# 49 2019 Devotion, 2 Tim. 2:1-2. A Pure Heart! Read verses 14-28. The purpose of these devotionals is to draw Gremar and I closer to God and grow spiritually by applying His Word to our daily living. All passages are taken from the NIV.
2 Timothy 2:15 “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”
Paul continues his urgent letter to Timothy by warning him of the controversies that have been introduced to the church. At this time Gnosticism was beginning to raise its ugly head. Paul mentions two leaders of this movement that deny the bodily resurrection because according to them that had already happened, a spiritual resurrection is what was left for Followers of Jesus. The physical was rejected only the spiritual had value. This led to a decedent lifestyle with a pretense of holiness. Paul encourages Timothy by the solid foundation of the church in his time: “God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: ‘The Lord knows those who are his,’ and, ‘Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.” Paul further urges Timothy and us today: “Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
Paul here is talking about making choices: so often people see their place in the world conditioned by events, biases, rejections, poverty and condemnations that are beyond their control. I suppose that a world view like that makes it easier to deal with many disappointments in their lives. However, as Paul points out in his metaphor of articles in a big house, God has given people different stations in life but “those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.” The issue of stations in life comes down to making choices. We chose for righteousness and God makes us holy and useful to Him.
Today the firm foundation of the church is undercut by churches that make political correct choices that are contrary to the Word of the Lord. But the true followers of Jesus make righteous choices making us useful and holy by God’s grace. Holiness is kind of a catch 21 that we do not understand completely because our human thinking and actions are not divine thinking and actions: we are pure in heart, making righteous choices by the gift of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. After all is said and done our righteous choices are a gift. We thank Jesus for His work making us useful for the work of Kingdom. What a blessing and a comfort, thank you Lord Jesus!
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Heavenhigh 