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]

Individual Absolution

Individual Absolution is a means of grace through which Jesus Christ delivers the forgiveness of sins He won on the cross to His people. This precious gift flows from the Office of the Keys, which Christ gave to His Church. Below is the Scriptural foundation for this gift and our confession regarding this gift.

Holy Scripture:

“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

[Matthew 16:19]

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I am sending you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

[John 20:21-23]

I acknowledged my sin to You, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

[Psalm 32:5]

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

[1 John 1:8-9]

The Lutheran Confessions:

Our church teaches that private Absolution should to be retained in the churches.

[Augsburg Confession, Article XI, 1]

Confession in the churches is not abolished among us. The body of the Lord is not usually given to those who have not been examined [1 Corinthians 11:27-28] and absolved. The people are very carefully taught about faith in the Absolution. Before, there was profound silence about faith. Our people are taught that they should highly prize the Absolution as being God’s voice and pronounced by God’s command. The Power of the Keys [Matthew 16:19] is set forth in its beauty. They are reminded what great consolation it brings to anxious consciences and that God requires faith to believe such Absolution as a voice sounding from heaven [e.g., John 12:28-30]. They are taught that such faith in Christ truly obtains and receives the forgiveness of sins.

[Augsburg Confession, Article XXV, 1-4]

We also keep Confession, especially because of the Absolution. Absolution is God’s Word which, by divine authority, the Power of the Keys pronounces upon individuals. Therefore, it would be wicked to remove private Absolution from the Church. If anyone despises private Absolution, he does not understand what the forgiveness of sins or the Power of the Keys is.

[Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article XIIB, 2-4]

Absolution, or the Power of the Keys, is an aid against sin and a consolation for a bad conscience; it is ordained by Christ in the Gospel [Matthew 16:19]. Therefore, Confession and Absolution should by no means be abolished in the Church. ... Since private Absolution originates in the Office of the Keys, it should not be despised, but greatly and highly esteemed, along with all other offices of the Christian Church.

[Smalcald Articles, Part III, Article VIII, 1-2]

We teach what a splendid, precious, and comforting thing Confession is. Furthermore, we strongly urge people not to despise a blessing that in view of our great need is so priceless. Now, if you are a Christian, … you will undoubtedly compel yourself to come to Confession and will beg me for a share in it. However, if you want to despise it and proudly continue without Confession, then we must draw the conclusion that you are no Christian and should not enjoy the Sacrament either. For you despise what no Christian should despise. … If you were a Christian, then you ought to be happy to run more than a hundred miles to Confession and not let yourself be urged to come. You should rather come and compel us to give you the opportunity.

[A Brief Exhortation to Confession, 28-30]

When I urge you to go to Confession, I am doing nothing else than urging you to be a Christian.

[A Brief Exhortation to Confession, 32]

True Worship

[1] In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of His robe filled the temple. [2] Above Him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. [3] And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” [4] And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. [5] And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” [6] Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. [7] And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” [Isaiah 6:1-7 ESV]

This beautiful text reveals the following about true worship:

• God is really present in His temple/house (6:1)
• Man is sinful and unworthy to be in God’s presence (6:5)
• Worship is directed to the Triune God (6:3)
• Worship acknowledges God’s holiness (6:3)
• Worship includes a confession of sin (6:5)
• God’s forgiveness is spoken by His servant (6:6-7)
• God’s forgiveness is delivered through means (6:6-7)