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Sunday 12/29/24
Title: Free-willed vessels of Honor
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Free-willed vessels of Honor
Two Sundays ago, I began teaching in 2 Timothy chapter 2 in our continuing study on possessing a testimony which is empowered by the Holy Spirit towards furthering the Kingdom of God.
However, when we reached verse 8-10 we encountered the phrase “for the sake of the elect”.
Now I almost don’t want to teach on this topic for two primary reasons.
- It takes us away from our parent topic in our ongoing series.
- I don’t want to insult you, because I am 100% confident that you already believe the truth about this, but it isn’t enough to believe. You need to know WHY you believe and be able to defend that truth from scripture.
Since instructing you regarding sound doctrine is a MAJOR part of my job, I don’t feel as if I can simply read over and read past this. It needs addressing!
So let’s begin by re-reading 2 Timothy 2:8-10,
“(8) Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, (9) for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained.
(10) Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. ”
Now there are many commentators who will say these “elect” are referring to the Gentiles to whom Paul (and by extension Timothy) were sent, but I that is not possible.
As you can readily see, Paul said, “I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation”.
The Gentiles of Ephesus to which Timothy was left to minister were already saved so this would exclude them from this reference as it would all of the Gentile churches Paul had so far established.
So who were these “elect”?
Well overwhelmingly throughout scripture “the elect” refers to the Jewish people, particularly in the Old Testament.
In the New Testament, the term begins to increasingly encompass believers from all nations, but still the majority of citings target the Jewish people.
So you should know that in most circumstances it is pretty safe to assume the “elect” are the Jewish people unless context clarifies otherwise.
[See: Deut. 7:6-8; 10:14-15; Ps. 33:12; 65:4; 106:5; Hag. 2:23; Acts 13:17; Rom. 9:11; 11:28]
Even in the New Testament we see this in part because Paul was THE MAJOR contributor to the content of the New Testament.
Even though Paul was faithful in his call to the Gentiles, he still maintained a tremendous ardor for his brethren according to the flesh – even to the point of one time claiming in his letter to the Romans…
“(1) I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, (2) that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. (3) For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh,”– Romans 9:1-3
So we see that it was anything but beyond Paul to mention his passion for his fellow Jews and his desire that they be part of “the elect”.
So there – I just taught you something.
Whenever you run across the words “the elect” – especially in the Old Testament it is most often in reference to the Jews – but not exclusively so context (as always) is our instructor and friend!
Nevertheless, due to the greater context of this passage I believe Paul, in this place, was referring to ANYONE who in God’s foreknowledge, would come into the kingdom of God.
But even here, I strongly believe that Paul was placing an even greater, although unspoken emphasis, on the Jewish people as the “elect”.
The Election of the Elect
So now comes the question of the hour – what does the Bible teach about the “election” of these “elect”? Meaning, upon what basis are these people made “the elect”?
Well before we dive into that topic, let me say that the intended lesson Paul is seeking to convey in 2 Timothy 2:8-10 remains the same regardless of who we believe Paul was referring to by mentioning the “elect”.
Now, the doctrine of the “elect” and the “election” has sadly endured a very rocky road, historically, through just plain infantile exegesis of the topic.
Essentially there are two dominant beliefs about the “election” and the “elect” but before I identify these, let me first define two pivotal words which invariably come up in any teaching about the “elect”.
Those words are “whim” and “arbitrary”.
Both “arbitrary” and “whim” relate to decisions made without a clear reason or logic, “arbitrary” implies a broader sense of being based on personal choice or preference without an establish criteria or set system, while “whim” specifically refers to a sudden, impulsive, and often unpredictable desire or fancy.
So a “whim” is a more fleeting and personal form of an arbitrary decision.
For MANY reasons, these words when applied to God lose virtually all traditional meaning but out of the two, the word arbitrary is the closest one which represents the idea of election which is held by one of two schools of thought.
Those two schools of thought are these…
- That the electare those who God chose before time began to be His Own by His Own Will exacted upon these individuals quite independent of their own will and choice. In this view, free will does not exist. People are what they are and do what they do because God foreordained it so from before creation. Also that God’s choice was arbitrary or based upon personal whim.
- That the electare in fact those God chose before time began to be His Own but that this choice was DUE TO His foreknowledge that they would of their own free will place their trust in and allegiance to Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
Included in this doctrine are the New Testament teachings of predestination.
Lest you think this is a peripheral issue and nothing major let me define what predestination means and then point out how often it appears in your New Testament.
The word “predestined” comes from the Greek word proorizo, which means “determining beforehand,” “ordaining,” or “deciding ahead of time“.
Predestination is a biblical doctrine that states (or at least seems to state) that God chooses certain individuals to be saved. Associated words are called, chosen, predestined, foreknown, foreordained…etc.
Scriptural references include…
Romans 8:29-30 talks about “those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters“.
Ephesians 1 says “He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will” and “we were predestined according to the purpose of Him Who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of His will”.
Romans 11:5 says that at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.
Other scriptures which mention predestination include:
- Matthew 22:14 – “many are called, but few are chosen”.
- Mark 4:11–12
- Luke 10:21–22 – it seemed good in the Father’s eyes to hide truth from the wise and reveal it to babes.
- John 15:16, 19 – “You didn’t choose Me but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit.”
- Acts 4:28
- Acts 13:48 – “as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.”
- 1 Corinthians 1:27–28
- Galatians 1:15
- Colossians 3:12
- 1 Thessalonians 1:4 – “knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God.”
So this is no minor issue!
Overwhelmingly however, those who believe predestinationor pre-election of the called or electis the result of God’s arbitrary choice alone often use the words of Paul found in Romans 9 as their prooftext.
So let’s turn there…
In Romans 9 Paul mentions God having selected the “elect” for Himself possessing the sovereign power to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor for His Own glory.
And indeed if this passage existed in a vacuum then the misunderstanding could be excused – even defended. However, it does NOT and the understanding of Paul’s inspired words must be found in the Old Testament examples he offers – not in the apparent face value of the words here in Romans alone.
Paul references these events and passages in order to place his words to the Romans in a context and offer them a clear definition.
If one does not do the footwork of going back to those passages and studying them, they are at an insurmountable disadvantage for understanding Paul’s meaning not only here in Romans 9 but in every other place where the “elect” and predestination are mentioned.
Today we are going to focus upon the words “election” and “the elect”, but we will finish this study next week with the other examples in scripture which employ the various other terms encompassing this topic.
Have you arrived in Romans 9 yet?
Romans 9:1-33,
“(1) I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, (2) that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. (3) For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, (4) who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; (5) of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, Who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.
(6) But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect.
For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, (7) nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “IN ISAAC YOUR SEED SHALL BE CALLED.”
(8) That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.
(9) For this is the word of promise:
“AT THIS TIME I WILL COME AND SARAH SHALL HAVE A SON.”
(10) And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac (11) (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him Who calls), (12) it was said to her,
“THE OLDER SHALL SERVE THE YOUNGER.”
(13) As it is written, “JACOB I HAVE LOVED, BUT ESAU I HAVE HATED.”
(14) What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not!
(15) For He says to Moses,
“I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOMEVER I WILL HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOMEVER I WILL HAVE COMPASSION.”
(16) So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God Who shows mercy.”
Ok so let’s unpack this first.
Paul just said that those who are of the promise are the children of God.
Now later in this same passage faith is mentioned as the means by which one is made right with God so let’s not get tripped up on that point.
All Paul is saying here at this point is that just because one is of the physical lineage of Abraham is no guarantee of being included in the promise.
As I said, the letter to the Romans was not written in a vacuum. Paul clarifies what is meant by those of the promise in Galatians, so before we go further let’s examine that passage.
Galatians 3:16-22,
“(16) Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made.
He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “AND TO YOUR SEED,” Who is Christ.”
So it was to Abraham and Jesus that the promise was made through Isaac the child of promise who was born by faith.
“(17) And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect. (18) For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
(19) What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator.
(20) Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one.
(21) Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. (22) But the Scripture has confined all under sin,that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE.”
“To those who believe” Paul says, so faith has clearly not been set aside.
Now faith, being relational, requires one to trust in someone they have come to know on some level.
The light of that knowledge has been given to everyone who comes into the world according to John 1:9. So this is not some unilateral decision of God independent of the response of the individual.
So what is to be understood of Paul’s mentioning of God’s choosing Jacob in preference to Esau and His loving Jacob and hating the Esau?
Well first off, the words “loved and hated” are unfortunately translated.
The idea conveyed is that of preference. It was not a positive hatred but rather a preference of Jacob over Esau. So that clarifies the love/hate issue, but why prefer one above the other?
Well that too is a bit of a misnomer. In fact the idea is more akin to “accepting” and “rejecting”.
Upon what then is this accepting or rejecting based? Well THAT is an intelligent question for which we have an answer!
The first example of this is found within a stone’s throw of the Garden. God said to Cain, “If you do well, will you not be accepted?” – Genesis 4:7
Esau treated his birthright lightly and did not place proper value on it. Now a birthright was a blessing from God and so by extension Esau lightly esteemed the things of God.
Now God had foreknowledge of this character flaw in Esau and so stated His blessing and preference for Jacob who valued the birthright before either of the two were even born.
Nevertheless God still blessed Esau – He did not openly hate him.
Paul reminds us that God told Abraham that He will have mercy and compassion on whom He will so that in the end it is not due to our efforts that God shows mercy but of Himself as the sovereign lord.
But again, is this based solely upon whim or better put is this decision purely arbitrary?
Let’s keep reading in Romans 9…
“(17) For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh,
“FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I HAVE RAISED YOU UP, THAT I MAY SHOW MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MAY BE DECLARED IN ALL THE EARTH.
(18) Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens. (19) You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will [purpose]?”
A key word here is “WILL” As in “whom He will He hardens”.
The word “will” is boulēmaand only occurs here and in Acts 27:43 where it is more properly translated as “purpose” as it should be here.
In fact the word literally means plan, purpose or resolve which in English is quite different from the greater and softer implications of the word “will”.
As we have discovered MANY times, God’s will can be resisted and even left unfulfilled.
The token example is that God’s will is for no one to be lost, but we know that will not happen.
In complete contradistinction to this NOTHING and NO ONE can alter, change, effect, thwart or even postone God’s plans, purposes and resolve. THAT is sovereign!
Now regarding Pharaoh we have established a LONG time ago that God’s purpose would have been accomplished in Pharaoh regardless of how he responded.
In fact, if he had responded with a soft heart and let Israel go it would arguably have turned more heads towards the God of Israel than the way it turned out.
We covered this in great detail in October and November of 2017 and I will link those teachings in the article attached to this morning’s teaching on the website.
[See – Hardening of the Heart]
But what we saw was that God revealed Himself to Pharaoh in Moses and Aaron and through the plagues.
The hardening of Pharaoh’s heart appears in the text as a progressive work – not something which happened all at once.
- The first 7 times Pharaoh is said to harden his OWN heart.
- The last 6 times God is said to judicially agree with his decision and sovereignly hard Pharaoh’s heart.
So we see God’s judgment in hardening Pharaoh’s heart was in response to Pharaoh resisting God.
It was decidedly NOT arbitrary and THAT is the example Paul is offering here.
“(20) But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to Him Who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?”
(21) Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?”
Alright – surely this is proof positive that it is just God liking some people and hating others – right?
Wuest says,
Expositors offers the following as a definition of “the elect“:
” ’The elect’ are those who, in the providence of God’s grace, are selected for spiritual privileges with a view directly to the salvation of others, as well as to themselves.”
The word “elect” is eklegō, “to pick out.” It refers to the act of God selecting from among mankind certain to be the recipients of spiritual privileges with a view directly to the salvation of others.”
This is true, but upon what basis is this choice being made? Again, is it arbitrary?
Remember a key facet of a thing being “arbitrary” is that the decision is based on personal choice or preference WITHOUT an established criteria or set system. Yet here as we keep reading we will discover that in fact this is NOT an example of God arbitrarily choosing, liking or accepting some to the exclusion of others because clearly establishes a criteria for being the “the elect”.
Again, none of this was not written in a vacuum.
The answer is actually found later in this same 2nd chapter of 2 Timothy we’ve been studying.
For the sake of clarifying this issue of “election” let’s go ahead and skip ahead to read what Paul means by God by His power making one vessel for honorable purposes and others for dishonor.
2 Timothy 2:19-21,
“(19) Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal:
“The Lord knows those who are His,”
and,
“Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
(20) But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor.
(21) Therefore IF ANYONE CLEANSES HIMSELF FROM THE LATTER, HE WILL BE A VESSEL FOR HONOR, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.”
So we can see here that vessels of honor and dishonor can come from the same house and that the factors which lead to one outcome as opposed to the other are made by the free will of the individual – and not the arbitrary choosing of God.
“…if ANYONE WILL cleanse HIMSELF… he will be”
Now with that under our belts let’s finish this terribly misunderstood passage in Romans 9 so we can get back to the “the elect” Paul mentioned to Timothy in our focus passage this morning.
Romans 9…
“(22) What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, (23) and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, (24) even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
(25) As He says also in Hosea:
“I WILL CALL THEM MY PEOPLE, WHO WERE NOT MY PEOPLE, AND HER BELOVED, WHO WAS NOT BELOVED.”
(26) “AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS IN THE PLACE WHERE IT WAS SAID TO THEM, ‘YOU ARE NOT MY PEOPLE,’ THERE THEY SHALL BE CALLED SONS OF THE LIVING GOD.”
(27) Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel:
“THOUGH THE NUMBER OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL BE AS THE SAND OF THE SEA, THE REMNANT WILL BE SAVED. (28) FOR HE WILL FINISH THE WORK AND CUT IT SHORT IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, BECAUSE THE LORD WILL MAKE A SHORT WORK UPON THE EARTH.”
(29) And as Isaiah said before: “UNLESS THE LORD OF SABAOTH HAD LEFT US A SEED, WE WOULD HAVE BECOME LIKE SODOM, AND WE WOULD HAVE BEEN MADE LIKE GOMORRAH.”
(30) What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; (31) but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness.
(32) Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone.”
Notice that by the Spirit, Paul does NOT say “because they were not part of those elected by God” but rather, because THEY did not seek it by faith.
“(33) As it is written:
“BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A STUMBLING STONE AND ROCK OF OFFENSE, AND WHOEVER BELIEVES ON HIM WILL NOT BE PUT TO SHAME.”
So back to 2 Timothy 2. Let’s back up and read the verse that sent us on that mini-lesson…
“(8) Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, (9) for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. (10) Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. ”
“(11) This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him.
(12) If we endure, We shall also reign with Him.
If we deny Him, He also will deny us.
(13) If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.
(14) Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.
(15) Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
This goes back to the issue of “the elect”.
Next week we will continue this study so as to give it a thorough overview so you can better understand the “why” behind your belief and be able to explain it to others or even defend it from scripture!
Blessings!
