But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.” 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. 2 Timothy 19-21 ESV
I love when the Bible simplifies basic spiritual concepts and boils them down in easy to understand illustrations like this one. If you want God to use your life for His purposes you need to depart from iniquity. As you move away from sin, Timothy gives us three results that put you in a position to be used by God: You are set apart as holy, you are useful to the master, and you are ready for every good work.
But it’s not enough to just turn away from sin, it’s equally important to actively pursue the right things. Listen to what Timothy says next.
Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts. 2 Timothy 2:22 NLT
There’s an urgency in Timothy’s instructions. We can’t just casually look away from sin, we need to run from it! Just like Joseph ran out of the house when Potiphar’s wife was attempting to lure him into sin. (You can read more about that in Sin’s Seduction.) We must flee from anything that creates sinful desires in us and actively pursue righteous living if we want to be useful to the Master.