… not violent …
Summary: Paul has laid out a description of what marks a man as unfit for managing God’s household. By applying deductive logic, we can surmise why this is and what is needed to transform a man into someone ready for service.
This passage begins by saying the one who manages God’s household must be blameless. Paul then proceeds to expand on what “blameless” means. If you are going to manage God’s household, you must not be overbearing, quick-tempered, given to drunkenness, or violent.
There is a pattern to these words that forms a picture in our minds. Perhaps you have known someone who was overbearing, quick-tempered, and prone to violence. Paul did — it was himself.
In his first letter to Timothy, he confesses he was once a “blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man.” Despite that, here he is writing a letter to Titus telling him to avoid people who do what he used to do. What is going on?
I think that there is a difference in the kinds of violence he is talking about. But even if that is not the case, there is one big difference between the violent person Paul used to be and the person he is now. That difference is Jesus.
The person who is best able to fill the role of overseer is not a person at all. Instead, he is a vessel that is filled with the Holy Spirit. In his second letter to Timothy, Paul writes:
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. (2 Timothy 2:20-21, KJV)
Paul was purged by Jesus Christ himself. He was transformed from a vessel of dishonor and became a vessel of honor. The person who is overseer must be someone who has made this journey as well.
When a person opens their heart to the Lord, the result is obvious. We can see the mark of the Maker on the life that has been transformed (Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 3:18).
Paul is asking Titus to make judgments about people. Not judging their fitness for heaven, which is God’s work (Matthew 7:1), but instead judging whether he sees the mark of Christ on a person’s life (John 7:24).
Application: Before we can discern Christ in others, we must first ensure others can discern Christ in us.
Food for Thought: How do we tell what kind of vessel we are?
Excellent, excellent devotion and handling of this topic. I love your statement that before we can discern Christ in others, we must first ensure that others can see Christ in us.
As we discuss how we evaluate the godliness of others, it is critical that we first apply these principles to ourselves. Yes, we are talking about various appointed leaders, but if these are good qualities for those who lead, they are good qualities for all of us to emulate.
One way we can tell what kind of vessel we are is by looking at the fruit and if we are being transformed more and more into the image of Christ.
But Lord, let it start with me. Please empower me to become more like Your Son today. Matthew 7: 3 – 5.
Thank you, brother.
The Matthew passage you reference is one that never seems to be satisfied: “…first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:5)
How do we tell what kind of vessel we are?
I know when I am physically hungry, thirsty or sleepy because my body tells us so. God has made me this way as a survival mechanisim which most of us tend to listen to. At the same time, when I become deeply involved in what I am doing, I will ignore these desires of my body for extended periods of time. As a single man I would often go to bed at night, ask myself if I had eaten, couldn’t remember so I would go to sleep. God gave me my wife who eats by the clock, and now I live a healthy life, always eat 3 meals a day as I listen to her..
God knows His creation, knows our weaknesses and has provided His Holy Spirit to do all the work required for our salvation and ministry on earth. We become aware of our unrighteousness when we stop ignoring and listen to the Holy Spirit sent by God, John 16:8-11. We each must accept our sinful nature and status as enemies of God. Our weakness, inability to save ourselves by doing better according to our standards, and allow the Holy Spirit to thoroughly cleanse us of all sin and seal us as a new creation possessed by God.
The Holy Spirit will open our eyes, our hearts and tell each of us the truth about Jesus Christ who will come to dwell in us to the degree we allow Him. The Holy Spirit will reveal REALITY! A world previously unseen! He will open and imbed Gods Word into our hearts making us a new creation, He will renew our mind as we gain understanding of the truth. We no longer live in darkness but live in THE LIGHT of God. He is the POWER for each of us to walk/live in the TRUTH as taught in Gods Word. The power to remember and apply all things Jesus teaches, Guide us in all truth, glorifying Jesus Christ over ourselves.
John 15:26, John 14:17, John 14:26, John 16:13, John 16:14
All those who do this are righteous vessels of God and they will easily be seen, known by their works. They are men and women who do not become so involved with what they are doing that they neglect spending time with the Lord. They are men and women who have chosen to seek time with God over their desires of the flesh and are always listening for His call to serve. Their greatest pleasure is to spend time in God, in unity with God as they are doing His will. They are people who rise early and respond “ Here I am “ when called by God.
Matthew 6:33, 7:20, Galatians 5:22-23, 2 Timothy 1:7
Ron,
I appreciate the way you express the Holy Spirit’s work in us: He shows us reality. That is so true! Thank you for your thoughts today! 🙂
Brother Jeff,
Don’t recall reading this in the Bible, but I do believe a person who Faithfully maintains a biblical blog would probably be a vessel being used by God. Thank you for all your service to God.
Your Brother in Christ,
Ron
Thank you, Ron!
It is like that passage Rich quoted this morning from Matthew 7. Something about a “blog in the eye…” 🙂
I believe it is when others see the Vessel in me,..a vessel is huge, a vessel contains precious cargo, a vessel has power to move, the vessel carries me,..if we have the Holy Spirit within us,.others can see that there is a difference about us,..and that opens the opportunity up to share with the other about the love that comes from knowing Jesus,..
Happened to me today,..I order on line a lot since this pandemic hit,..Fred Meyer happens to be one of them,..anyway as the lady driver was in the process of delievering the groceries,..I happened to say thanks or something like that and then she said that I was the nicest guy she has ever met since she started delivering groceries,..yes,..that opened it wide up,..I said to her,..well I believe its because of the Person I know,..she looked at me,..well who is it that you know,..I said to her,..well when you read the Bible and come to know the Person the bible is pointing to then you would know why I seem different,..I said,.. you just affirmed that Jesus is alive within me,..I thanked her and told her that the world needs more of the love Jesus provides now,.. today more than ever and she agreed,..it was a short but sweet conversation as she had to move on to her next delivery,..
I am a vessel that has a precious cargo that needs to move and be delivered with such a huge impact that others will want to jump on board and join the mission,..
John,
Thank you! I appreciate your stories of sharing God’s love. It is fun reading them because they are affirming. A bit like a “how to” manual on how to tell people about Jesus.