(remember, these are unedited/draft show notes, not a transcript — listening is always better…and if you listen AND follow along below, you’ll see why)
Focus Question:
What are the marks of an unbeliever?
Intro:
1268 programs and numerous bonus reflections over three and a half years and one thing has never been true…I’ve never missed a day.
Hey, welcome everyone, thank you to those who reached out because you noticed that yesterday’s Sunday reflection on the second week of Advent was missing. I just put it up. I just couldn’t get it done yesterday.
Today we’re continuing in Ephesians, wrapping up Zechariah, and looking at the focus question, What are the marks of an unbeliever? It’s a useful bit of contrast to be aware of, particularly given the centrality of the theme of unity in Ephesians and how it relates to Jesus.
NEW TESTAMENT SEGMENT:
Passage: Ephesians 2
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 22
Words: ~427
Given that yesterday’s reflection on the advent theme of shalom or peace, let me point out one thing before we move to our OT segment.
Some…assert that God has acted in Christ to reconcile all the world to Himself. Consequently, the church’s primary concern is not to seek to effect the reconciliation of all people to Christ but merely to proclaim that all have already been reconciled. It is only in response to the cross of Christ (called faith in 2:8) that peace exists vertically between humans and God and horizontally between humans.(1)
This obviously has a lot of implications, but the main one is that if you hear people talk otherwise, your radar should be beeping at you.
OLD TESTAMENT SEGMENT:
Passage: Zechariah 12-14
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 44
Words: ~1109
The people of Judah were discouraged because they could not see God at work. They lacked a sense of gratitude for what God had done and the enthusiasm to persevere faithfully in serving Him. Zechariah’s message was that although Judah’s immediate future was in their hands, God would see that eventually the small beginning they were witnessing would result in God’s worldwide rule from His dwelling in Jerusalem. All His promises concerning Israel and the nations of the world would be fulfilled. Rather than lamenting what we see in the present, God’s people should focus on what God has done in the past, what He has promised to do in the future, and what He has instructed us to do in the present. Nothing we do is “small” if it is done in faith and obedience.
Reflecting on how God’s sovereign program of redemption unfolded in the life and ministry of Jesus should lead to eager anticipation of the completion of His plan, expressed in celebratory worship and zealous obedience.(2)
Wisdom SEGMENT:
Passage: Proverbs 11:19-
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 9
Words: ~143
The bottom line:
Why should we even care about discerning if someone is a true believer or not? Well, for one, while we’re called to love everyone, we are mandated to hold fellow believers accountable to their profession, and we’re not called to hold unbelievers in the same way. Our mission with unbelievers is, just that — a mission of reconciliation that is simply, “you need Jesus.” And not “you need to stop sinning so you can get some Jesus.” Just “you, we all, need Jesus — believe and repent.”
So in the first few verses today, you heard Paul describe what an unbeliever is characterized by. Regardless of what someone says, you’ll know a tree by its fruit. There were three things:
1. They lived like the rest of the world, referring to the world’s accepted, but immoral, lifestyles and godless motives. People who live like the world that is full of sin cannot also follow Jesus (Romans 12:2; Galatians 1:4).
2. They obeyed Satan. The passage focuses on Satan’s reality as an evil power with a certain amount of control in the world. The Bible pictures Satan as ruling an evil spiritual kingdom—the demons and those who are against Christ. …People who have not surrendered to God or decided to obey are energized by the power of evil. The force of the evil spirit is seen in those who actively disobey God both in faith and action…These people live in constant rebellion and opposition to God.
3. They followed the passions and desires of their evil nature. …When we become believers, our sinful nature still exists. But when we submit our lives to the Holy Spirit, he transforms us and our sinful natures. This is a supernatural process….God provides for victory over sin—he sends the Holy Spirit to live in us and give us power….(3)
Remember, like other tensions in the Christian life like “grace and truth,” we live with a tension here. ONLY God knows who is truly saved, and we are not only given the ability to use our spiritual sight to observe a tree by its fruit, but commanded to do so…with gentleness and humility and respect, of course. Why? Because we’re not any better…we were slaves to sin once, too.
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Sources and resources:
(1) David S. Dockery, ed., Holman Bible Handbook (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 1992), 715.
(2) David S. Dockery, ed., Holman Bible Handbook (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 1992), 498.
(3) Bruce Barton et al., Life Application New Testament Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 2001), 809–810.