Lent 2021 - Confession (Belt)

Week 6 – Confession and Absolution

March 22 – Pastor Belt

Yes.  Lutherans should do confession and absolution.  Even private confession and absolution.  This is a gift and not a mandate.  Christians who are Christian and want to be, will confess their sins.  They know that sin kills us, our faith and our love for God and each other, and so to hear a word of absolution is how we kill sin.

            We do this in Public Confession and Absolution during the Church service.  Did you know that your sins are actually forgiven in Church?  It is not a wish I tell you.  Your pastor is the mouthpiece and ears of God.  We are speaking by God’s charge on God’s behalf.

We can also do this privately.  If you feel that dread.  That sin that just won’t shake you.  Know that you can confess that sin out loud and be forgiven of it.   Real sins being truly forgiven.  What you state is never repeated to anyone else.  This is meant to give you confidence in Christ and peace knowing that no sin can ever cast you away from Christ.  That is what confession gives.

            So confession is to confess and be forgiven.  That is it.  Forgiven Christians know how to make amends knowing that things between them and God are good.  The sins we are to confess are the sins that are made known to us in the 10 commandments by our station in life.  Are you a human being, a man or woman, a spouse, a child, a worker, a Christian, a friend, etc?  Look at how the commandments apply to you in your God given callings and you will find where you have lied, cheated, hurt, stole, abused, lusted, etc.  Confess that.  Honestly only a Christian can see his sin because the Holy Spirit will use God’s Word to enlighten you.
           
The Church has been given the authority on earth to forgive sins.  We call this the office of the keys.  We do not act on our prerogative, but on God’s charge to us.  Matthew 9, 28, John 20 all tell us that Jesus expects us to forgive the sins of those who repent and to withhold forgiveness from the unrepentant.

            No sin will keep you from Christ.  Only your stubborn refusal to repent and be forgiven will do that.  The Christian Church has no sinners in it.  It has repentant sinners who are forgiven in it.

            When the Church forgives your sins, you can bet that it has really been done on earth as it is in heaven.  Isn’t that something to give awe to God about?

March 23
Read Mark 11

March 24
Read the Confession section in the Catechism and the following readings. Attend Divine Service.

Isaiah 1:2-20
Psalm 32
1 John 1:5-10
Matthew 9:1-8