Discipleship Point
on Confession
James 5:16
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (see also Matthew 3:6, Acts 19:18)
Discipleship Point
God has placed the forgiveness of sins in baptism, the Lord's Supper, and the Word; in fact, he has placed it in the mouth of every Christian, to comfort and pronounce to you God's grace for the sake of Christ's vicarious satisfaction. You can receive it nowhere else, for that is tantamount to Christ himself speaking it with his own mouth.
~ Martin Luther, 19th Sunday after Trinity sermon, 1533.
The Role of Confession of Sin in the Life of a Disciple
Christians are called to confess sins to one another – and hear them. While traditionally this is heard by a pastor, any believer can do so. Seek someone you can trust. The hearing believer is to speak words of forgiveness in the name of Jesus: Here’s Luther’s explanation on it:
What is Confession?
A teaching on repentance of sin and forgiveness through
Jesus Christ.
Confession consists of two parts: one, that we confess our sins; the other, that we receive absolution, or forgiveness, from the pastor or confessor as from God Himself, and in no way doubt, but firmly believe that our sins are thereby forgiven before God in heaven.
What sins should we confess?
Before God we should acknowledge ourselves guilty of all sins, even of those which we do not know about, as we do in the Lord’s Prayer. But before the pastor or confessor we should acknowledge those sins only which we know and feel in our hearts.
Which are these?
Here consider your own situation according to the Ten Commandments, whether you are a father, mother, son, daughter, employer, employee; whether you have been disobedient, dishonest, lazy; whether you have injured anyone by word or deed; whether you have stolen, neglected, wasted anything, or done any harm.
Discipleship Prayer
Father God, thank You for forgiving me all my sins in the name of Jesus, who sacrificed His life for me. Help me set aside all pride that keeps me from confessing my sins to a fellow disciple. And do not let any judgmental attitude render me unapproachable for confession from a fellow disciple. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Micro-Meditation
Psalm 84:8-12
- Hear my prayer, Lord God Almighty;
listen to me, God of Jacob. - Look on our shield, O God;
look with favor on your anointed one. - Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked. - For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless. - Lord Almighty,
blessed is the one who trusts in you.
Read the verses of the Psalm.
Mark the words or phrases that catch your attention.
Meditate: talk (or better, write) with God about those words. Ask Him to impress things upon your heart and mind; expect responses.
Teaching or Command of God
Jeremiah 17:7-8
Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.
The Promise
1 Peter 4:14
If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
Pondering Point
Psalm 84 from the Lord’s perspective
[God:] Trust me, I will withhold no blessing from you,
My child – not one good thing. Come to Me!