BE A CLEAN VESSEL

by esther phinias | 7 September 2023 08:46 pm09

Greetings to you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Today, let us meditate on a profound instruction from Scripture: God calls His people to be vessels that are wholly clean—both inwardly and outwardly.

The Words of Jesus to the Pharisees

In Matthew 23, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for their hypocrisy:

Matthew 23:25–26 (ESV)

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.

You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.

This imagery of a cup teaches us that holiness cannot be partial. A cup used for drinking must be entirely clean—both inside and outside—or it is unfit for use. God desires His people to be entirely sanctified—heart, soul, mind, and body.

God’s Standard of Holiness

1. Holiness is Whole-Person: Inside and Out

Many believers make the mistake of separating inward and outward holiness:

The Pharisees emphasized outward appearance—religious rituals, long prayers, and public respect—while neglecting inner purity (cf. Matthew 23:27–28).

Today, others do the opposite—claiming, “God only looks at the heart,” while living outwardly in ways that contradict His Word.

But Scripture is clear: God requires holiness of the entire person. Paul writes:

1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NKJV)

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Sanctification is not selective; it encompasses every part of our being.

2. Pleasing God and People

Even Jesus, though fully God, modeled growth in both divine and human favor:

Luke 2:52 (ESV)

And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

Christ’s character—humility, obedience, kindness—brought honor to His Father among people. Likewise, we are called to live so that both heaven and earth witness the transformation Christ brings (cf. Philippians 2:14–15). A bad testimony before others contradicts the Gospel we profess.

3. Love as the Evidence of Inner Holiness

True holiness begins with love: love for God and love for others. The two cannot be separated.

1 John 4:20–21 (ESV)

If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.

And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Our love for God is authenticated by how we treat those made in His image. Jesus Himself said this is the greatest commandment, second only to loving God (Matthew 22:37–39).

4. Purity of Heart and Body

Holiness must be internal and external:

Internal purity deals with motives, thoughts, and desires (envy, pride, hatred, lust).

External purity deals with actions, words, and even appearance (speech, conduct, modesty).

2 Corinthians 7:1 (ESV)

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.

 

Matthew 5:8 (ESV)

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

God’s children must avoid both inner corruption and outward compromise. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19–20); therefore, what we do outwardly—how we dress, speak, and behave—reflects who owns us.

Why Both Inward and Outward Matter

Inward holiness ensures sincerity before God (Psalm 51:6).

Outward holiness provides testimony before people (Matthew 5:16).

Both work together: a pure heart produces pure actions (James 2:18). Neglecting one corrupts the other. A filthy inside will eventually show outwardly, and an outwardly clean appearance without inner transformation is hypocrisy.

A Vessel Fit for the Master’s Use

Paul compares believers to vessels in a great house:

2 Timothy 2:20–21 (ESV)

Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable.

Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.

God cannot fully use a vessel that is only half clean. He calls us to wholehearted holiness—a life fully surrendered to Him.

Conclusion

To be a clean vessel is to let Christ purify every part of you—your heart, your actions, your speech, your relationships, even your appearance. Holiness is not about legalism; it is about reflecting the character of Christ to the world and glorifying God with your whole being.

May we, by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, cleanse ourselves from everything that defiles, and present ourselves as vessels fit for the Master’s use.

Shalom.

 

 

 

 

Source URL: https://wingulamashahidi.org/en/2023/09/07/53488/

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