ConfessionDefinition

The Giving and Receiving of Forgivness…

Chain the Catechism: A topical study through the Lutheran confessions

Memorization Verses: Confession has two parts. First that we confess our sins, and second, that we receive absolution, that is, forgiveness, from the pastor as from God Himself, not doubting, but firmly believing that by it our sins are forgiven before God in heaven.

LSB LSB 611 lutheran-hymnal.com/online/tlh-342.mid

1 Chief of sinners though I be,Jesus shed His blood for me;Died that I might live on high,Lived that I might never die.As the branch is to the vine,I am His and He is mine.2 Oh, the height of Jesus' love,Higher than the heav'ns above,Deeper than the depths of sea,Lasting as eternity!Love that found me--wondrous thought!Found me when I sought Him not.3 Only Jesus can impartBalm to heal the wounded heart,Peace that flows from sin forgiv'n,Joy that lifts the soul to heav'n;

Faith and hope to walk with GodIn the way that Enoch trod.4 Chief of sinners though I be,Christ is all in all to me;All my wants to Him are known,All my sorrows are His own.He sustains the hidden lifeSafe with Him from earthly strife. 5 O my Savior, help affordBy Your Spirit and Your Word!When my wayward heart would stray,Keep me in the narrow way;Grace in time of need supplyWhile I live and when I die.

Sing it!

Confess your sins.Take it to the cross.Hear your absolution: you are forgiven. Watch God forget by drowning them in Christ’s blood.

PRAYER

• Confession• Pleading Guilt• Confess to others•Absolution• Sins RemovedP raiseR epentanceA ppreciationY ouE veryoneR esolve

Pray: O God, behold my grief and care. I would serve You with a glad and cheerful face but I cannot do it. No matter how much I fight and struggle against my sadness, I am too weak for this painful conflict. Help me in my weakness, O mighty God! Give me Your Holy Spirit to refresh and comfort me in my sorrow. Amid all my fears and grief I still know that I am Yours in life and death, and that nothing can really separate me from You; neither things present, nor things to come, neither trial, nor fear, nor pain. And therefore, O Lord, I will still trust in Your grace. You will now send me away unheard. Sooner or later You will lift this burden from my heart, and put a new song on my lips. And I will praise Your goodness, and thank and serve You here and forevermore. Amen. (Sigismund Scheretz, 1584-1639).

LSB 773Hear us, Father, when we pray, through

Your Son and in Your Spirit. By Your Spirit's Word convey all that we through Christ inherit, that as baptized heirs we may truly pray.

When we know not what to say and our wounded souls are pleading, my Your Spirit, night and day, groan within us interceding; by His sighs, too deep for words, we are heard.

Jesus, advocate on high, sacrificed on Calvry's altar, through Your priestly blood we cry: hear our prayers, though they may falter; place them on Your Father's throne as your own.

By Your Spirit now attend to our prayers and supplications, as like incense they ascend to Your heav'nly habitations. May their fragrance waft above, God of love.

Sing it!

Heb 4:15 For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help us in time of need.

Discussion

"When I urge you to go to confession, I am simply urging you to be a Christian.”

(Large Catechism, Brief Exhortation, 32)

Discussion

If you've just been validly baptized, you don't need Confession, because Baptism wipes away all guilt of sin (and the temporal effects of sin, by the way). If, however, you were validly baptized years ago and are just now coming to this Sacrament for the first time, you might want to schedule an appointment with your priest to make what's known as a "General Confession," which includes sins of one's entire life, since it might take a bit longer than usual (do the same if you are a returning Catholic and haven't been to Confession for many, many years). "General Confessions" are also often made before before marriage or ordination.

Discussion

My most amusing confession moment was one time when I was in a long line before Mass. I had waited almost an hour and as the time for Mass approached two silver-haired people behind me started complaining about how long the line was taking. They worried that it wouldn’t go fast enough because young people have so many sins that they take a long time. I was the only young person in front of them and found this amusing because I often feel the same dread of older women in front of me because of the stereotype that older women talk for hours in confession about who-knows-what that they have already confessed every week for the last 50 years.

I still don’t get the older people’s concern. Even if we young people do sin more, how long does it take to say “I killed three firemen, had sex with 18 married men, and lied more times than I can count… maybe twice an hour while awake. For these and all my sins I am very sorry?” Amount of sin has nothing to do with how long it takes to confess it.

Confession

Say Mean Matter

Key phrases Own words Answer the questions/Personal application

• What is confession? •What sins should we confess? •Which are these? •What is the first part of confession? •What sins should we confess before God? •What sins should we confess before our neighbor? •What sins are we encouraged to confess privately before our pastor or

confessor? •What is the second part of confession? •How should we regard the absolution (forgiveness) spoken by the

pastor? •______________________________

SS Confession M Pleading Guilt T Confess to others W Absolution Th Sins Removed

Confession has two parts. First that we confess our sins, and second, that we receive absolution, that is, forgiveness, from the pastor as from God Himself, not doubting, but firmly believing that by it our sins are forgiven before God in heaven.

Before God we should plead guilty of all sins, even those we are not aware of, as we do in the Lord's Prayer; but before the pastor we should confess only those sins which we know and feel in our hearts.

Consider your place in life according to the Ten Commandments: Are you a father, mother, son, daughter, husband, wife, or worker? Have you been disobedient, unfaithful, or lazy? Have you been hot-tempered, rude, or quarrelsome? Have you hurt someone by your words or deeds? Have you stolen, been negligent, wasted anything, or done any harm?

•

Pray: O my dear Lord Jesus Christ, I find that I do not have the kind of will and resolution I certainly ought to have. I am daily falling as a failing, sinful human being. And You know that I desire to have such will and resolution, but my enemy leads me bound and captive. Redeem me, a poor sinner, according to Your divine will, from every evil and temptation. Strengthen and increase in me the true Christian faith; grant me grace to love my neighbor with all my heart, honestly and also do for my brother as I do for myself. Grant me patience in persecution and in every adversity. You told St. Peter that he should forgive not just seven times; You bid us ask You with confidence. So I come in reliance on this command and promise of Yours and confess and deplore before You all my trouble. For You are my true Pastor and the Bishop of my soul. Your will be done and be blessed forever. Amen. (Luther).

SS: Confession

Confession: History Luther writes a series of lectures that

become the basis for the Large Catechism (1528) Luther omits the ministry of the keys, and

contains only the five chief parts First edition of the small catechism

contains an appendix with instruction on confession and absolution Meant as part of the liturgy A time for PRIVATE confession was

preferred Subsequent editions omit this appendix,

modernize the optional nature of confession for our audiences. Loses the scope of the intent of

Concord’s treatment of the subject

Confession: Sacrament? What is a sacrament?

A gift of God that binds the words of forgiveness to a visible object

Instituted by Christ Is confession a sacrament?

Yes, although Luther does not make it explicit due to the abuses within Catholicism

Luther laments its neglect among the other reformers

Today, it seems to depend more on our “defintion” of sacrament, unfortunately.

The first part of confession is that we confess, or acknowledge, our sins.

Ps. 32:3, 5 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. . . . Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord" and You forgave the guilt of my sin.

Ps. 51:1-4 Have mercy on me, 0 God, according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, that You are proved right when You speak and justified when You judge.

Before God we should plead guilty of all sins, even those we are not aware of, as we do in the Lord's Prayer.

Ps. 19:12 Who can discern his errors?

Forgive my hidden faults. Prov. 28:13 He who conceals his sins does

not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

1 John 1:8-9 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

• Pray: These eyes long steeped in tears,

will ever flow at pity’s call. My life has been an age of sorrow: God has taught me how to feel. Where will it end? Teach me, O Word Divine! O may I reach that blessed home of peace, which no rude winds perturb, no storms annoy. There shines the luster of that Triune God, beneath whose fostering shade, we rest in hope. Amen. (Gregory of Nazianzus, c. 329-c. 390)

M: Pleading Guilt

Confession in OT God absolves Adam and Eve even without a

proper confession While they admit to sin, they defend their

actions God is just to punish and to cut off, but

instead sets up a promise fulfilled in Christ in keeping with His sovereign plan

Moses makes intercession on behalf of the Hebrews sin.”  Oh, what a great sin these people have

committed! … please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written. (Ex. 32)

And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. 

Office of the KeysChrist gives the auspices of the

church to the apostles (Mt. 16:19) The Apostles begin to appoint

deacons and a system of basic governance for orderly worship

One of the marks of the Church given to men is the declarative word of God, both for judgement and forgiveness Law/Gospel preaching Binding/loosing sins for the sake

of discipline and comfort Declaration of the Gospel within

the liturgy

Exegesis: Mt. 16:19“Peter answered, “you are

the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “blessed are you, Simon, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church, the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

Christos: annointed, Apokalupto: something hidden

that has a veil removedoti su ei Petrov, kai epi

tauth th petra oikodomhsw: “This rock” is a pronoun with a 3rd person antecedent. “This” is different than “you”

katisxu/w: to be superior in strength. Confession is mighty!

Exegesis: Mt. 16:19 I will give you the

keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”

KleiðvdeÑw: To bind or put under the

authority of; requirementlu/w: to set free from a decree

or requirementMajority of scholars apply

“binding” and “loosing” to the application of the law to specific circumstances Rabbi’s chief role (one of Jesus’

roles as well) A form of Law/Gospel applied to

different people.

Exegesis: John 20:21Peace be with you! As the

Father has sent me, I am sending you. And with that he breathed on them and said, “receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

enefushsen (5656) kai legei , Labete  pneuma agion; “breathed” is only used once

before by the LXX, when God breathed on Adam

“Receiving the Spirit” is declaring the truth of the Spirit (“to lay hold of”)

afhte  tav amartiav afewntai  autoiv,an tinwn krathte kekrathntai. Aphete means to send away Kratete means to have power

Before our neighbor we should confess all sins we have committed against him or her.

James 5:16 Confess your sins to each other. Matt. 5:23-24 If you are offering your gift at

the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

Before the pastor or confessor we confess those sins which we know and feel in our hearts, especially those that trouble us.

2 Sam. 12:13 David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord." Nathan replied, "The Lord has taken away your sin."

James 5:16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.

Note: No one may be forced to make private confession.

• Pray: You were, O Christ, my great deliverer

in the past. You now preserve me from the waves of life. When no dawn of glimmering hope appeared, no island, continent, or mountain’s brown was seen; when no beacon

gleamed, no pitying star peeked forth to guide this woe-worn mariner—that dread hour, what was my high resolve? How did I shun the gloomy gates of death? Renouncing earthly aid, to You I looked, my life, my breath, my light, my strength, my safety. At once appalling, thrilling, smiling, healing, with misery’s cup commingling comfort! Yours have I been, O Lord, and still I am Yours. Amen. (Gregory of Nazianzus, c. 329-390).

T Confess to others

Four False Views1. Papist (Roman Catholic):

Incorrectly interprets Mt. 16 as relinquishing power to Peter

Does not regard the confession as greater than the Peter (or the others)

Visible and Invisible Church are united inseparably

Confession becomes a source of power for the RC church.

Four False Views1. Anabaptist

Incorrectly interprets Mt. 16 as having no focus upon a visible church authority invested in people

Turns confession into an inward emotion, or worse, a good work that I do.

Focuses on “personal faith” over Christ’s declaritive absolution spoken in community

Four False Views1. The impenitent

A false believer who asserts that visible confession literalistically absolves sin ex opera operato

Hopes to avoid both physical and spiritual punishment/consequence of sin.

True repentance is not found in one who delights in sin

Four False Views1. The guilt ridden

A true believer that has been withheld the benefit and comfort of spoken absolution

Constant fear that he has not “confessed” all his sins, and is somehow under judgment for unknown sin

Turns confession into a good work to ease a conscience.

Who is it For?The believer to rest assured

that Christ is in the midst of our sinWhether or not we confess

all are sinsWhether or not we feel

“perfectly” sorry for every sin we commit

Whether or not we could possible “work” to cancel our sins or make things right

AbsolutionAbsolution is the spoken

sacrament that delivers the word of God to

our ears looses the pain of guiltCreates a contrite, yet

comforted spiritInvigorates real and active

work in the world without command

Puts of a sign (like lenten ash) upon our souls

The second part of confession is that we receive absolution, that is, forgiveness of sins.

Is. 1:18 "Come now, let us reason together," says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."

We should receive the pastor's absolution as from God Himself, not doubting, but firmly believing that by it our sins are forgiven before God in heaven.

"It is not the voice or word of the man who speaks it, but it is the Word of God, who forgives sin, for it is spoken in God's stead and by God's command" (Augsburg Confession XXV 3).

Matt. 18:18 Whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

Luke 10:16 He who listens to you listens to Me

John 20:23 If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven.

• Pray: Most merciful God, we confess

that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Grant that we may rely on Your Word and forgiveness, spoken to us through Your called and ordained servant of the Word. Amen. (LW; Earl Gaulke)

W: Absolution

Who is it For?The Pastor to maintain an

orderly worship amongst his congregantsCalled to hear private

confessionLeads in confession of sins,

and declares Forgiveness in the stead of Christ

Maintains proper Law/Gospel application

Binds people and excommunicates

Who is it For?The Church

To self-identify as a corporal body of forgiven sinners

To hear one another confess sins, despite our grievances with one another.

To call out and expose false doctrines and teachers

Confession/RepentanceRepentance means to “turn the

mind” Contrition is a change of mind

regarding sin Contrite sinners find no profit in

their sin Repentance is a recognition of sin

not necessarily a perfect removal of it.

Faith is like a change of mind about salvation When a sinner stops thinking he

can save himself through proper repentance

Receives the perfect grace of Christ.

The pastor is pledged not to tell anyone else of sins told him in private confession, for those sins have been removed.

Ps. 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

Prov.11:13 A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.

1 Tim. 3:1-2 Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer [pastor], he desires a noble task. Now the overseer must be above reproach.

In private confession and absolution, God Himself through the pastor forgives each individual the sins that are confessed.

"If there is a heart that feels its sin and desires consolation, it has here a sure refuge when it hears in God's Word that through a man God looses and absolves him from his sins" (Large Catechism, Brief Exhortation, 14).

Ps. 32:2 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him.

2 Sam. 12:13 Nathan replied, "The Lord has

taken away your sin."  Matt. 9:2 Take heart, son; your sins are

forgiven. • O Lord, I am not worthy of Your consolation,

nor of any spiritual visitation. Therefore, deal justly with me, when You leave me poor and desolate. For though I could shed a sea of tears, yet I would not be worthy of Your consolation. I deserved nothing but to be scourged and punished, in that I have grievously and often offended You, and in many things have sinned greatly. All things therefore duly considered, I am not worthy even of the least comfort. But You, O gracious and merciful God, do not will that Your works should perish. You desire to show the riches of Your goodness upon the vessels for mercy. Beyond all Your servant deserves, grant comfort that differs from the manner of men. Amen. (Thomas a Kempis, c. 1380-1471).

Th Sins Removed

AbsolutionFor our God, the God we have, is not so niggardly that he has left us with only one comfort or strengthening for our conscience, or only one absolution, but we have many absolutions in the gospel and we are richly showered with many absolutions. See, my Lord, I have been baptized in thy name so that I may be assured of thy grace and mercy. Then we have private confession, when I go and receive a sure absolution as if God himself spoke it, so that I may be assured that my sins are forgiven. Finally, I take to myself the blessed sacrament, when I eat his body and drink his blood as a sign that I am rid of my sins and God has freed me from all my frailties; and in order to make me sure of this, he gives me his body to eat and his blood to drink, so that I shall not and cannot doubt that I have a gracious God.

Thus you see that confession must not be despised, but that it is a comforting thing.

Pray: I acknowledge, O Lord, that I am a most guilty sinner, altogether unable to help myself, and unworthy that You should help me. My own conscience condemns me. But O God, God of mercy, forsake me not, nor leave me under the piercing thoughts of my sad and sinful condition. In the multitude of Your compassions, make good Your promise to a returning sinner. I earnestly beg Your grace to a serious and genuine repentance. I lay myself before You, destitute of any merits of my own. Apply the merits of Your dear Son to all the wants and necessities of my soul. Let me through faith in His blood be freely

justified by Your grace, and let not any of my sins be charged upon me to my condemnation. Let me through faith in His blood be freely justified by Your grace, and let not any of my sins be charged upon me to my condemnation. Let me by His merits and righteousness be so delivered from the guilt of them, that I may serve You in righteousness and holiness of all the days of my life. Christ died for me while I lay under the sentence of death. May I no longer live unto myself, but unto Him who died for me and rose again, even Jesus Christ, my Redeemer. Amen. (Johann Gerhard, 1582-1637).

Jesus loves me! This I know, For the Bible tells me so;Little ones to Him belong,They are weak but He is strong.Yes, Jesus loves me!Yes, Jesus loves me!Yes, Jesus loves me!The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! He who died,Heaven's gate to open wide;He will wash away my sin,Let His little child come in.Yes, Jesus loves me!Yes, Jesus loves me!Yes, Jesus loves me!The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! loves me still,When I'm very weak and ill;From His shining throne on high,Comes to watch me where I lie.Yes, Jesus loves me!Yes, Jesus loves me!Yes, Jesus loves me!The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! He will stay,Close beside me all the way;He's prepared a home for me,And some day His face I'll see.Yes, Jesus loves me!Yes, Jesus loves me!Yes, Jesus loves me!The Bible tells me so.

Sing it!

Conclusion"When I urge you to go to confession, I am simply urging you to be a Christian.” -Large CatConfession has two parts. First that we confess our sins, and second, that we receive absolution, that is, forgiveness, from the pastor as from God Himself, not doubting, but firmly believing that by it our sins are forgiven before God in heaven.Before God we should plead guilty of all sins, even those we are not aware of, as we do in the Lord's Prayer; but before the pastor we should confess only those sins which we know and feel in our hearts.Consider your place in life according to the Ten Commandments: Are you a father, mother, son, daughter, husband, wife, or worker? Have you been disobedient, unfaithful, or lazy? Have you been hot-tempered, rude, or quarrelsome? Have you hurt someone by your words or deeds? Have you stolen, been negligent, wasted anything, or done any harm? The first part of confession is that we confess, or acknowledge, our sins. Before God we should plead guilty of all sins, even those we are not aware of, as we do in the Lord's Prayer. Before our neighbor we should confess all sins we have committed against him. Before the pastor or confessor we confess those sins

which we know and feel in our hearts, especially those that trouble us. Note: No one may be forced to make private confession.The second part of confession is that we receive absolution, that is, forgiveness of sins. We should receive the pastor's absolution as from God Himself, not doubting, but firmly believing that by it our sins are forgiven before God in heaven."It is not the voice or word of the man who speaks it, but it is the Word of God, who forgives sin, for it is spoken in God's stead and by God's command" (Augs Conf). The pastor is pledged not to tell anyone else of sins told him in private confession, for those sins have been removed. In private confession and absolution, God Himself through the pastor forgives each individual the sins that are confessed."If there is a heart that feels its sin and desires consolation, it has here a sure refuge when it hears in God's Word that through a man God looses and absolves him from his sins" (Large Cat).

A Short Form of Confession

Next Time…(2/17)