THE DERIVED LIFE - A VESSEL OF HONNOR

The simplicity of the derived life is a vessel of honor. Man is called a vessel in scripture. Paul told Timothy to “be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work” (II Tim. 2:21). Paul also wrote, “we have this treasure (Jesus Christ) in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves” (II Cor. 4:7). Notice "NOT" of ourselves". Vessels in Biblical times were clay pots which were used as containers for liquids and other substances. Human beings are vessels created to contain God and to express God. Yes, we are more than impersonal pots for in our humanity we have three levels of life functionality, spiritual, psychological and physiological. This beautifully illustrates that as vessels of God we were created to be dependent on Him for life. From the moment that we are conceived, our spirit, soul and body are dependent upon life from another. And all through our lives we continue to experience this same created reality. We are "clay pots" created for relational receptivity to God's activity, which is what faith is. 

We honor Him as we allow His Life to be expressed through us. The Derived Life of Jesus Christ is the only life that glorifies God. Jesus said, "apart from ME you can do nothing (John 15:5). It is the "life of simplicity" as we derive everything "from Him." The lie of independence, which is what religion teaches, would have us striving to live "for" God, robbing God of His Glory. As vessels of honor we have the privilege of allowing the "outlived life" of Jesus Christ to be expressed through us to the glory of God. Man cannot produce that, nor should he try. There is no striving in choosing, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them" ( Ephesians 2:10).

The Christian may choose to derive from one of two sources but never becomes independent in that choice.
Understanding this simple reality, that we have this "treasure in earthen vessels," allows us to function effortlessly deriving from the Life of Jesus Christ in all that we do. Satan would distract us from the simplicity of the DERIVED LIFE and suggest that we can and should live independently and that God has commanded us to do so by self-effort. Paul feared that happening to Christians in his day, as I fear it is happening to Christians in our day. "But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ" (2 Cor. 11:3). The derived life is a devotional life, a vessel of honor with the Persons of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. May our lives reflect the radiance of His glory (Hebrews 1:3).