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The
Office of the Keys and Confession
What
is the Office of the Keys?
The
Office of the Keys is that special authority which Christ has given
to His church on earth to forgive the sins of repentant sinners, but
to withhold forgiveness from the unrepentant as long as they do not repent.
Where
is this written?
This
is what St. John the Evangelist writes in chapter twenty: 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]
What
do you believe according to these words?
I
believe that when the called ministers of Christ deal with us by His
divine command, in particular when they exclude openly unrepentant
sinners from the Christian congregation and absolve those who repent
of their sins and want to do better, this is just as valid and
certain, even in heaven, as if Christ our dear Lord dealt with us Himself.
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.
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? |
