Can a person who has been excommunicated from a congregation be received back into the congregation?

If an excommunicated person comes to a knowledge of his sin and repents, and promises to improve his sinful life, the congregation through the pastor pronounces God’s forgiveness to the person and receives him or her again as a brother or sister in faith and as a member of the congregation. At the same time the congregation forgives the person also on its own behalf. Excommunication is not an earthly punishment, but an admonition, intended for the soul’s salvation.

Prov. 27:6: Faithful are the wounds of a friend.

2 Cor. 2:6-8: Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.

Can a person who has fallen into mortal sin receive forgiveness for his sin?

If a person who has fallen into mortal sins, repents of his sin and trusts in God’s grace in Christ, he receives forgiveness and is saved.

Ezek. 34:16: I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick.

Ezek.33:19: If the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.

1 Joh. 1:9: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

What type of sins cause faith to die, and drive away the Holy Spirit?

Gross or coarse sins drive away faith and the Holy Spirit from the heart. Such sins, for example, are: drunkenness, murder and adultery. These are called mortal sins. If a person dies while living in such sins, he will be damned.

1 Cor. 5:11,13: If any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with such an one do not to eat... put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

Gal. 5:19-21: Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like... they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Ezek. 33:18: When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby.

May a Baptism be renewed?

We must not be rebaptized, for a properly administered Baptism is God’s work, and His works do not need renewing or repairing. If someone has erred and been rebaptized, he may repent of his sin, and rely on his first or true Baptismal covenant.

Eph. 4:5: One Lord, one faith, one Baptism.

May a person, who has fallen from his Baptismal covenant, return to it?

Yes, he may. For even though he has fallen from his Baptismal covenant, God is nevertheless faithful and on His part the Baptismal covenant remains in force. In His grace God calls the fallen to return to their Baptismal covenant, and draws them to Himself. Nothing gives God more joy, than a sinner’s return to Him.

Jer. 3:22: Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings.

2 Tim. 2:13: If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful; He cannot deny himself.

Is. 54:10: For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.

Luke 15:32: It was meet that we should make merry and be glad, for this brother was dead, and is alive again, and was lost, and is found.

Assignment: Read Luke 15.

Luther: “Let every one esteem his Baptism as a daily dress in which he is to walk constantly, that he may ever be found in the faith and its fruits, that he suppress the old man and grow up on the new.”

How are we to use Baptism in accomplishing this?

The old man is drowned and in its place the new man arises in such a way, that we condemn the intentions and the activity of the old man every day, and in faith are buried in the grace-rich water of Baptism, and arise cleansed, to live in true faith and obedience before God.

Zech. 13:1: In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and uncleanness.

Is. 12: 3: Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

Luther: “A truly Christian life is nothing else than a daily Baptism, once begun and ever to be continued. For this must be practised without ceasing... Therefore, if you live in repentance, you walk in Baptism, which not only signifies such a new life, but also produces, begins, and exercises it.”

What is the lot of the old man, and the lot of the new man?

The old man, with its evil intentions and actions, deserves death.

To the new man belongs the gift of life now and forever.

Gal. 5:24: They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Rom. 6:11: Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

What is the new man?

The new man is the new spiritual essence or life, which the Holy Spirit has created in us by regenerating us in Holy Baptism. It lives before God in righteousness and purity, hence in true faith, and a holy life without pretense. Only believers have a new man, which also through the Holy Spirit crucifies the old man.

2 Cor. 5:17: If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.

Rom. 7:6: That we should serve in newness of Spirit.

Eph. 4:24: Put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Col. 3:10: Ye have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.

Rom. 8:13: If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Assignment: Formulate a definition of the new man on the basis of the quotation from Luther in the preceding question, but using opposite characteristics that apply.

What is the Old Adam?

What does such baptizing with water signify? It signifies that the Old Adam in us should, by daily contrition and repentance, be drowned and die with all sins and evil lusts and, again, a new man daily come forth and arise, who shall live before God in righteousness and purity forever. Where is this written? St. Paul writes, Romans, chapter sixth: We are buried with Christ by Baptism into death, that, like as He was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

According to the Bible, the old man or the Old Adam is our corrupt, sinful nature, which we have inherited from Adam and which will remain with us until we die. Everyone has an Old Adam.

Eph. 4:22: Put off, concerning the former conversation, the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts.

Luther: “What is the old man? It is that which is born in us from Adam, angry, hateful, envious, unchaste, stingy, lazy, haughty, yea, unbelieving, infected with all vices, and having by nature nothing good in it.”