The Gift of Absolution

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

[Large Catechism: A Brief Exhortation to Confession]

A Christian confesses his sinfulness regularly. Why? Because he lives from Christ and His Word of forgiveness.

Confession happens in many ways. There is the general confession at the beginning of each Divine Service. There is the daily confession incorporated into the Our Father (“forgive us our trespasses”). And there is the confession that occurs in one’s own private prayers and meditation on God’s Word.

But there is another form of confession that most Lutherans (and most Christians) have never used. I’m speaking of individual confession and absolution—confessing your sins to your pastor and hearing Christ’s absolution personally spoken to you. Some know nothing about it. Others were never taught to value it. Still others view it as “too Roman Catholic.”

Based on God’s Word concerning the Office of the Holy Ministry, Martin Luther writes in the Small Catechism:

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. 

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.

Lutherans make no law about coming to private confession. It is offered and given freely to those who desire this gift.

When hearing confession, I have the penitent (the one confessing) kneel at the altar rail in the empty sanctuary and use the order of Individual Confession and Absolution in Lutheran Service Book on pages 292-293. Check it out. Notice how the confession moves from generic (true of all sinners) to specific (true to you). Then notice how the pastor proceeds. First with the absolution. Then with a portion of Holy Scripture that speaks a word of comfort to you.

What sins plague you? What thoughts, desires, words, and/or deeds? Shame? A guilty conscience? The specifics are unique to you. But so is Christ’s Word of absolution for you. His forgiveness puts to death your sin, combats your shame and guilt, and creates in you a clean heart and pure conscience. That is the beauty of this gift. It personally delivers Christ to you!

Some have already made use of this gift. Some still do. Do you desire it as well? Let me know. I am happy to give you this Christ-centered gift. Come and learn what a beautiful thing individual absolution is, for it delivers the fruits of Christ’s victory directly to you!

When ministers lay on their hands,

Absolved by Christ the sinner stands;

He who by grace the Word believes

The purchase of His blood receives.

[LSB 614, stanza 6]