Vessels of Honor Today's Three-minute Bible Study Print, Study and Apply Title: Vessels of Honor-------------------------- Date: 8/3/2001 Keyword: "honor" "wickedness" Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation. Passage: 1 Timothy 2:19-21* 19. Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of the Lord abstain from wickedness." 20. Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. 21. Therefore, if a man cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. Questions 1. What twin truths are highlighted in verse 19?   2. The various kinds of household vessels referred to in verse 20 are symbols for what?   3. What is the promise of verse 21?   Practical help When Paul says that those who are called by the name of the Lord should abstain from wickedness, certain behaviors come to mind. Lying, stealing, cheating, and gossiping all qualify as wickedness. But doesn’t involvement with Internet porn also qualify? Certainly! With Scripture, we agree that we should abstain from viewing smut on the Web. Problem is, looking at porn is tempting. How do we resist the temptation to surf for pictures that feed the flesh and qualify as wickedness? Answer: We open our eyes to the stakes involved in putting porn behind us. If we do forsake porn for the sake of Jesus’ Name (verse 19), we take one more step toward becoming a "vessel of honor," a person Jesus can use to make a difference in our world for God. The choice is simple: Continue viewing porn and lessen your impact for God, or make an eternally wise choice, get in the habit of not clicking on offending sites, and position yourself for maximum Kingdom impact. eXXit homepage Index of three-minute studies Copyright 2001 by eXXit *"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission."