1860 absolution theses

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Proceedings concerning the Doctrineof Absolution

The most important subject of this year's proceedings, of which the meetingwas devoted to most of the time, was unquestionably a presentation on the intimateconnection between the doctrine of absolution to that of justification. We can herefirst follow this presentation unabridged, and then attach the negotiations of theSynod on the same directly to it.

Although the doctrine of absolution has been dealt with repeatedly in ourjournals, conferences and synods, so that probably hardly any darkness hangs overit, yet the relationship of this doctrine to that of justification would both require anddeserve a detailed discussion. The speaker has thought to resolve the task set beforehim not through a voluminous essay on this subject, wherein little room would beleft for discussion, but by establishing a set of propositions, in order to provide forfree discussion over substance and arrangement. He allows himself first to repeatLuther's teaching and that of the Lutheran Church on Absolution in brief, clearstrokes, and second, to draw attention to the intimate relationship of this doctrinewith that of Justification.

I.

1.Absolution of sins is, according to Luther's teaching, the Gospel, whether itis proclaimed to many or to the individual.

Luther's letter to the Council at Prague: "To bind and to loose dearly isnothing else than to proclaim and to apply the gospel.... the keys are an exercise ofthe [office] of the Word and belong to all Christians."1

Second Gutachten to the Council at Nrnberg (1533): "Thus the Gospel itselfis a general absolution."

Remark: Luther even knows the general absolution, that tends to be spokenamong us after the sermon, and he does not criticize and reject it; but typically he

1 Luther, M. (1999). Vol. 40: Luther's works, vol. 40 : Church and Ministry II(J. J. Pelikan, H. C.Oswald & H. T. Lehmann, Ed.). Luther's Works (28). Philadelphia: Fortress Press.


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means by absolution the private absolution, which to him is none other than theGospel spoken to an individual person who thereby receives comfort over his knownsins.

2. Private absolution is therefore not an extra or an addition to the existing

power of the Gospel to forgive sins. Private absolution is nothing else thanthe preaching of the Gospel to the individual sinner.

Luther: Church Postil for Easter Tuesday: "The only difference between thetwo is this: in the preaching of the Gospel the Word is publicly preached in ageneral way, to all who are present; and in absolution this same Word is spokenespecially and privately to one or more who so desire it."

3. The steward and dispenser of absolution in the public office are thepreachers of the Gospel; but otherwise all Christians, because the entireChurch is the original holder of the Keys; however He who forgives sinsthrough their ministry is the Triune God.

Luther: Church Postil for Quasimodogeniti: "Therefore your minister orpastor as the one who cares for your soul (Seelsorger), or any other Christian insuch a case is called for and sent to comfort you. Therefore, although the power toforgive sins is God's alone, we should still also know that He exercises anddistributes such power through this external ministry, to which Christ calls Hisapostles and commands them that they should proclaim the forgiveness of sins inHis Name to all those who desire it."

ibid: "Whomever is challenged, let him go or allow him his cure of souls orelse a good friend, to ask to him his need and desire for comfort and consolationlament from him. And it is grounded on the fact that Christ speaks here: Whosesins you forgive, etc."

House Postil on the Day of SS Peter and Paul: "The Church, i.e., allChristians have such power and command that allow let no sinner to despair in sin,but comfort him and in the name of Jesus should promise the forgiveness of sins."

Remark: In other places, Luther confined lay absolution to an emergency.Thus he says e.g., "You also lie that I have made all laymen bishops, priests, and

spiritual in such a way that they may exercise the office without a call. But, asgodly as you are, you conceal the fact that I added that no one should undertakethis office without a call unless it be an extreme emergency."2 "Every Christian hasthe command, not only that he can, but should, say to you when you are troubled byyour sin: Why are you troubled?... you ought to trust these words just as surely as

2 Luther, M. (1999). Vol. 39: Luther's works, vol. 39 : Church and Ministry I(J. J. Pelikan, H. C.Oswald & H. T. Lehmann, Ed.). Luther's Works (174). Philadelphia: Fortress Press.


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though God were speaking to you personally from heaven...."3 The apparentcontradiction is solved in the following passage from the Church postil forQuasimodogeniti: "True we all have this power; but no one shall presume to exerciseit publicly, except the one who has been elected by the congregation to do so. But inprivate I may freely exercise it. For instance, if my neighbor comes and says:

Friend, I am burdened in my conscience; speak the absolution to me; then I am freeto do so, but I say it must be done privately."4

4.Absolution does not consist of (a.) a judicial judgment of the confessor, (b.)of an empty proclamation or wishing of the forgiveness of sins, but (c.) of a

powerful announcement of the forgiveness of sins.

(a.):Apology VI(German): "For absolution is the hard command to absolveand is not a new judgment to explore sin. For God is the judge who has the apostlesnot the office of judge, but the grace of execution committed to absolve those whodesire it."

(b. and c.): Luther's House Postil for Trinity XIX: "When you go to your parishpastor...asking that he absolve you...and he says to you, In the stead of God, Ideclare to you the forgiveness of all your sins, etc." "Therefore thank God...that Hehas given such power to forgive sins to men."5

Remark: Here Luther indeed calls absolution a proclamation of theforgiveness of sins, but one that really communicates the forgiveness of sins.

5. The effect of absolution (a.) is not based on man's repentance, confessionand satisfaction. Absolution (b.) calls for faith, it works and strengthensfaith. Absolution (c.) is of no use to mankind without faith, (d.) even though

it is not a faulty key.

(a.): Luther's House Postil for Quasimodogeniti: "The papacy has duped thepeople in proclaiming that anyone desiring forgiveness of sin should sit down andreflect on them, and by this inner reflection generate out of oneself his owncontrition and sorrow.... Now it may be that this practice was taken from theexample of the early Christians, which the papists failed to understand correctly.For the first Christians refused to pronounce absolution unless the confesseeprofessed to be a sinner and made it quite clear that he was genuinely sorry. Nowthis is well and good, indeed necessary. But to say that contrition and sorrow meritforgiveness of sins is false and wrong. Contrition by itself has no merit; it is sin

itself and sin's true domain and overpowering impact on the heart, arousing terror

3 House Postil for Trinity XIX, Complete Sermons of Martin Luther, Volume 7, pages 79-80.4 Church Postil for First Sunday after Easter (Second Sermon), Complete Sermons of Martin Luther,Volume 1, Part 2, page 376.

5 Complete Sermons of Martin Luther, Volume 7, page 84.


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within us that death is about to consume us. They (papists) have called it ameritorious work and have based the forgiveness of sins on it."6

(b.) ibid: "Faith alone can take hold of this word, and the heart is the onlylegitimate vessel which may enclose it. Let this, therefore, stand purely and forsure: We must be justified by faith alone....7 Contrition and sorrow do have to be

there, otherwise you cannot hate sin with all your heart or ever truly desire to beforgiven. But the right way is that you come unto me, where my Word is, hear it,and accept in faith its declaration of pardon for your sins."8

House Postil for St. Mary Magdalene: "Absolution is a divine word, in it thesins of every one in particular are forgiven and absolved, as a result faith isstrengthened and stirred."

(c.) Luther: On the Sacrament of Penance: "But where there is no faith, itdoes not matter, even though Christ and God Himself were speaking the verdict; forGod cannot give it to anyone who does not want to have it. But whoever does notwant it does not believe that it was given to him, and does a great dishonor to theWord of God."

(d.) Luther: On the Keys: "But if you speak as the factious spirits andsophists do: 'After all, many hear of the binding and loosing of the keys, yet itmakes no impression on them and they remain unbound and without being loosed.Hence, there must exist something else beside the Word and the keys. It is thespirit, the spirit, yes, the spirit that does it!' Do you believe he is not bound whodoes not believe in the key which binds? Indeed, he shall learn, in due time, that hisunbelief did not make the binding vain, nor did it fail in its purpose. Even he whodoes not believe that he is free and his sins forgiven shall also learn, in due time,how assuredly his sins were forgiven, even though he did not believe it. St. Paulsays in Rom. 3: 'Their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God.' We are not

talking here either about peoples belief or disbelief regarding the efficacy of thekeys. We realize that few believe. We are speaking of what the keys accomplish andgive. He who does not accept what the keys give receives, of course, nothing. Butthis is not the keys fault. Many do not believe the gospel, but this does not mean

that the gospel is not true or effective. A king gives you a castle. If you do not acceptit, then it is not the kings fault, nor is he guilty of a lie. But you have deceivedyourself and the fault is yours. The king certainly gave it."9

Remark: False key, wavering key, clavis errans10 is the papist error that notevery spoken absolution by the priest is also absolved before God in heaven. Thiserror corresponds with another error, as one makes absolution dependent uponcontrition and satisfaction and puts them in a judicial knowledge of the priest. As a

result the entire absolution is wavering and precarious. Luther wants absolutely

6 Complete Sermons of Martin Luther, Volume 6, Page 67.7 ibid, Page 71.8 ibid, Pages 69-70.9 Luther, M. (1999). Vol. 40: Luther's works, vol. 40 : Church and Ministry II(J. J. Pelikan, H. C.Oswald & H. T. Lehmann, Ed.). Luther's Works (366367). Philadelphia: Fortress Press.

10 "errant key."


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nothing to do with a clavis conditionalis11, which is not based in God's Word, but onour contrition, although he bears no concern about an absolutio conditionalis12inhis opinion to the council at Nrnburg.

6. Through private absolution, there is indeed no significantly different or

better forgiveness announced, such as in the preaching of the Gospel.Private absolution is also not required to obtain forgiveness in such a wayas if it took place without any forgiveness. Nevertheless private absolutionstill has its special usefulness and benefits, because through it theindividual is certain that the forgiveness of sins is also for him.

Luther: Second opinion to the Council at Nrnberg: "Although we maintainprivate absolution for very Christian and comforting reasons, and that it should bepreserved in the Church, nevertheless we cannot and will not complain so hard tothe conscience, as if it should be no forgiveness of sins, not through privateabsolution alone."

Luther: On Confession and the Sacrament: "For in Confession as in theLord's Supper you have the additional advantage that the Word is applied to yourperson alone. For in preaching it flies out into the whole congregation, and althoughit strikes you also, yet you are not so sure of it; but here it does not apply to anyoneexcept to you."13

7. Private confession is closely related with private absolution, which isnothing more than that one desires absolution. Next to this it also has thebenefit that it gives the father confessor the opportunity to question people,to exercise preaching and the catechism, to guard them against unworthy

use of the Sacrament, to give all sorts of counsel in difficult cases ofconscience, and finally it is an exercise in self-humiliation. In sum, it is anexercise of Law and Gospel.

Luther: Letter to Frankfurt: "For such confession does not go on only for theirrecounting of sins, but also one should listen to them concerning whether or notthey understand the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, the Ten Commandments, andwhatever else the Catechism gives them. For we have come to know quite well howlittle the common crowd and the youth learn from the sermon, unless they areindividually questioned or examined."14

11 "conditional key".12 "conditional absolution through faith".13 Complete Sermons of Martin Luther, Volume 1, Part 2, page 199.14 Concordia Journal, Volume 16, Number 4, page 343.


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Eighth Invocavit Sermon in Wittenberg: "For there are many doubtfulmatters which a man cannot resolve or find the answer to by himself, and so hetakes his brother aside and tells him his trouble."15

Instruction for the Visitors of Parish Pastors in Electoral Saxony: "No oneshould be allowed to go to communion who has not been individually examined by

his pastor to see if he is prepared to go to the holy sacrament. For Paul says in FirstCorinthians 11 that they are guilty of profaning the body and blood of Christ whoreceive it unworthily. Not only do they who receive it unworthily dishonor thesacrament, but also those who carelessly give it to the unworthy. For the commonpeople run by custom to the sacrament and do not know why they should use thesacrament...Whoever does not know this should not be admitted to theSacrament."16

Letter on Confession to Sickingen: "But that we willingly and gladly confess,the holy cross should provoke us for now, that is disgrace and shame, that manwillingly exposed himself before different men and accused and scorned himself.This is a delightful part of the holy cross. Oh, if we knew what punishment suchwilling shame occurred, and how a merciful God makes it that man so destroyedand humbled himself to honor Him, we would dig up confession from the earth andwould go over one thousand miles."

8. Confession is not commanded by God, but nevertheless is highly useful.Therefore it is not to be compelled as necessary, but where it is used, it isto be preserved. Where it has fallen into disuse, it is to be recoveredthrough recommending and praising its benefits.

Luther's Church Postil for Trinity XIV: "The Papists may not prove from the

New Testament that one should confess sins."

II.

The doctrine of absolution and the doctrine of justification are in a specificinterrelationship. This is evident

A. from that fact that the doctrine of justification is the foundation on whichthe doctrine of absolution is based and the fountain from which it flows. Absolutionwould be nonsense without justification.

B. from that fact that through the pure Lutheran doctrine of absolution,justification not only is explained, clarified, and glorified as a free, fully acquired

gift of the grace of God which is received by faith alone, but also and primarily thatthe doctrine of justification is made quite comforting and enjoyable to the individualsinner by private absolution; because in absolution we gain from Him justification

15 Luther, M. (1999). Vol. 51: Luther's works, vol. 51 : Sermons I(J. J. Pelikan, H. C. Oswald & H. T.Lehmann, Ed.). Luther's Works (98). Philadelphia: Fortress Press.

16 Luther, M. (1999). Vol. 40: Luther's works, vol. 40 : Church and Ministry II(J. J. Pelikan, H. C.Oswald & H. T. Lehmann, Ed.). Luther's Works (296). Philadelphia: Fortress Press.


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by grace, not as one standing far away, only after lengthy penitential struggles andpreparations, but as a fully acquired gift, appropriated by the Gospel's Word,brought close to each individual.

C. The close connection between the two doctrine is more clearly illuminatedwhen we contemplate how the corruption of the doctrine of absolution and false

doctrine of justification either presupposes or entails. This will be all the moreevident to us, if we prove it by individual examples.

1. The papist doctrine of confession, as a satisfaction for sin, of the necessarylisting of all sins, the papist doctrine of absolution, as a judicial act of the confessor,of the faulty key, must necessarily deprive the consolation of justification from poorsinners, indeed annihilates justification itself, and in turn the entire doctrine of thepapists of absolution is the inevitable result of their false doctrine of justification, asone through merit de congruoand de condignoacquired grace.

2. The doctrine of the Reformed of a decretum absolutum(an unconditionaldecree) and a voluntas signi et beneplaciti(a revealed and a hidden will of God),similar to the faulty key, negates the consolation of absolution, so that no one couldbe certain that he was forgiven of his sins before God in heaven through theabsolution of the father confessor; the bridge and the triumph, whereby the grace of

justification will be our property; finally they teach a completely incorrect positionon faith and turn it into something that is achieved by prayer and inner working,and allow it not to be what it is, the hand which receives the proffered grace.

The Methodist rejection of absolution, as a genuine message of forgiveness ofsins, is basically nothing more than a repetition of the Reformed heresy, inparticular the confusion of justification and sanctification, forgiveness and itsassurance in the heart, which is a basic feature of Methodism, must makeabsolution partially unnecessary, partially depriving their consolation.

3. The Pietists inside the Lutheran Church have indeed made no particulardoctrine of absolution; solely by its unevangelical emphasis on the first part ofrepentance, by its frightening classifying of mental states, through its warningabout improper appropriation of the forgiveness of sins with the office of comfort instanding disparity, also through the way that it usually talks about faith, when itputs the doctrine of justification and by faith not slightly in the dark, puts the heartmore and more on the part of its renewing power, on the part of taking andreceiving, and therefore must obscure this unevangelical treating of the doctrine of

justification and by faith even absolution, diminish and deprive it of its consolingpower.

4. The doctrine of the romanizing Lutherans on absolution as an exclusive

privilege of the Office of ordained pastors, whereby lay absolution retains little or noroom and is explained only as a comforting consolation with no real message offorgiveness, is grossly contrary to the doctrine of the direct power of the Word and ofthe Sacraments. It withers, so much as it can, the abundance of comfort for thesinner, which in Luther's doctrine of absolution, as one from the entire Church andeach individual are given power to forgive sins.


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After the reading of the entire preceding presentation, each individual thesiswas once again heard in context and thoroughly discussed together with evidencefrom Luther's writings and the Symbols. In fact, the synod dealt with the first partof the presentation, namely, the first six theses, in this way. Concerning the 7th and8 theses, it was thus explained that they do not belong in this presentation (which is

why they were also not discussed), however, it was decided that they should bepublished in the convention proceedings. Unfortunately, no time was left to discussthe second part.

First Thesis: Absolution of sins is, according to Luther's teaching, the Gospel,whether it is proclaimed to many or to the individual.

After it had been observed how very important this thesis is and howdesirable it is that we are all in quite clear and definite agreement about the truthin it, forasmuch as in our time a truly Babylonian confusion prevails particularlyover it and certainly at this point also is not devoid of ambiguity among us, it wasinitially expressed that when absolution here is referred to as the preaching of theGospel, so that the holy Sacraments are in no way from, but, included with, sincethe administration of the Sacraments are indeed one visiblepreaching of theGospel, therefore they were called the visible Wordby the old Lutheran theologians.

Soon the question arose whether or not the concept of absolution in thedefinition give was too broad? Whether every preaching of the Gospel was truly anabsolution? It was answered: Admittedly every preaching of the Gospel is anabsolution; because such preaching is nothing other than administration anddistribution of the existing and collected forgiveness of sins into the Gospel. Thishappens publicly, to a crowd, or particularly, to the individual.

Concerning the claim now made, that from the definition of the preaching ofthe Gospel as an absolution the necessity of faith should be offered out at the sametime, came the following reply: Everything comes to this for the time being, torecognize that the great treasure of the Gospel, the accomplished redemption byChrist to all men and through it the acquired forgiveness of sins, is also offered toall according to the command of Christ: "Preach the Gospel to all creatures." All whohear it, whether they believe or do not believe, are proclaimed and offered theforgiveness of sins. The preacher always speaks absolution when he proclaims theGospel, even to those who do not believe; because absolution is a divine act and notdependent on faith or unbelief of people. For of course the unbeliever encounters theaccomplished absolution to him also through the preaching of the Gospel itself and

for that very reason is deprived of it.On the other hand, it was argued: According to God's Word one could and

may not forgive the sin of the unbelieving sinner after all, but instead should andmust retain them; since now the forgiveness of sins would not be given in preaching,how then could the preaching of the Gospel ever be absolution? Answer: The fact ofthe redemption and reconciliation of the entire human race by Jesus Christ, andthus the forgiveness of all sins of all people from God, which indeed the Gospel


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precisely proclaims offers and gives, can nevermore become a falsehood through theunbelief of people, if even the unbeliever does not accept it, but repels from it andtherefore also is lost for that very reason alone. How therefore absolution orabsolution of sins can be nothing else than the preaching of the gospel, it donepublicly or particularly, then also any preaching of the gospel, it done by word or

sacrament, always an absolution from all sins. Therefore, as absolution or acquittalof sins can be nothing else than the preaching of the gospel, done publicly orparticularly, then also any preaching of the gospel, done by word or sacrament, isalways an absolution from all sins.

Because it emerged from these repeatedly expressed concerns that thedesired clarity and unity about the first thesis does not yet exist, the synod feltcompelled to negotiate over it even further and more thoroughly. One hereexpressed first and foremost that there is still no proper unity among us. It appearsto be that some think to separate the Gospel as meansof grace from treasuryofgrace, namely something like this: as if a king would request through a message tocome to a certain place where a treasure should be distributed, for there thetreasure was not at the embassy, but must be sought elsewhere and retrieved; thusit is that the Gospel includes the treasury of grace of the forgiveness of sins in itselfand the proclamation of the same proffers and imparts that treasure. Theadministering does not depend on whether people believe, no, the treasure is alwaysthere in his word and is administered to all who hear it. The sun shines whether ornot everyone shuts their eyes and do not see its light. To illustrate, you can movehere the example of the resurrection of the youth of Nain. The Word of Christ:"Young man, I say to you, stand up!" was not an empty sound, but awakenedhearing and life in the dead youth. Thus the Gospel awakens spiritual hearing,faith, and thus imparts the treasury of forgiveness which it bears with it.

Here now the following emerging question enjoined itself in the synod: thephrase is always pronounced and is known by us: Through the resurrection ofChrist from the dead, God has absolved the whole world, i.e. loosed from sins; ifaccording to this the world is already long since absolved and loosed from sins, whatthen is absolution or preaching of the Gospel in the Church? Is it also anunmooring, or merely aproclamationof unmooring that has already happened?

Answer: The absolution of the entire world is done in God's heart in themoment when redemption was done by the Lord Christ, and because the salvationstands accomplished before God even from eternity, then one can say: Absolutionwas in God's heart even from eternity. But we do not yet haveit. What now shouldhappen in order that we obtain it? God has established the obtaining of absolution

on nothing that we could do, and to earn it, but he wants to bestow it upon us byfree grace. There is now no other way to receive the gift than faith in Jesus Christ.But so that absolution will be received by us, God has placed it in us and thebringing happens precisely through the gospel of what is in God's heart. Thepreaching of the Gospel also brings us the absolution that is in God's heart, so thatfaith receives it; this is in the Word of the apostle: "How should they believe, fromwhich they have heard nothing?" Where the preaching of the Gospel is proclaimed,


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there the good Lord Himself draws near to sinners and says: I am reconciled andproclaim to you hereby that all your sins are forgiven you. How then would that notbe an empty proclamation of forgiveness, but a true message of forgiveness, if Godwere speaking so directly to sinners, so also the preaching and absolution of theminister is none other than a proclamation of forgiveness, but such a proclamation,

that really brings and gives forgiveness. The best way we can make this thing clearto ourselves is through a picture. We men are all by nature trapped in an atrociousprison; Christ has broken the gates of this prison; we don't know, see, and feel it,but they are broken. And if we also saw it, we would also still not have the heart togo out, because we must fear that we would be taken away from the place and bethrown back. But the Gospel is the blessed message of God to us: Go forth, you areredeemed, you are pardoned, you are free! The Gospel is also not a proclamationthat we are first redeemed and should bepardoned, but that we already areredeemed and pardoned, and absolution in the Gospel is none other than areiteration of the actual absolution that has already happened through theresurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

This was once again asked: If the resurrection of Christ absolves the world,will it again be absolved by the Gospel? If one must say that the world is alreadyabsolved, must one not also maintain that the preaching of the gospel is merely anannouncementof absolution?

The answer to that was: One does not say we are once again redeemed andreconciled, but what happened once is appropriated to us. When the apostle says: "Ifone died for all, therefore all have died," then that is identical to this: One isresurrected to life, so they are raised to life. As surely as Christ has died, and diedfor all people, so surely God sees all people as dead for the sake of their sins.Christ's death has redeemed sins as death for all people. On the other hand, Christ

is also raised in the stead of all people, thus all people are declared righteous inChrist; for Christ needed to be as the Righteous One for His person not byresurrection, but this has been done for our sake, He died and rose again in theirplace, and thus all are justified in Christ. Reconciliation and justification hasalready happened in God's court, but we do not have it yet. Because God has nowchosen the Word to give it to us. Not by own works will we deserve it, but faithshould grasp it. But faith should take this, therefore the Word is necessary, becausewithout the Word no faith is possible. The Word and of course the Sacraments aretherefore the means whereby the treasure will be administered to us. If this isunderstood to be a mere announcement of forgiveness that one simply tells, thequestion of whether the preaching of the Gospel is merely an announcement of

absolution must be answered in the negative; it is such an announcement that atthe same time gives what it preaches. An example can make this clear. When a richman had determined a great gift for someone, and someone told me about it, thenthis would not benefit me; but if I would be like a man condemned to death in prisonand the king, who would have pardoned me, his servant, sent to me with theannouncement of pardons, then I would be really pardoned. So also God in Christhas pardoned me and allowed me to proclaim pardon in the Gospel. Every creature


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has the right to tell me: You are redeemed and reconciled to God, your sin isforgiven you: therefore Christ also says: "Preach the gospel to all creation." TheLord could not speak more powerfully. Where only creation suffices, there thisblessed message should be proclaimed: man is redeemed and reconciled with God;whoever believes has what the message says, namely, forgiveness of sins, life and

salvation. This example was also used for further explanation: When the court hasacquitted a prisoner, he is free in the courtroom, but so long as he does not know it,he is and remains a prisoner. Now, if the court sends a messenger to him with themessage: you are free, then this message is no mere story and empty proclamation,but a real message of freedom. Hence the gospel is not an empty proclamation of theaccomplished redemption and forgiveness acquired by Christ, but such aproclamation which really communicates and appropriates forgiveness.

To the following remark that the forgiveness that takes place on you at God'sside is given by the Gospel and thus, as many old agendas say, conscience will bemade "calm", was added as an explanation: Imagine God as a rich man who issuesto me a check for one million dollars. If God has signed it, then the sum is myproperty; because the statement is in my name. But the statement must be broughtto me, so I know it, and the gift will be certain and joyful. God has now signed it inthe resurrection of His Son; but I do not yet have the statement. Therefore Christthe Lord instituted the preaching office, i.e., made the arrangement that the Gospelmay be proclaimed to me, through this message the million dollars is brought to me.The Word of the Gospel is an announcement of what God has already done,therefore it brings the treasure of forgiveness; the issuer of the statement has madethe man rich, although he does not know it, he learns it through the proclamation,the abundance is also even allocated to him. Because the Church e.g. also used theformula of absolution: "I proclaim forgiveness to you," thus many think it would be

an empty proclamation of absolution. The formula: "I proclaim forgiveness to you,"is quite right, good, and precious, however, because it could be interpreted slightlyin the sense of Reformed heresy, we do not require it alone. Since the announcementof forgiveness is real, we therefore say, "I forgive you your sins." The Word of Christ:Go out into all the world, etc.; is the same as this: Whose sins you forgive, etc.; inthis latter word is only displayed what significance, power and impact the Gospelhad, a new office alongside and outside the Office of the Gospel is not thus raised,but has only been taught that the ministry of the Gospel is nothing else than theoffice of the forgiveness of sins.

One objection against the above discussions was expressed as follows: If Ibelieve in Christ, have I forgiveness of sins, and therefore can the absolution bring

to me nothing at all that already I do not have? Forgiveness is appropriated to methrough Word and Baptism, thus I consistently and steadfastly have this; thereforeabsolution can be to me only a reminderof what I have. When I forget this, thenspeak the absolution to me: Remember what you have. When Peter walked on thesea, everything went well, as long as he remembered the Word of Christ: "Comehere;" but as he forgot this word at the sight of impetuosity and began to sink,Christ reached out His hand to him, that he would not sink. The hand that pulled


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out Peter is our absolution that comforts us when our Sun of Grace of theforgiveness that once happened is covered with clouds of temptation. Therefore,absolution is only consolation against temptation, doubt, and discouragement.

On the other hand it was remembered, the speaker without a doubtunderstood absolution in the narrow sense; but we are speaking in general about

the Gospel as an absolution. It was further answered: What you have just said, ifone takes the words as they are, is probably based on a mistaken notion. The gracethat we receive we do not put in our pocket as one puts a piece of bread in a basket,so that one could say: What I have already put in my pocket can no longer be givento me; no, the goodness of grace are of an entirely different character, they areconstantly given and received. As long as we walk by faith, a give and take of thesealways takes place. Faith is nothing other than a receiving; from this it follows thatthe goodness of grace are always given, God continually gives them faith. It is true Ihave forgiveness of sins in baptism, received life and salvation, therefore I have it;however, if God does not continually give, we have nothing; my absolution consistsin this, that I give, i.e., God gives through me. I cannot say: I have, therefore, I canonly be reminded of what I have; no, it must be continually given to me. But Godgives to me in this way, that He can hold His Word before me, faith seizes the Wordand therefore receives what the Word does in itself. When I say: What I have, I havein faith in the Word, it does not follow: i.e. absolution can be nothing more than amere reminder; but only this follows: absolution gives me nothing morethan what Ialready have. The Word always gives, faith always receives. The solution to thisreservation is: Faith is an ongoing receiving of the treasures in the Word; thereforethe Word must always be preached and it cannot be preached enough to mankind,they cannot be absolved enough, not receive the Lord's Supper enough. Here we livein faith that must always receive; in seeing one day it will be different. For our

understanding also serves what is written in Luke chapter seven about the greatsinner; the Lord Christ not only witnesses and reminds, "Your many sins areforgiven," but also once again speaks a particular absolution.

To the question of why one nevertheless does not say the world's sins wereforgiven since the world was already absolved 1800 years ago was the answer: Ifyou said: "The world's sins are forgiven" so absolutely and without explanation, itwould be misleading, many would understand it namely in this way: that all menwere converted, believed, and came into heaven. However, when one says, On the

part of Godthe sins of the world are forgiven, there it is said well. But what help isit to me when God says to me: "I am your Friend," and I think: "He is my enemy?"God is indeed reconciled to us, but we are not with Him, so [Saint Paul] says: "Be

reconciled to God." God must extend the Hand of Reconciliation to us if we should bereconciled to Him; this He has extended, He is reconciled to the world, but we justdo not believe Him and therefore are afraid of Him, so He says through the Gospel:"You do not need to be afraid, I am reconciled to you, only believe, all your sins areforgiven you." One tends to think that the Word is only a means through which sucha change would be worked in the heart, that a faith arises unto life, and this faith is


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believed to be such a wonderful work, for the sake of which God pardons the sinner,but does not consider that faith in itself is an empty hand that can only be filled.

A member of the Synod remarked: Gospel and absolution of sins is one andthe same thing, that was clear to him; but if one preaches only one partof theGospel, as for example the part of resurrection of the dead, we surely could not say

that was absolution. One replied to that: It does not matter whether a part or thewhole of the Gospel will be preached, it is always absolution. If one preaches ingeneral about the resurrection of the dead, then one preaches no Gospel, becausesuch a preaching works terror and horror in the ungodly, but when one preachesthat the faithful rise, and indeed rise to eternal life, then this is an even morewonderful and glorious Gospel. To justify that absolution sticks even in the smallestmorsel of the Gospel, the example of a controversy was cited, that by the saying,"God helps man and beast" at once was cunningly and powerfully comforted from allfear and distress.

Finally, the following was spoken concerning the first thesis: What Christ hasdoneand what has happenedto Christ should not be confused. His life, death, andresurrection was no absolution, but rather His resurrection from the dead. Ourpreaching and absolution is the moral working according to nothing other thanwhat God has done in Christ, the only difference is that God absolves the entireworld through the resurrection of his Son, but we are only individuals, for example,preachers only absolve their congregations. Christ was our representative; He waspunished for us, condemned and cursed, we in Him. He was cast in our place finallyin the debtors' prison of death, however on the third day God let Him out again andmade Him glorious. So little was Christ punished on the cross for His own person,so little He was a sinner Himself, however, we were punished in Him, in Him weare also justified. God spoke the entire world righteous through Christ's

resurrection. If only we knew all this, then it would be enough; because we do notknow it, however, the treasury would remain unused, if we do not come to know it.There God now speaks: "What I have done is to be proclaimed." As certain as theresurrection of Christ is a true absolution, so surely my absolution is not a merestory, but a genuine message of forgiveness. Absolution is an act of God that is validuntil the end of the world. Our absolution is nothing else than a repetition of the actof God in the resurrection of Christ. The Reformed, on the other hand, view theGospel as nothing more than a story of redemption, which has the moral force toenable a person in a different disposition and through the other disposition in sucha state in which he pleases God. Two things had to happen for our salvation: 1.forgiveness of sins must be purchased, Christ has done that; 2. in consequence of

the perfection and full force and effect of the merit of Christ, the Triune God mustforgive, God has done that and continually still does it until the Last Day, but nomore so, as in the unique resurrection of His Son, but through the proclaiming ofthe Gospel.


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Second Thesis: Private absolution is therefore not an extra or an addition tothe existing power of the Gospel to forgive sins. Private absolution is nothing elsethan the preaching of the Gospel to the individual sinner.

Since this second thesis necessarily follows from the first, this was already

discussed in the meeting and was adopted without further discussion.

Third Thesis: The steward and dispenser of absolution in the public office arethe preachers of the Gospel; but otherwise all Christians, because the entire Churchis the original holder of the Keys; however He who forgives sins through theirministry is the triune God.

First of all, it was noticed about this thesis that Godforgives sin, alldenominations believe; that He forgives sins through men, next to Lutherans nonebelieve except Romanists, but these quite wrongly; many Lutherans perhaps believethat God forgives sins through the preacher, but not through ordinary Christians.We should all be very clear about the fact that ordinarilyon earth there is noabsolution of sins without going through men. Furthermore, it was reminded thatexperience teaches that even those among the so-called Lutherans who still havethe doctrine that preachers can forgive sins, and that God in general forgives sinsthrough men, and only through men, often do not yet believe it. Many do seekforgiveness in the fact that something is going on in a man's heart, on the basis ofwhat actions of the man finally hears the voice of the Holy Spirit in the heart: yoursins are forgiven, you are a child of God! However, such experiences are not the wayto the forgiveness of sins, but vice versa, one makes such experiences in the way offorgiveness. Why is it that a man has the forgiveness of sins and is certain of it? The

fact that one builds on such processes, experiences and feelings, one builds on aslippery ground, even if the same are worked by the Holy Spirit, because one canhave it today, and tomorrow perhaps no more. Whoever builds the certainty offorgiveness on such internal operations and is in agony, where he probably feelsnothing more of it, that passes with woe. Therefore we should know that forgivenessis always there, and Christ has purchased it as a treasure entrusted to his Church,and this He wants to distribute in no other way than by the means of grace. When Ibelieve now that it's there also for me, because I know I am baptized, I believe thepromises of the Gospel, I went to Holy Communion and console myself with thedelicious promise: this is My body given for you, this is My blood, shed for you forthe forgiveness of sins, if I thus stand, I thus rightly stand. Everything else one

builds after that is a foundation built next to the proper foundation, if one still hasthis at all; as many, however, have left the proper foundation! It remains eternallytrue, the forgiveness of sins is acquired through Christ alone, is distributed throughthe Gospel alone and received through faith alone. What Iperceivein my heartthrough the working of the Holy Spirit are fruits of forgiveness; if I do not find thisin me, but believe in the Gospel, then I still have forgiveness of sins.


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The question: "When I pray and believe the Lord's Prayer have I there evenforgiveness of sins through people?" was answered by saying: Yes, certainly,because every word of God, even the Lord's Prayer, is given to us by men. Had notthe apostles received the command to preach, we would also not have the Word ofGod. The antithesis to this "only through men" is only this: that I would not be

certain through secret voices and extraordinary inner feelings of forgiveness. Goddoes not get involved because of this, but says, "Open the Bible, read, hear thegospel and believe, this is the way; if you go the way and believe the Word, you willalso, as soon as it pleases me, feel the witness of the Spirit, because this is a fruitthat follows faith and forgiveness."

The reason why many are irked at this doctrine, that sins are forgiventhrough men, is because they think we believe the preacher has received throughordination a particular character so that when he speaks the words he impartsforgiveness by a secret power and, as it were, conjure away sins. But this opinion isbased on gross misunderstanding; because this is not the doctrine of our church;instead it teaches thus: Forgiveness is there and proclaimed in all the world; theWord of grace given to the Church is God's own Word; where it is heard, there God'svoice is heard; as surely as it says in the Bible: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,"and "Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved," as surely as Godspeaks to us, when He allows these promises to be preached to us; not in thecharacterof the preacher, but in the Wordlies the power to forgive sins, not becauseof what the preachersays, but because of what God's Wordis, when even a little boysays it, I have forgiveness of sins. In such a doctrine not a trace of a wretched prideof the preach is to be found. Many say, Yes, the Lutheran Church is beautiful, that'snot to be denied, but your doctrine of absolution is an appendage of the papacy. Godforbid! The Lutheran Church condemns the papistic heresy of absolution; her

absolution is the sweet gospel, without which aproperassurance of grace andforgiveness of sin is not possible. When we say we receive forgiveness only throughmen, we want the same thing that Luther wants, when he speaks so often, wereceive it through the physical and verbal Word. It is therefore a question that it isthe physical and verbal word, whereby I will receive forgiveness of sins; when it isthat, then it is regardless of whether I readit, or remember it in thoughts, or hear itfrom the preacher, or even from a child, it proclaims and always brings meforgiveness. We base our doctrine e.g. even on the precious Word of last Sunday'sGospel17: " He has given such authority to men." Why is this specifically mentionedby the Evangelist, that the people praised God, Who had given such authority tomen? He wants to show that the Holy Spirit has worked in that people even this

wonderful realization, that Christ was recognized not as true God, that suchauthority, namely to forgive sin, is given to men. As here Christ, even according tohis humanity, has forgiven sin, so even now our sins are forgiven us through men.

Regarding the normal objection of many: "How can you presume to forgivesin? You cannot know whether I stand in grace before God!" it was noted thatobjections come from the fact that people believe that there must be something

17 Trinity 19: Matthew 9:1-8.


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acting in them, on the basis of which they may take comfort in the forgiveness ofsins, while first experiences are still worked through forgiveness. According toScripture, forgiveness belongs to all, i.e., to those who give recognition to manifestwickedness and impenitence, that they despise the proffered treasure, and theswine trample on precious pearls and one attacks a dog, when one proffers

something to them.For the sake of some, for whom the language of this doctrine is probably still

a little strange, was still added: When we say that forgiveness happens through theword that people speak, so many think we were in general enemies of innerexperience and built the whole of Christianity on the external ceremonies of theDivine Service. Of course, we teach that God wants to give forgiveness to all people,it has also been done through the resurrection of His Son, but we also teach at thesame time: Whoever shall hear rightlythe Gospel, the Law must previously bepreached to him in all its sharpness and with all its shudders and horrors. Whoeveris not broken and shattered by the law, the absolution is of no avail to him and thesame granted to him, would mean water poured into a vessel that is full. If we claimthat absolution was there for every sinner, then that that is not to say that the bynature rock-hard and diamond-hard heart must be smashed and shattered ifabsolution is to bear fruit; instead we say this: When the heart is smashed andshattered by the hammer of the Law, then nothing but this is to be proclaimed tothe sinner: "You poor sinner, crawl back to the cross, Christ has atoned for andredeemed your sins, only believe, they are all forgiven you"; but he does not call out:"Pray, struggle, and fight until you feel that you have forgiveness of sins, joy andpeace." Only such a broken heart stands in good stead from absolution, but becauseit is impossible to have faith without any previous working of the Law. In this caseit was also recalled that the present thesis is of extraordinary importance; because

it characterizes our dear Lutheran Church. The sects do not believe that the powerto forgive sin is given to men; Romanizing parties limit this power to a preferredclass of men, but our church alone teaches that God has given this power to thewhole Church, every Christian may and should proclaim to others the gloriousGospel and to call out to him: "You are reconciled, do not be afraid, only believe,your sins are forgiven you!" Let us be quite united in this, so our Church remains onour part what it is: the comforter of all the afflicted.

Against the often-made objection, "The minister is himself a sinner, how thenwill he forgive others' sins?" it was emphasized: 1. Christ has commanded thatpreachers and all Christians proclaim the Gospel, i.e., should absolve, and, 2. God'sWord, which is of course the spoken absolution from men, is God's Word even on

sinful lips.A question was finally yet raised and answered, namely this: Why does

Luther not usually limit the absolution of Christians in general to emergency use,as Baptism, and why does he still speak again in some places only of emergencyuse? The solution was as follows: The two Sacraments bear by their very nature apublic character, it is therefore in the nature of them that their administration isalways done in public, however, absolution is Gospel that all Christians are called


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to proclaim as spiritual priests at any time. The distinction thus lies in the natureof both. But if, nevertheless, Luther limits absolution here and there to anemergency, he speaks without a doubt of one such absolution that has a certainpublic character.

Fourth Thesis: Absolution does not consist of a judicial judgment of theconfessor, of an empty proclamation or wishing of the forgiveness of sins, but of a

powerful announcement of the forgiveness of sins.

Concerning this, the explanation was given: That the Lutheran churchexpresses so often that absolution is not a judicial decision is because the Papistssay so. Namely concerning their doctrine, that in auricular confession every sinshall be exposed, and that the power of absolution would depend on that one purelyconfessed, i.e., all his sins was told to the confessor, to be justified, the Romansthereby defend themselves, indeed any judge who wants to make a judgment of theevil act must know the defendant's wrongdoing, and indeed not merely the factum(the deed), but also the circumstances that make the sin either larger or smaller. Aslittle as a judge can make a right judgment, if he does not interrogate witnesses anddo not exactly determine the facts, as little the priest could make a judgment inconfession if not all sins are confessed to him by all means. Lutherans, however,maintain absolution not as a judgment of the confessor of states of mind, butbecause it belongs to all people and the sinner will be made righteous only becausehe receives the Gospel with true faith of the heart, so this precious Gospel will beproclaimed to the poor sinner who penitently confesses his sins and he is absolvedthrough it, and so absolution is the execution of the grace of God on poor sinners.

The rest contained in the thesis has previously been discussed.

Fifth Thesis: The effect of absolution is not based on man's repentance,confession and satisfaction. Absolution calls for faith, it works and strengthensfaith. Absolution is of no use to mankind without faith, even though it is not afaulty key.

Concerning the first part of this thesis: The effect of absolution is not basedon man's repentance, confession and satisfaction, it was expressed: That it istaught: no one can know the consolation of absolution, except for whoever is in rightrepentance, this we so often misunderstood, as if repentance would be a meritoriouscondition of the power and fruit of absolution. Yes, of course, true faith is not rooted

in any heart which is surely still carnal and without remorse, but the fact that onehas remorse does not establish consolation. Therefore it is dangerous to preachthus: that one, instead of working repentance through his preaching, only calls forrepentance; thus people come to such ideas as repentance would be the meritoriouscondition of forgiveness.

The second part of the thesis:Absolution calls for faith, it works andstrengthens faith, was explained as follows: As obvious as this seems to be, it is so


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important. Very many awakened take offense at the Lutheran doctrine of the meansof grace, because they believe, we believe that man can go to heaven by mereexternal means; because we certainly say: Baptism saves, Absolution saves, theLord's Supper saves, thus we make the use of these external means for opusoperatum(i.e. we teach that the mere external use of the means of grace is

meritorious for the attainment of salvation). But such should still remember thatthe charge ofopus operatumaffects only the Papists, who say: If we do not stop this,then the use of Baptism, Absolution, and Communion saves. We say, however: It isstill not enough to put a stop to this (if we were able to put a stop to it in the firstplace), but there is still much more, namely faith being there when we wholesomelyuse the means of grace and would be saved. But what should be more necessarythan faith? Are not all living powers of Christianity included in faith? Of course, itis certain, Baptism, Absolution and Supper save us, but when we believe. So everyconcern is taken away as though we made use of the means of grace for opusoperatum. When it is said that absolution demands, works, and strengthens faith,then it is first and foremost to be understood under request as no legalistic request,but the request of the Gospel; it is tantamount to saying that faith is required toenjoy the fruit of absolution. What pertains to the entire thesis, he thus nicelyexplained by the example of a rich man who bestows a gift on a poor man. Throughthe bestowal the poor man is so moved that he stretches out his hand, and as hereaches out, he also receives the gift.

The third part of the thesis:Absolution is of no use to mankind without faith,was clearly recognized as clear by all, and because of that immediately the fourthpart, even though it is not a faulty key, was taken up. The Synod spoke up aboutthis: Although this last phrase in the essay is often explained, it's so important thatwe should not quickly pass over it. In this case one must rightly retain the

difference between the means of administering (the Gospel) and the means ofreceiving (faith). The means of administering is never missing and never can bemissing. If we preachers all believed that we have no clavis errans(faulty key), wewould be much happier and confident to proffer to people the extravagantconsolation of the Gospel in its fullness. Though, however, we do not believe theprinciple of a false key, we yet come to many doubts in practice as to whether weshould proffer the treasury of the Gospel in its fullness, from which it follows thatwe, who grew up under the influences of this time, that we bear something fromfaith in our hearts as a faulty key. One from the synod confirms this by his ownexample, he had, he said, also meant otherwise, if one does not believe, thusabsolution goes away from him, as it were, over his head; on the other hand,

however, one must take to heart Luther's words: the sun that shines on a thief anda robber and an honest man remains the same sun, and gold in the hands of ascoundrel remains the same gold. Here also belongs the word in the parable of thesower: "Then the devil comes and takes away the Word from their hearts." Thesame also applies about the Sacraments. The treasure will always be given, but isnot received without faith. This is also a great consolation for the pastor, that he,like Caspar Schade, does not need to torture and worry himself that he never


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imparted absolution even to the unworthy; because if the preacher is certain thathis absolution is no faulty key, then doubt drops. It was further expressed: Whathas been said about the faulty key is not only important for the preacher, butespecially for hearers. Why else would righteous Christians not come into confessionwith proper desire and longing? Why does one have such a great aversion to private

confession? The main reason is because they think: If you know you are a Christian,you have forgiveness of sins, you may go there, on the other hand, if you don't know,you may not go, otherwise you could take absolution for judgment on yourself, yes,you receive no absolution, but curse and damnation. If they knew and believed thatevery time that the preacher says: "You are forgiven your sins," it is really so. Godtruly says "Yes" and "Amen" to that, the Word truly redeems from sins, the Keystruly close, then they would have much more desire for the great treasure. Theyoften think: You often think: "The Keys probably fit, but I must be a better door, ifhe should not fail mine;" but this is wrong, the Keys never fail. As God lives inheaven, so sure as I am absolved, when the preacher absolves me; therefore, if I donot attain forgiveness, I should not say: "The Keys have failed," but, "I have failed."I cannot let the penitential knowledge that I am a villain before God deter me fromusing the loosing Key; for this key searches and looses very clear scoundrels who arebound. The preacher has the command from God to forgive the sins of the world, Iam one of the world, i.e., even my sins should be forgiven, thus I should concludewhen I see myself as a villain before God. God requires acceptance of forgivenessfrom me, i.e., faith, and because faith is not possible without remorse, contrition,but concerning the degree of remorse, I will not mess with. If I have so muchremorse that I willingly would like to have forgiveness, then it is enough. God doesnot say remorse has forgiveness, but faith has forgiveness. I should not questionwhether I have a certain degree of remorse, but whether I have faith, and when I

realize that I still believe it is lacking, I should begin to believe. One does nottorture himself with the question, whether one had ever had a time that one hadmade extraordinary experience in his soul; because one can make gloriousexperiences 30 years ago, yes, have always had the same even for many years andeven now never feel them. This is also important, e.g., in the consolation of the sick;I do not want to ask that one: "Have you ever experienced this and that?" and whenhe says "Yes", call to him: "Now see, because you have experienced this, therefore bestrong and believe that you are a child of God;" but I should say to that one: "Wouldyou gladly like to have the Lord Jesus and His grace?" And when he says yes,proclaim to him the full consolation of the Gospel.

Two questions regarding this fourth part of this present thesis were now

thrown into the synod and answered: 1. We say: Absolution is never a faulty key,but proffers forgiveness whenever it is spoken and all firmly believe it; but should itnot be necessary to clamp down on this through an explicit declaration of the synod,that this truth will not be misused in the Church?

Answer: It is probably still with us in this way, that it is much morenecessary to recognize the distinct truth even more thoroughly, so that we preach itquite cheerfully and learn to proffer the great treasure of the Gospel in all its


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fullness, as to make us be afraid to abuse it, and it certainly requires the warning tous that we do not clamp down on something where God has not moved forward. It isindeed certain that we must be warned of abuse, but we yet indeed must bewarethat we, when we have distributed the consolation of the Gospel, not again therebyhedge in the same with restrictive clauses, that we say: Yes, my dear, but now you

must be designed in such a way that when you want to dare it, to receive yourconsolation. We should no doubt remember that we have absolutely no right tomake conditions, and that the preacher, who speaks a conditional, specificallyconditional absolution on behalf of God, is cursed. If we say absolution should bespoken to everyone and is always valid, then someone could probably get the ideathat no ecclesiastical discipline was necessary and everyone who comes toabsolution and the Lord's Supper must be admitted; but this is by no means said.

Although the world should be absolved by God's command, absolution still shouldnot be granted to those who say to us they do not want to be absolved. But thosewho tell us this live in manifest unrepentant sin or in public heresy. These thereforewill not be absolved by us, because otherwise we would misuse the Name of theLord God, which is forbidden us in the Second Commandment. If such now say theywanted to be absolved after all, then this is not true; because they do not want to beabsolved of all sins, because they indeed want to persist in willful individual sins orheresies.

2. If the loosing key is infallible, then the binding key must always be equallyinfallible; how does it now act with the false ban, wherein the binding key ismisused? And in which case must the ban be considered as abuse of the power of theKeys?

Answer: The solution to this question is so clearly given in the SmallCatechism, that it cannot be given clearer. It is namely to use the binding key on

public and unrepentant sins. It is now and always indeed remains the binding keywhere it will also be applied; but when one retains the sins of such, to them one maynot retain them according to the Word of God, this is abuse of the binding key andfalse ban. An infallible rule is given to us by Christ Himself in the subject of the banin Matthew chapter 18, according to which we must proceed. It does not need to seeinto the heart; for one shall judge and adjudicate over what is hidden from view,namely over public and unrepentant sin, precisely because the latter of which isobvious, that the public sinner will not hear the admonition of the congregation atthe third stage. It has to be remember that the one worthy of the ban is alwaysconvicted in conscience that he rightly would be excluded and held as a heathen andPublican.

Sixth Thesis: Through private absolution, there is indeed no significantlydifferent or better forgiveness announced, such as in the preaching of the Gospel.Private absolution is also not required to obtain forgiveness in such a way as if ittook place without any forgiveness. Nevertheless private absolution still has itsspecial usefulness and benefits, because through it the individual is certain that theforgiveness of sins is also for him.


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The first point of this thesis, that no significantly other and better

forgiveness will be announced than in the preaching of the Gospel, has beenexplained already in the first thesis; for if the Gospel is essentially nothing morethan absolution, then private absolution also essentially communicates nothing else

than the preaching of the Gospel. A metaphor can make clear the relationship ofprivate absolution to general absolution in preaching. With general absolutionthrough the sermon, it acts as if a rich man throws a mass of gold coins among acrowd with that intention that each should receive a piece of gold; whoever grabs it,has it. With private absolution, however, it is as if a servant of the rich man is atimid man who does not dare to grab the gold coin pressed into his hand. As theindividual has no better piece of gold then the others, so also no other and betterthing is given through private absolution as through preaching. It is a falsedistinctionthat is frequently made that the treasure of forgiveness of sins is only

proclaimed or even offered in preaching, but would be imparted in privateabsolution. When Dr. Luther speaks of greater certainty of forgiveness in privateabsolution, he'll say no more than: It is difficult for the believer to appropriate theconsolation in general preaching, as in private absolution. To the objection whetheror not private absolution gives a special comfort that the preaching of the Gospeldoes not grant, it was replied: How can anything give a particular consolation sincethe Gospel is the fullness of all comfort? The sacraments are nothing else than avisible Word, therefore its content is quite the same as that of the Word. That Godhas yet ordained the sacraments next to the Word, wherein He acts with theindividual, he has thus taken into account the condition of the faithful; namelybecause it is more difficult in the weakness of this life for the believer to appropriateconsolation, if only He will proclaim to the crowd in general. Therefore, according to

Luther, God is not so stingy, but has decreed that all sorts of ways of comfort isadministered to the believer. So we see this as God's wonderful condescension to theweakness of His faithful; because He knows how hard it can be to apprehendconsolation in general preaching, so He has given private absolution, baptism, andthe Supper for the individual, so that everyone knows, here am I, the person withwhom God speaks and acts.

The question posed here, whether Christ has instituted private confession inthe words, "If you forgive the sins of any" etc.?, was definitely answered with "No,"as also noted that in James 5:16: "Confess your sins to one another," from which thePapists want to prove the divine institution of their auricular confession, the wordswere only among the Christians by the confession of mutual offenses and

transgressions; but one witnessed that private absolution was instituted in theWords of Christ in John 20:23. This latter was proved as follows: The Lord hascommanded that His people should be consoled with a certain amount ofconsolation, He wills that all be saved, the Gospel should be preached to allcreatures, how much more for individuals! If also the words: "If you forgive the sinsof any", etc., are none other than another explanation of the command of Christ: "Gointo all the world and preach the Gospel to all creatures," and therefore only an


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unfolding of the treasures of the Gospel proffered through preaching, then one cancertainly not deny that the Lord has especially commanded private absolution inthe same. The same, however, is already in the general command, "Preach theGospel to every creature," but because we could easily think it does not lie in it,therefore the Lord has pronounced it particularly in another Word, as a more

precise definition of that command. On the now repeated question, "Whether or noteven because of the particular institution of private absolution also lies a particularcomfort in it?" was the answer: However, one can say that a particular comfort liesin the fact that if only does not mean by that a particular good lies therein; but theparticular consolation is that I know on my part I receive forgiveness here. Sotherefore private absolution is no doubt a particular institution of God, but it is notso that a particular good is given to us in this particular institution that would notlie in the general preaching of the Gospel. It is best to speak thus: Privateabsolution can serve this purpose for me: I would be certain of the consolation offorgiveness, it is not a greater assurance than the publicly preached Word, But itcan make me certain, because there it is said: You, you are the man, you, your sinsare forgiven; therefore it helps me a little bit when public preaching does not helpme. To make it quite clear the following metaphor was used as well: An entire cityhas rebelled against their king and all the inhabitants are threatened, that theyshall be broken on the wheel, indeed from the bottom up; but the king is graciousand allows pardon to be proclaimed to all the rebellious citizens. There are a fewchief ringleaders (for there are always true Christians who hold themselves as chiefringleaders and the chief among sinners with the Apostles) who think tremblingand shaking: Who knows whether you are included in the pardon! Yes, if you hadany of his mercy to pardon in hand! Now when the king sent his messengers andwould say to each one: Hans, Peter, or whatever your name, you are pardoned, they

would still without a doubt be certain of grace and their hearts would be mademerry.It was argued in regard to the discussions above: If there is no essential

difference between private absolution and the preaching of the Gospel, and the oneis not the other, but all administered the same goods as the other, then no oneunderstands why private absolution is highlighted and praised so much; one wouldcertainly have to have no understanding to accept public preaching as not as goodand could not be as comforted as private absolution. The reply was: Then one cannoteven understand why the Lord Christ has instituted even baptism and the Lord'sSupper in addition to preaching, for between those acts and the sermon is also nosignificant difference. Then one must wonder, too, that Christ says after his

resurrection: "Say to His disciples and Peter"; then consolation could not bededicated, because he was brought to the Apostles in common, to which he belonged,but Peter thought: You're no more apostles, that's why the Lord allowed him in

particularto bring comfort. Our old people say: Is this not what makes scruples forthe Christian, whether the worldwas saved, but whether he had redeemed himself,that is, whether the general redemption concerns him. We should fall to our kneesand thank God that He has opened such a source of comfort for us, we should then


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slide to our knees, where we come to find the comfort of private absolution. This isnow said in no way that one should urge and compel the consciences of people toprivate confession, but it should only be an encouragement for us preachers that weblithely offer to them the blessings that the Gospel is sufficient in all its fullness.Incidentally, here there is no mention about the ecclesiastical institution of private

confession; because the Savior has not instituted it, that sins must always first beconfessed before the Lord's Supper, but we speak now about private absolutioninitself, we should rightly recognize this in its glory. It would be false and wrong if wewanted to try to antagonize private confession to people, this would put the cart infront of the horse. No, we want to do it differently; we want to introduce the greatglory of private absolution quite blithely to them, then they will finally urge us toadminister private absolution to them.

Objection: It still seems to arise from the above remarks, it is probably evenexpressed here and there, that those who do not use private confession arereprehensible and said to be worse Christians than those who use it. Answer: Wehave always, as often we talk about private confession, lodged explicit care againstsuch nonsense. The more seriously we pursue sanctification, the more we will knowhow hard it is to grasp the comfort of forgiveness; for as we will see little by little,what great happiness this is, that the promises of the Gospel are proclaimed notonly in general, but to be appropriated in particular to us also by appointedservants in private absolution: it is a cursed and vicious abomination when one triesto force private confession upon congregations in this manner. If the doctrine that istreated in the essay properly will come to clarity, then what we desire will come ofitself; therefore we shouldproperly only urge the doctrine. Many hypocrites go toprivate confession, and many righteous Christians go to the general confession. Thefact that private confession is considered so little lies the lack of the right

understanding of this doctrine, that preachers have the power to forgive sins, andthat their word, because it is God's Word, is valid, this is not quite grasped by theheart and has not grown very likely in the heart, man thinks: Now certainly I hearit every Sunday, believe it well and experience the power of the Word in my heart;we do not firmly believe that we have forgiveness of sins only through the Word, notbecause of the condition of our heart, it sticks in us all that we ground ourconsolation on our heart's condition while it still sticks only in the Word. Can therebe anything more comforting than that God comes so close to us poor sinners inprivate absolution? The fact that congregations are still filled with so much distastefor private confession is because we preachers still do not understand how to preachthe Gospel as we should. Certainly, the sweeter and lovelier we would understand

the Gospel as the power of God to hold up before people, the more faith would beawakened; the more faith would be awakened, the more temptation there would be;and the more temptation, the more desire for consolation would arise and the morepeople would come to private absolution to get consolation. However, ourcongregations should not think that now the time has come that we want to throwthe net over it, because we extol private absolution so blithely to them; no, but thatwe want to talk about and preach it so blithely should happen, on the one hand,


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because it belongs to the proclaiming of the whole counsel of God, on the other hand,because of that, once we are dead, and our congregations finally come to therealization of the great treasure of private absolution, they cannot say: Our pastors,in this free Republic, are still afraid to offer us this treasure.

On the question: "Is private absolution a means of grace of the same rank

with the sacraments?" the synod answered: Yes, but it is not coordinated with theGospel, but subordinated, i.e., it is not something next to and apart from the Gospel,but it flows from it. The Smalcald Articles speak of five ways of the "counsel andhelp against sin," 1. through preaching, 2. through Baptism, 3. through the HolySacrament of the Altar, 4. through the power of the Keys and 5. through the mutualconversation and consolation of the brethren18 and summarize all these parts underthe heading, "On the Gospel."

One now assented the first point of the thesis unanimously, and undertookthe second point, that private absolution would be necessary to obtain theforgiveness of sins not in such a way as if it took place without any forgiveness. Tothis end, it was observed: The thesis is a proof that the greatest caution should beapplied when one illustrates to people the difference between private absolution andgeneral absolution. One should not present it to them as if one would not be giventhe same treasure in general absolution that is given in private absolution. Also inthe general confession, as customary among us before partaking in the Holy Supper,there is in a certain sense a personal confession and a personal appropriation; forone is there dealing with a definite number of Christians who confess their sins,desire grace, and receive absolution; in regard to the personal appropriation,therefore, this absolution is somewhat more than the public sermon, and one mustbe cautious in preaching of it not to impair God's holy thing. To speak slightingly ofgeneral confession is dangerous; I must not deprecate the one to make much of the

other; rather let both be esteemed as of high, glorious value.19

The third point of the Sixth Thesis, acting on theparticular importance andbenefits of private absolution, was easily approvingly accepted, because it wasalready discussed in advance in the first point and with it the negotiation over thedoctrine of absolution was adopted for the time being.

18per mutuum colloquium et consolationem fratrum (durch gegenseitige Unterredung undTrstung der Brder).

19 Much of this paragraph is translated in Pieper's Dogmatics, Volume 3, page 211.

1860 absolution theses

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