Everytime I reach out to those Lost, I'm really confused sometimes. Here are my questions:
- Is it possible to live a lifestyle of Disobedience like for many years, but the person said he/she really trusted Christ and repented to their Sin?
Each of us is disobedient, because we're sinners. It's not a question of if we sin, because we do. And each person may have their own distinct struggles; some struggles might be more noticeable to others, some might be more private. The call to obedience is not for our salvation, but to live our salvation out into the world, loving our neighbor. We read in Ephesians 2 that we are saved by grace through faith, and this is not of ourselves, but God's gift; not of works. But the Apostle continues that we were created to walk in good works prepared for us.
This is not to say that if we live in continuous unrepentant sin that there isn't a problem. This is why St. John writes that there is sin that is "unto death" and there is sin "not unto death". If we turn away from the Lord, if we choose to go our own way, if we refuse repentance, deny forgiveness, resist and reject the gifts of God then we steer ourselves right into sharp rocks, shipwrecking ourselves and our faith. And Scripture warns against this as a very serious thing.
This is why it is vitally important to make the right distinction between Law and Gospel. The Law is God's word and command of what is good and righteous: To love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves; but on account of sin the Law acts like a mirror, revealing our failure to be and live righteously, and thus when we behold ourselves honestly before the Law we stand condemned. Thus the preaching of the Law isn't about making us righteous, but rather about presenting a mirror in front of us, so that seeing ourselves honestly, we fall on our knees crying out "Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner!" Conversely the Gospel is not a command, but God's gracious word and promise to us, that Christ came into the world to save sinners, and that we are the chief of sinners. And therefore here, by this Gospel is God's free forgiveness given to sinners on Christ's account, and it is ours, not by any works of obedience we have done, not having earned it in any way whatsoever, but that it is freely given and freely received.
So that you, a sinner condemned under the Law, are forgiven because Christ Himself suffered, died, and rose again for you; and what He has done is given to you by God through the preaching of this Gospel, through the Sacraments, so that you can say on account of your baptism, that you belong to Jesus Christ, you are the child of God, forgiven, and the Spirit and gifts are yours because God says so.
Therefore freely confess you are a sinner, believe the Gospel, trust in the Lord, carry your cross.
- Is it possible that a person is Saved but their fruit of the Spirit, like growing as Christlikeness their character but its very very slow? Like sometimes you doubt to their salvation, if they truly accepted Christ and repented?
Remember what the Lord said? Why do we point out the speck in our brother's eye while we have a log in our own? We have this promise from God: "He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6) The good work of God in our lives which He has been doing since Christ made us His is a good, trustworthy, and faithful work of God. You carry your cross, your brother carries his cross, and your sister carries their cross. We aren't all the same, our struggles are all different. But the same Spirit is in us, the same Lord saves us, it is the same God who is at work on us. Do not look to your own moral progress, or the moral progress of your brother or sister; what may seem small to you may be huge for them. We aren't climbing up some ladder toward God, with some further up the rungs than others. But rather God is here, in our midst, through His Word and Sacraments, healing us, saving us, working on us, knitting us together, feeding and sustaining us with His life-giving grace. Trust in the Lord.
Because I want to know first if a person is really accepted the Gospel to their Life. can you give me some advice, what you do to check if they are truly saved.
It's not your business. Put your faith in Jesus Christ, trust the Lord. The One who is at work in you is at work in your brother as well. Confess your sins, believe the Gospel, trust in the Lord.
Sometimes I'm hesitant to share the Word of God to some Christians, because I want to know first if they are truly Saved. Like said in the Bible, unsaved person would not understand God's Word.
Pls give me some verses also.
Salvation is God's work. It's what He is doing. It is outside of your control. Instead, put your faith in Christ.
-CryptoLutheran
