11/04/2025
BACK TO BASICS 📚 In continuing our social media series on the Six Chief Parts of Christian Doctrine, this week we are talking about Confession and Absolution!
As God’s believing, baptized children, we still battle against sins of thought, word, and deed. But God graciously has given special authority to His Church on earth to forgive the sins of the penitent and to withhold forgiveness from the unrepentant (Office of the Keys and Confession).
The Lord Jesus breathed on His disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” (📖 John 20:22–23)
1️⃣ What is Confession? 🤔 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.
2️⃣ What sins should we confess? 🤔 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.
3️⃣ Which are these? 🤔 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?
Next week's explanation is on The Sacrament of the Altar. This will be part six of our Six-week series. As always, we encourage you and your household to read in-full these explanations in your own copy of The Small Catechism at home 😃