This episode reiterates and details the principal point of the last episode: don't try to justify yourself and respond to the indictments of unbelievers. Nehemiah provides the model. He refuses to chase the false narrative of Sanballat, that he is a rebel, and instead affirms that "the God of heaven will give us success." When God gives us a vision what He wants to do through us, we shouldn't waste our time justifying why God is using us. "To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but even their minds and consciences are defiled." (Titus 1:15) In application, Christians shouldn't expect unbelievers, and even nominal/carnal Christians, to accurately see God's hand working through us. A defiled conscience and mind naturally projects its own condition, and consequently calls good evil. (Isaiah 5:20) So why waste your time explaining yourself?
If God is for You, Who can be Against?
This episode focuses on Nehemiah's efforts to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and how he successfully dealt with opposition. Building on the last episode, Nehemiah repented for the sins of his people, sought the Lord in prayer, and responded obediently to God's favor. All three laid the foundation of Nehemiah's success and enabled him to remain focused when he encountered opposition, which predictably made personal attacks against Nehemiah, recasting his efforts as rebellion. Nehemiah's response models how believers should respond to opposition, refusing to justify ourselves to naysayers and those who malign us.
God’s not through with You
This episode largely addresses the simple response to overcoming past failures in order to be used by God. Nehemiah confessed his sin and that of his people and implored God to use him to rebuild Jerusalem. God gave him favor, even gaining the blessing and resources of king Artaxerxes to return to Jerusalem. He and countless others in Scripture were used mightily by God after dire failures. The Biblical response to failure, the silver lining from Genesis to Revelation is the same: repentance and renewed commitment to the will of God
“Work Smart, Get a Vision”
This episode reemphasizes the absolute necessity of spending time with God in prayer and gaining His perspective on how we should invest our lives this year. Col. 3:1-2 tells us to "set our minds on things that are above where Christ is seated, NOT on things below.." Many Christians live reactive and aimless lives because they lack the tailor-made vision for their lives. Prioritizing the divine perspective over the lusts of men, ours and others', is the only way to lead an intentional life that pleases God. The episode closes with Nehemiah as an example of seeking God's will despite having sin issues. So no Christian can legitimately claim that God can't use them.
Take Hold of the Narrative of your Life
This episode, based on last weeks' lessons, sets the stage for living the will of God this year. 1 Pet. 4:1-2 tells us that believers should no live for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. Yet the narrative of reacting to life too often describes our time year after year because we don't gain the clear divine perspective for our lives. When we "seek those things above where Christ is seated" (Col. 3:1), we stop reacting to life's circumstances based on a divine vision. This episode consequently emphasizes the prayerful pursuit of the will of God, with the end of establishing the narrative for our lives.
Just Make it Simple
This episode focuses on the singular objective that should consume every believer: doing the will of God. This is what should occur in salvation according to 1 Peter 4:1-2, in which Christians identify with what Christ has done for them at Calvary, and then proceed to "arm" themselves with the same purpose, which is "to live for the will of God." Application of this simple but profound description of the Christian life would inoculate believers from unnecessary heartaches and wasted time, as we constantly look to Christ as the model. We arm ourselves with the purpose of Christ when we align our will with the Father's, echoing "I have come to do Your will" (Christ's words in Heb. 10:9) Very critically, believers are called not to live for the lusts of MEN, suggesting that believers don't just practice self-denial with respect to their own lusts, but they also refuse to cooperate with other people's self-centered desires.
Not “Knowing” Means You’re not Growing
Going deeper into the "constitution" of 1 and 2 Peter, this episode highlights how "true knowledge" or "experiential knowledge" is the goal of the Christian life, NOT the forgiveness of sins. What unlocks the divine power giving everything related to life and godliness? It's the "true knowledge of the One who called us by His own glory and excellence." (2 Pet. 1:3) Very interesting is that Peter concludes that those who excel in applying several moral qualities are "fruitful in the TRUE KNOWLEDGE of our Lord Jesus Christ."(v. 8) The measure then of Christian maturity is growth in the knowledge of God where we partake of God's moral attributes. (v. 4) He who lacks this growth is "blind and short-sighted," for he lacks the "true knowledge" of God. The episode closes with the obvious question: do we really want the true knowledge of God?
Not Growing–Are You Blind and Short-sighted?
This episode mostly deals with the believer's response to the gift of divine power in 2 Pet. 1:5-8. Resting on God's divine power, Christians should excel in 9 moral attributes, among them are moral excellence, self-control, and love. Peter concludes that those lacking these qualities are "blind or shortsighted, having forgotten the purification from their former sins." Peter's understanding of the gospel that saves is much more than mere forgiveness of sins, so he likely had much more than mere forgiveness in mind when he refers to "purification." Peter includes the endgame of salvation in both 1 Pet. 1:2 and 1 Pet. 4:1-2, which is obedience and living for the will of God. Believers who apparently see "purification from their former sins" simply in terms of forgiveness, have missed the holistic emphasis of the gospel: God saves us FROM the penalty of sin FOR the will of God. Peter consequently assesses that Christians who only got half the message are "blind and short-sighted." Christians should therefore honestly assess whether their lack of spiritual growth is due to a misunderstanding of the constitution, how things work in the Kingdom: growth in obedience to the will of God is the clear expectation of the gospel.
Are You Putting on the Right Armor?
This episode addresses the belt of truth by contrasting it with the belt of the autonomous self, the outlook of all who reject Christ. The belt of the old self is actually a lie and corresponds with the great exchange of Rom 1:25, where unbelievers "exchange the truth of God for a lie." This episode, following the pattern of Eph. 6:10-17, contrasts the armor of God with the armor of man. Every faculty in unregenerate man is devoted to protecting the autonomous self which is principally defined by devotion to the "lusts of deceit." Some of the armor pieces of the autonomous self are the breastplate of self-confidence, the shield of independence, the shoes of hostility, and the sword of the soul, the word of the self. The episode provides a stark contrast of how believers and unbelievers engage the world. Believers are called to honestly evaluate their lingering sympathies with "the lie," while unbelievers are called to reassess their commitment to the lie.
“Build, with God’s Power”
This episode builds on the first episode, emphasizing that all sanctification is fundamentally drawing on the power of Christ provided in the resurrection. We were born again through the resurrection of Christ (1 Pet. 1:3), and in sanctification, we progressively live out of the power that Christ has made available. "God's divine power has given to us everything pertaining to life and godliness..." (2 Pet. 1:3) The episode exhorts believers not to make the tempting mistake of the Galatians who sought "to be perfected by the flesh" instead of drawing on the divine power. (Gal. 3:2-3) New Years' resolutions often fail because they're based on fleshly resolve and power. The episode closes with the a summary of the numerous qualities that Christians are to walk in, based on abiding in Christ and His power. Even the Christian response is based on God's divine power. So, with respect to the constitutional metaphor, "separation of powers" doesn't refer to a Christian's response independent of God's power, but merely highlights human responsibility to ACT, in response to God's power.