Question: If you delay to obey, disregard the Word or disdain God’s efforts, does it show that you might not be saved?  What should I do in response?

Answer:

If I understand you correctly, you are stating that you’re aware of a pattern of  ‘lack of obedience’ in your life to the clear commands of Scripture. If that  is correct, the answer is simple – confess, repent and pursue obedience to the Word!  Every Christian struggles with areas of lack of obedience from the heart (Rom 7:14-25).  God has enabled us by His indwelling Spirit to trust and obey His Word (Ezk 36:24-26; Rom 8:9).  That enablement leading to obedience includes “confession of sin” to Him (1Jn 1:9-10) and others (Jms 5:16).

So each of us needs to regularly examine our hearts through the filter of Scripture.  When God’s Word is being preached from the pulpit or studied in personal devotions,  God’s Spirit in tandem with His Word will often identify areas of disobedience in our hearts (Heb 4:12).  That’s a good thing! We need to embrace the love and care of God through the purifying work of His Spirit and Word in our lives! (Jn 17:17)  True growth as a Christian means overcoming lack of obedience through dependence on His Spirit by the application of His Word!

Because we are sinners saved by grace, we will see areas of disobedience, defiance, attitudes or actions that violate God’s Word. Repeated disobedience brings dishonor to His name!  When  unrepentant sin  becomes a pattern, the Bible says that we are caught in a trespass (Gal 6:19).  All of us from time to time will be caught in a trepass (ie, violating God’s Word).  When you  look closely at Gal 6:1, it becomes clear that God desires for us to shepherd one another in our battle with sin through involvement in each other’s lives.  Scripture says that we need trusted believers to help us in the battle! Confession is our first and best weapon in the fight.  For men that means confessing sin to another trusted brother and for women, they need a  faithful trusted sister in Christ.  Disciples are learners, and followers of Christ.  One question I would ask you is: Are you currently in a biblical discipleship relationship?

If you have no heart whatsoever to follow Christ and the Spirit of God is not moving you to confess sin and trust and apply God’s Word  to your life… If you consistently find more joy in the things of the flesh than the things of the Spirit and the Word, then you should seriously heed Paul’s admontion to the church at Corinth:

“Test yourself to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you-unless indeed you fail the test”(2 Cor. 13:5)