that? Because Paul says something absolutely stunningly profound in verse 25. Here's why we must be kind, we must be patient, we must be loving, we must be righteous, we must be pure, because Paul says that repentance could take place. That truly trumps any pride, any fame that can come to any heart. Because watching a person repent is like finding a gold strike when you're on your last penny and you're starving to death. It's that magnificent to be a part of. Reconciliation eternally. So two other leaders in here, be gentle as you correct. To fathers in here who are prone to overreaction, anger, frustration, be gentle when you correct. Who knows? Perhaps God will lead them to repentance. Verse 26, last point. Purified soldier for Christ knows who does the saving. Do you remember the hype of hypnosis a couple decades or so ago? I'm sure it's still used today, but I remember it being a big deal a while ago. You ever watched it being played out in the movies where someone is then, after being under hypnosis, forced to do the will of an evil person? Have you ever seen that cartoon or that movie? It's kind I'll I'll explain this in a second, but it's kind of like what being captive to the devil's like. The only difference is that we are actually conscious of what we're doing and willful in it. But yet we can't escape. Because he's ensnared us, trapped us, and we are bent on doing his will instead of God's, and it's that willful choice of ours. Again, there's only two choices in life. Not that we all end up committing genocide or some other worldwide atrocity, but that by our lives of defiance against the will and word of God, we're in the snare of the evil one, and through the generous gift of repentance, we can be freed from that. We can't do it ourselves, but it's God's work. Praise be to God. We can actually come to repentance as someone lovingly, gently leads us away from foolish and filthy teachings that aim to discredit Christ and his word. And so the purified soldier of Christ knows who does the saving. We know who we once were and ensnared and enslaved to. And now we're in Christ. Vessels of purity no longer stained by the love of self and the world and its teachings. Do we fall into that? Yeah. But that doesn't characterize us any longer. Praise be to God. And I want you to hear this as we close, brothers and sisters. If you are a vessel that is defiled, if you are a vessel that is living for the world and its teachings, if you are immersed in the love of self and what you can gain for self, if you have forsaken the Lord, maybe you're reading this passage today and you just say to yourself, you know, I'm not sure I'm saved. I'm not sure that I'm that vessel of gold or honor. I think I'm a vessel of dishonor. Or that I've been at least living a life of dishonor before the Lord. I've been showing up at his house. I've been going through the motions. But I know I'm useless. Because yeah, I'm following after the lust of the flesh. Maybe I've been arguing foolish and ridiculous things so that I wouldn't have to follow him. If you honestly come to the point of saying, yeah, I am filthy, I need to be cleansed and to be useful for him, then I say to you right now, rejoice in that. Because you get to go to him. Go to him, beg him to free you from the snare of the evil. And you cannot free yourself from the devil's grip. You need Christ and his grace to do this, so plead with him now. Who knows? Maybe the Lord will grant repentance, leading you to a knowledge of the truth, and that you would be freed to be cleansed for worship and now useful for the king and his kingdom. In fact, if that's you today, if you become transformed in this moment by his grace, then have comfort. If you know that you need a salvation and you cry out to him and you turn from sin, you are no longer in the devil's grip, you are in Christ's. And John 10, 28 says this. And I will give eternal life to them. And listen to this, listen to this. And they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. From in the grips of the evil one to in the hands of the Almighty. Is that not the greatest message you could ever hear? There's nothing live streaming on TV, nothing on the radio, nothing that you could go home and read today that would compare with this great news that Paul tells us right here in 2 Timothy. You know how many Bibles are in this house right now? And they all say the same thing. We can be cleansed, purified soldiers for Christ, swinging the weapon of purity at the doctrine of demons. And get this, you and I are actually now able to do the will of God. Can you believe that? You can have the ability to do the very will of the one who created the universe with the word, and if you are being sanctified. And so let us here at Prairie Baptist be known for being shiny vessels of gold and silver. Not merely to sit on the shelf and look nice. That's not going to work for me. But to be useful for the King's purposes, clean and ready for whatever he calls us to do. Let's be that. Stand up with me now, please. And let's pray. Oh Father, you are gracious. You are merciful. You have taken that which is filthy, that which is useless, and you have transformed a wretch into a saint. Father, we come before you now desperate, desperately pleading with you for more grace, for the grace to live for your glory, for the grace to live pure lives of obedience and faithfulness. Father, may you be honored in and through your people here. Transform us, change us, cause us to cling to you with everything that we are. Living for your truth. Amen. I ask you to remain standing.