Thoughts on Confession and Absolution

The beginning of each Divine Service begins with Confession and Absolution.

Below, "P" is for Pastor and "C" is for Congregation. Note that the Pastor says both parts, as he also is in need of absolution. The Pastor stands in the transept for this part of the service. He does not enter the chancel area until after we have made confession of sins and received absolution. This is a symbolic reminder it is not the pastor who forgives sins - only God can forgive sins. The pastor, by the authority of Christ, speaks that forgiveness to us and since he also is in need of forgiveness, he remains outside of the chancel until absolution is pronounced. The Scriptures from which the words of corporate Confession and Absolution are drawn are in brackets below.

P - In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C - Amen. (Matt. 28:19b)

P - If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
C - But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1John 1:8-9)

Here we kneel and take a few moments for reflection on God's Word and self-examination.

P - Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.
C - Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
P - Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C - Amen. (John 20:19-23)

Lutherans also practice individual Confession and Absolution, although it is not widely used. I have only ever made an individual confession (ie. just me and the pastor - and God, of course!) once in my life. It wasn't for any particularly spectacular sin - I was simply feeling overwhelmed with the awareness of my own sin and really needed to hear the words YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN.

I know that for many of you, the concept of making a confession and hearing absolution pronounced by a pastor is foreign to your experience. You might even have been told that such a practice is improper. I can tell you that Lutheran churches teach and believe that confessing one's sins before God and hearing His pardon pronounced through a called and ordained Servant is proper and biblical. I can also tell you how I personally benefitted from making public confession. It's true, I can always privately (ie. just me and God, no pastor) make a confession and be forgiven. A pastor isn't needed for that and that kind of confession is no less valid than a public or individual confession made before a pastor. I make public confession because there I receive forgiveness AND I hear the words, just as if Christ was standing before me: Your sins are forgiven. That pronouncement is life-giving. It is balm for my tortured conscience. I want so badly to live up to God's high, holy standards, but I don't. I fall flat, over and over again. And believe me, the remedy for a burdened conscience is NOT "try harder". That only makes you feel worse when you inevitably fail again. The remedy for a conscience burdened by sin is: "Your sins are forgiven".

That is the whole point of public confession and absolution and it is why God gave the task of pronouncing absolution to the Church, through her pastors. We need to hear it, and we can never hear it enough.