Concerning Confession and Satisfaction – part 2
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Revelation 3:7
Series: Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Click for audio of today’s devotion.
From the Confessions: The Defense of the Augsburg Confession
For we also retain confession, especially because of absolution being the word of God which the power of the keys declares to individuals by divine authority. It would therefore be wicked to remove private absolution from the Church. If there are any who despise private absolution, they understand neither the forgiveness of sins nor the power of the keys.
Pulling It Together: The Greek word that we transliterate as “angel,” literally means “messenger.” This can either be a heavenly or a human delegate, sent by God to declare his message. Thus, it is proper to consider the angels of the seven churches in Revelation as the pastors of those churches. Pastors are the ones called and sent by God to proclaim his message. They are given the keys of the kingdom, that “whatever [they] bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever [they] loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19). These messengers, these pastors (these angels, if you will permit me to say so) speak the very words of the holy and true one, who has the key of David. These are the words of forgiveness — or indeed, the refusal of forgiveness. These messengers open the gates of heaven, and shut them as well.
We therefore, keep both corporate and private confession in our churches, and encourage our people to make frequent use of the former, but also the latter, when necessary. By doing so, they not only confess their sins, but hear the words of absolution. We need to be regularly assured by God through his messengers that we are forgiven, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, help me to hear what you say to your Church. Amen
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Author
Rev. Dr. Mark E. Ryman has served as Pastor for St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Salisbury, NC, since 2021. Previously, Pastor Ryman served congregations in North Carolina and Ohio, as well as a call to specialized ministry with Sola Publishing.
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