II Timothy 2:19-21

There is really great hope and encouragement there and that is, that we can actually be transformed from a vessel of dishonor to a vessel of honor. We do not have to stay the way we are. We can be changed. Paul was saying that although the faith of some can be upset, the church will remain secure. There is a solid foundation of God and God knows who are His and the church will go through upsets. There will be disunity from time to time, but He tells us in I Corinthians 11 that there must be heresies amongst you. Why? That those who are approved will be made manifest.

It is like the cream rising to the top, or the character coming to the fore. So, there are going to be vessels of dishonor, but if we happen to be one, as long as we have the Spirit of God, we can be changed. We can be transformed if we will just yield ourselves. But do not be too upset if there is some division that comes along from time to time. God is showing here that we can expect that. There are some vessels of honor and some of dishonor.

God knows who are His, and so it is our responsibility to prove that we belong to God through our holiness. Ultimately, though, God is the only one that knows because He is the only one that sees our heart. So, we have to be judicious in our judgments regarding these things. Know this though; Paul is saying here that the church consists of all kinds.