2 Timothy 2:20-21. In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. 21 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.
Many believers believe that the Christian life is primarily about living uprightly, following moral principles, and striving to become a better person. While upright living is important, the gospel goes far deeper than outward behavior. The message of the cross transcends human definitions of goodness and morality because even our best efforts fall short before a holy God.
Becoming a better person is not the ultimate goal of the Christian life; rather, it is being united with Christ and living by His life and power in us. God sent Jesus Christ not simply to make us moral but to make us new, for nothing we do can earn His acceptance. All we are and all we have must rest completely on the finished work of Christ on the cross.
Knowing this, we must ask ourselves: What kind of Christian life are we called to live? How can we become “instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master, and prepared to do any good work” (2 Timothy 2:21)? The first step is brokenness before God. Paul confesessed,
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20)
To be crucified with Christ means dying to our own plans, our ambitions, and our will, so that His will becomes ours. As long as we cling to our self-centered desires, the power of Christ cannot fully rest upon us, and we will attempt to live the Christian life in our own strength—a life God never intended us to live.
We must continually ask what God desires of us, seek what advances the gospel, and strive for unity in the body of Christ. This kind of life is only possible when our old self is fully surrendered to Christ. If we allow the old nature to rule, we will find ourselves living in defeat and spiritual immaturity (1 Corinthians 3:1-3). When jealousy, division, and strife dominate us, we remain spiritual infants, unable to grow into maturity. And the longer we hold onto the desires of the flesh, the more they consume us:
“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity…hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage…selfish ambition…envy, drunkenness, orgies, and the like…those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21)
If we continue to live in the flesh, we risk becoming vulnerable to Satan’s schemes, as some did during Paul’s time. Paul warned Timothy to remind believers not to engage in meaningless quarrels, false teachings, and godless chatter that spread like gangrene, as in the case of Hymenaeus and Philetus, who “departed from the truth” and destroyed the faith of some (2 Timothy 2:14-19).
But God has provided a better way. When we yield to the Holy Spirit, He gives us power and wisdom from above, opening our eyes to discern spiritual truth: “The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things…we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:14-16). Through His guidance, we begin to see life from God’s perspective and walk in His perfect will, no longer bound by human limitations or worldly understanding.
Thus, replace your heart and mind with the heart and mind of Christ. Allow the Holy Spirit to lead your life completely, and He will bear His fruit through you—love, joy, and peace toward God; patience, kindness, and goodness toward others; faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control within yourself (Galatians 5:22-23).
Living this way is not about striving harder but about surrendering to the One who loved you and died for you, so that His life can flow through you. And when you live in Him, He fills you with strength to face every challenge: “I can do all this through Him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13).
Ultimately, the Christian life is not about what you face but where you stand. If you are in Christ, your victory is already secure, no matter the circumstances. God desires to use you as a vessel of His grace, a witness of His power, and an instrument for His purposes. The question is not whether you are strong enough but whether you are surrendered enough.
Prayer. Father, I thank You for Your desire to use me for Your glory. Break my pride, mold my heart, and make me into the vessel You want me to be. I surrender my plans, ambitions, and desires into Your hands. Fill me with Your Spirit, and make me useful to You, prepared to do every good work You have called me to do. In Jesus’ name, Amen.