Holy Absolution: Concentrated Gospel 1

What is Holy Absolution? Absolution, or the Power of the Keys, is an aid against sin and a consolation

for a bad conscience; it is ordained by Christ [Matthew 16:19]. Therefore, Confession and Absolution should by no means be abolished in the Church. This is especially for the sake of timid consciences and untrained young people. so they may be examined and instructed in Christian doctrine.2 for his confessed sin. Thus, among other examples, there is that of Christ, who (Matthew 9) absolved the man sick of the palsy, and (Luke 7) of Mary Magdalene.3

...the Gospel told a single person that through it he may receive consolation

I thought Lutherans don't do Absolution except on Sunday mornings? The ultra-pietists once said about Holy Absolution: "Beichtstuhl, Satansstuhl, Hllenpfuhl!" (Confessional, chair of Satan, pit of hell!). Most Protestant Christians still despise Absolution. This has appeared

among Lutherans. Why? Two reasons: 1. A lack of understanding of the Gospel of God and, 2. Believing there is something within a person that can cooperate with the Holy Spirit as the Spirit works directly upon that person.

Isn't Absolution too Roman Catholic? A Biblical view of absolution shows that it is not merely a Roman Catholic

rite. The power of the keys, the power to absolve, belongs to all who have received the Holy Spirit, hence to all Christians without exception. See John 20:23; Matthew 18:18, and Matthew 16:19. by the Holy Spirit through the Law, the confession of all sins before men, or on human satisfaction. Absolution is based solely on the fact of world reconciliation by the perfect satisfaction of Christ and on the divine command (John 20:21; Luke 24:47) in Christ's name to proclaim the remission of sins provided by Him.

Absolution does not depend on self-aroused contrition, true contrition worked

I am indebted to the work of Blessed Franz Pieper in his Christian Dogmatics, Volume III for much of this presentation on Holy Absolution. To God alone the glory! 2 Smalcald Articles, Part III, Article VIII, Paragraph 1. 3 Advice on the Action at Smalcald, St. Louis Ed. of Luther's Works, Vol. XVI, Column 1795.
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Pastor, you can't forgive my sins! Only God can forgive my sins! The remission of sins is, of course, a divine prerogative. But does God exercise

this power immediately or mediately? Scripture answers that God exercises this power mediately, through the Word of the reconciliation brought about by Christ, through the Word of the Gospel. God has commissioned men, His Church to proclaim the Gospel. See Mark 16:15 and John 20:23.

Only God can remit sins. God does so through His Gospel, which men are

enjoined to proclaim. Even if a sinner reads his absolution in a text of Scripture - it surely is contained in every evangelical passage - he still receives absolution through men, namely, through a word of the Prophets or Apostles, and not through an interior illumination of the Spirit.

Pastor, you can't judge my heart! No one truly knows whether a person seeking absolution is really contrite and really has faith in the heart. Therefore, you have no business saying you can forgive sins! Absolution is not based on the state of man's heart, but entirely on the state

of God's heart. God has bared His heart to us in the Gospel. Before contrition and faith, God is fully reconciled to each and every person through Christ. He does not impute the sinners' trespasses to them, but remits their transgression. All Christians, also their public servants, have God's command to reveal God's reconciled heart, to proclaim the remission of sins in all the world, proclaim it particularly also to those who expressly confess their sins and desire absolution. Not one person would be a liar if they spoke these words to someone with a dirty conscience: "Through Christ God is reconciled to you, does not impute your sins to you, but forgives them." If someone fails to believe this, it is his loss. It remains true that God is reconciled to him through Christ and that he is to believe the finished reconciliation on the strength of the divinely enjoined announcement. in the Divine Service or individually in Private Confession and Absolution or spoken by one Christian to another in the mutual conversation and consolation of the brethren, take offense of the Biblical doctrine of the universal reconciliation of the world by the vicarious satisfaction of Jesus Christ. Absolution is not a possibility that is given to a person once they are "really contrite" or "truly believe" or are "right with God." Absolution delivers forgiveness because of God's tender mercy upon sinners in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That's concentrated Gospel!

Simply put, those who take offense at absolution, either spoken by the pastor

But wait, there's more: Our churches teach that private Absolution should be retained in the

churches, although listing all sins is not necessary for Confession. For, according to the Psalm, it is impossible. "Who can discern his errors?" (Psalm 19:12).4 Confession]. They have been comforted after they heard that it is God's command, no, rather the very voice of the Gospel, that we should believe the Absolution and regard it as certain that the forgiveness of sins is freely granted to us for Christ's sake. We should believe that through this faith we are truly reconciled to God. This belief has encouraged many godly minds and, in the beginning, brought Luther the highest praise from all good people. This belief shows consciences sure and firm comfort.5 Still it is for this reason a commendable and good thing. Wherever and whenever you are able to hear God's Word you ought not to despise it, but receive it with heartfelt desire. Now, God has caused his Word to go forth through all the world, so that it fills every nook and corner, and wherever you go you find God's Word. If I preach the forgiveness of sins, I preach the true Gospel. For the sum of the Gospel is: Whosoever believeth in Christ shall receive the forgiveness of his sins. Thus a Christian preacher cannot open his mouth unless he pronounces an absolution. Christ also does the same in the Gospel lesson when he says, "Pax vobiscum," Peace be unto you. That is, I proclaim unto you, as of God, that you have peace and forgiveness of sins; this is even the Gospel itself, and absolution. So also the words of the Lord's Supper, "This is my body which is given for you; this is my blood which is shed for you for the remission of sins etc." If I were to say, I will not go to confession because I have the Word in the Lord's Supper, I will be like him who declares, Neither am I going to hear the preaching. the Gospel must ring and echo without ceasing in every Christian's mouth. Therefore we are to accept it with joy wherever and whenever we can hear it, lift up our hands, and thank God that we can hear it everywhere.6

Many troubled consciences have derived comfort from our teaching [on

Hence we say of private confession, that no one is compelled to observe it.

Augsburg Confession, Article XI. Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article XI, Paragraph 59. 6 "Sermon on Confession and The Lord's Supper", Complete Sermons of Martin Luther Volume 1:2, pages 197-198. Emphasis mine.
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Pastor, I have no problem with Corporate Confession and Absolution. I love to hear my pastor say that comforting words of Absolution. But going to him privately when I have a particular sin that troubles me? Uh-uh. No way, Padre! It is completely normal to say this if you haven't had the opportunity for

Private Confession and Absolution. Sinful human beings are not trusting of one another. One thing might help. Don't forget that your pastor promised before God and His holy angels on the day of his ordination, and again at subsequent installations, that he will never, never, never, no, not once, never, ever, ever, divulge the sins confessed to him. That means your pastor is willing to go to jail to protect your confession, as well as the confessions of others. What more can the pastor say about your confession of sin once it is absolved? Nothing! He stands in the stead of Christ. Anyone wanting to know what you confessed should take it up with the Lord...and He's not talking either. You confess your sins for the sake of the Absolution. That is what your troubled conscience longs to hear. There might be civil punishment for heinous sins you commit. However, your sins are as far as the east is from the west as far as the Lord is concerned. Absolution. It is nice to invite Pastor over for cookies and coffee. However, the best way for you to have a good shepherd-sheep relationship is to make diligent use of the Means of Grace, especially Holy Absolution. As you confess your sins to him, you also hear others confess their sins to you. You then may absolve them as you have been absolved. God willing, those who have harmed you may also confess to their pastor if that sins troubles their conscience. Imagine if all Christians made diligent use of Confession and Absolution. Then the famous phrase concerning Christians, "See how they love one another" will be a reality rather than an ideal.

The ordinary means of the care of souls is through Private Confession and

For more, see Lutheran Service Book 292-293. For how our beloved Synod dealt with the issue of General vs. Private Confession in her early years, see Moving Frontiers, pages 240-241. Finally, ask your pastor to offer regular opportunities for Private Confession and Absolution in your congregation. But first, ask him to teach, preach, and write about it until people start to beg him to offer Private Confession and Absolution. Even if people don't beg him, perhaps he will offer this blessing that is not to disappear from our churches. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Rev. David M. Juhl Our Savior Evangelical-Lutheran Church Momence, IL 21 April 2012, Saturday of the Second Week of Easter