what Happens To a Christian that refuses To confess/repent of Sins Before God?

[convicted1]

A Christian does not need to be restored.

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[Herald]

Know that we cannot lose our salvation, but in a practical sense, do they experience ANY spiritual effects here and now?

I'm not exactly sure what you're asking about. A professed believer who displays no repentance from sin is in a dangerous place. Christians do sin. They may even fall into a bad way for a continued period of time; but part of the Christian life is repentance. In fact, repentance is central to the Christian faith. An unwillingness to recognize their sin, and to confess and turn from it, displays a calloused heart to the Holy Spirit. While we cannot say dogmatically, such actions display an unregenerate heart; not the heart of a child of God. I would fear for such a person.

 

[JesusFan]

I'm not exactly sure what you're asking about. A professed believer who displays no repentance from sin is in a dangerous place. Christians do sin. They may even fall into a bad way for a continued period of time; but part of the Christian life is repentance. In fact, repentance is central to the Christian faith. An unwillingness to recognize their sin, and to confess and turn from it, displays a calloused heart to the Holy Spirit. While we cannot say dogmatically, such actions display an unregenerate heart; not the heart of a child of God. I would fear for such a person.

was referring to IF that person, who was a genuine believer, would face loss of fellowship, empowering, prayers getting answered etc...

If there would be consequences until he came back to God

 

[JesusFan]

1. The bible does not say whether the man returned or not, it merely tells the church how to treat him. We don't know the end of the story.

2. The language of "returned to God" could be problematic. "Repented" would be a more biblically correct term. FAL is correct that it is impossible for a true believer to "leave" God, or God to "leave" the believer. While I would be more open to saying our experience of "fellowship" with God can be disrupted than FAL is, I think we would be in agreement on the main Idea that The relationship is maintained by God's spirit in us.

Think part of the problem is how we define "restoration" inlife of a Christian...

we can NEVER lose our relationship to God based upon our sinning, as we will always been saved by grace, child of God...

NO need to restore that aspect, BUT the Bible does show us that IFa believer engagesin willful sins and refused to confess/repent of that to God...

Will be stuck in a positional place where God will bring chaistisment, refused to answer prayers, fell alone etc until rstored back to being able enjoy and have a profitable relationship with God...

Relationshop/fellowship from God side stays same, its just that we "lose" the fellowship from our perspective on it!

be like iF I became angry at my father, refused to ask forgiveness from Him, refused to repent of that act, would still by his son, but doubt would have a real fellowship going on!

 

[Herald]

was referring to IF that person, who was a genuine believer, would face loss of fellowship, empowering, prayers getting answered etc...

If there would be consequences until he came back to God

Thanks for the clarification.

The reason I refer to such individuals as "professed believers" is because their refusal to repent from sin undermines their profession. If a church member refuses to repent they open themselves up to progressive church discipline. If their heart remains hardened throughout all attempts to call them to repentance, then they face the prospect of excommunication. The result? They are to be treated by the church as an unbeliever. Regular fellowship and the graces of the church are withheld. That doesn't mean they are to be persecuted or their family shunned; especially if the family is continuing in fellowship in the church. We should pray for such a person that God will grant them repentance and save them.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Thanks for the clarification.

The reason I refer to such individuals as "professed believers" is because their refusal to repent from sin undermines their profession. If a church member refuses to repent they open themselves up to progressive church discipline. If their heart remains hardened throughout all attempts to call them to repentance, then they face the prospect of excommunication. The result? They are to be treated by the church as an unbeliever. Regular fellowship and the graces of the church are withheld. That doesn't mean they are to be persecuted or their family shunned; especially if the family is continuing in fellowship in the church. We should pray for such a person that God will grant them repentance and save them.

Oh Herald.....Ive seen that work both ways. Ive seen a youth pastor at an IFB church vilified, fired & labeled as a reprobate because the youth pastor believed in doctrines of Grace & the Head Pastor was violently apposed to it....so he used church discipline as a means to restrict the Youth Pastors desires to follow that path in his Soterology......Even to telling everyone that the Church would NOT be blessed because of the Youth Pastors belief system.....effectively making the Youth Pastor a outsider in his own church community

 

[12strings]

Oh Herald.....Ive seen that work both ways. Ive seen a youth pastor at an IFB church vilified, fired & labeled as a reprobate because the youth pastor believed in doctrines of Grace & the Head Pastor was violently apposed to it....so he used church discipline as a means to restrict the Youth Pastors desires to follow that path in his Soterology......Even to telling everyone that the Church would NOT be blessed because of the Youth Pastors belief system.....effectively making the Youth Pastor a outsider in his own church community

This is unfortunate, but just because authority an/or accountability can be abused does not mean we should do away with it.

 

[Tom Butler]

The fellowship restortion is with other believers not the Lord. A Christian never loses fellowship with the Lord.

My view is that a true believer can, in fact, lost his fellowship with the Lord. But he cannot lose his relationship.

When I disobeyed my father, relationship was unaffected, but our fellowship was not the same.

 

[freeatlast]

My view is that a true believer can, in fact, lost his fellowship with the Lord. But he cannot lose his relationship.

When I disobeyed my father, relationship was unaffected, but our fellowship was not the same.

I agree, the fellowship is not the same, but it is not lost. The fellowship does not end, it just changes.

 

[MB]

Know that we cannot lose our salvation, but in a practical sense, do they experience ANY spiritual effects here and now?

If a genuine Christian and they sin again and do not confess. God will correct them. I just have a problem believing a true Christian would refuse to confess. A corection from God can be life threatening. Just look at what happened to Jonah.
MB