Historic background.

It is inaccurate to maintain that Martin Luther predicated worthy participation in the Lord’s Supper upon confession and absolution. What Luther did expect is that the anyone coming to Holy Communion should examine his or her doctrine and life. For this he gave us Christian Questions With Their Answers (Small Catechism, CPH 1986, pgs 40-44, 2005 Edition). The reality is that the practice of examining one’s doctrine and life as preparation for participation came to be equated with the statement from The Apology of the Augsburg Confession “The Sacrament is offered to those who wish to use it, after they have been examined and absolved” (Apology XXIV [XII]:1). Examination of one’s own doctrine and life was replaced by confession. Confession and absolution became the benchmark for worthy participation.

Historically, confession and absolution had been most commonly handled on an individual basis in a private setting. Yet even Luther’s day a corporate setting had developed whereby those who desired Holy Communion but had no specific or troubling sin that would drive them to individual confession could attend a service of confession and absolution on the Friday before the Divine Service. This corporate service was not intended to replace private/individual confession and absolution, but in most places, and over time, it did just that. In the past century we have lost our understanding of, and use of, the Service of Corporate Confession as a preamble and preparation for the Lord’s Supper. In its place it has become generally accepted that Confession and Absolution takes place before the Divine Service. I believe that this change has been accompanied by a pervasive loss of understanding and appreciation for blessing and benefit of private/individual confession and absolution – but this belongs to a different discussion.

Considerations for our day.

There is value in the corporate confession and absolution of the Preparation that causes me to not generally omit it. The liturgy of the Preparation puts Christ and the need for his work of salvation at the center of the worshiper’s contemplation right at the beginning of the Service. Not only is the doctrine and reality of original sin given voice, but the actual sin of the individual, the sins of commission and omission, are recognized and brought forward before God in repentance. The text leads the worshiper, for a time, into the darkness that is not only our common human condition, but individually our suit of filthy rags. It then leads us to recognize and call upon Jesus as our only “cure” for the sin that sickens us and would otherwise leave us a spiritual corpse.

Then, in the Absolution, the pastor clearly stands as the administrator of the Office of the Keys. By these words, whether spoken upon the individual or corporately, he actually forgives sin by the command and in the stead of Jesus Christ. The grace of God that called us to himself in Baptism is announced. And Luther’s words hold true, so that whether individually or corporately we receive forgiveness from the pastor as from God himself.

I will lament with you, and the Church, the loss of individual confession and absolution, and I certainly want to see our people regain and value this practice. I will also lament the loss of the practice of announcing one’s intention to attend the Lord’s Supper and I would think it a blessing for pastor and congregation to have such a practice restored. I would think it a blessing beyond measure that a congregation would participate in a service of confession and absolution on a Friday evening before the Divine Service. The reality is that we are not to this point in most of our Lutheran parishes. While we continue to teach and learn to that end, we take comfort in what the Preparation imparts to our celebration of the Divine Service.

With that, let us move on to our discussion of the Service of the Word.

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The Didache (a 1st century Christian writing) admonishes the early Christians, “Assemble on the Day of the Lord, break bread and celebrate the Eucharist, but first confess your sins.”

The Apostle John declares. “If we confess our sins he who is faithful and just will forgive our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

confession:
to say what is true, a disclosure of one’s sins

Corporate (or General) Confession

In the Confession of Sins, we are taught to admit, or confess, sin and the guilt of sin. We are saying “amen,” or “yes, yes, this is true” to God’s righteous judgment against our sin. This is some of the hardest schooling that the liturgy will do because the natural man, the sinful nature, does not want to give up control. Together we, with the Invocation and the Confession of Sins, deny ourselves, and trust in Christ.

As Christians, our lives are to be lives of continual repentance as God promises eternal forgiveness. So we come in penitence and faith and confess our sins.

Psalm 51:1-4, 14
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. …Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

KNEEL/STAND

Silence for reflection on God’s Word and for self-examination.

Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.

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 neighbors 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.

The expression, “we are by nature sinful and unclean,” comes from Article II:1 of the Augsburg Confession, and is unique to Lutheranism in its structuring of the preparatory rites. The statements made in this prayer of confession are summary of Romans 7:14 – 8:14.

Psalm 32:5
I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.

Absolution

John 20:22-23
[Jesus] breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.”

The Absolution is the announcement of forgiveness to the penitent sinner. Our Lord declares through the mouth of his servant, the pastor, that by his grace and mercy our sins are forgiven. The Absolution speaks God’s Word into our ears in a most personal way. Through these Gospel words we receive the salvation earned by Christ upon the cross of Calvary, every sin covered by his blessed death.

absolution:
to forgive, to set free from the consequences of guilt

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 Word I announce the grace of God to all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Heavenly peace and joy in the soul replaces the trembling and anguished conscience previously burdened by sin. With clean hands and a pure heart we are now prepared to stand before the holy presence of God (Psalm 24).

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The Small Catechism states, “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.” This forgiveness is valid before God Himself.

“[Jesus] breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld’ ” (John 20:22–23).

What Happens in Individual Confession and Absolution?
Very simply, you go to the pastor, confess your sins, and receive the personal, individual assurance of forgiveness. You need not mention any specific sin, although you are welcome to confess sins that trouble your conscience. The pastor doesn’t probe into your life or try to make you feel guilty. You simply confess sin, using a formula from the catechism or hymnal, or just talk about it in a counseling setting. Then you receive full forgiveness (absolution) from Almighty God through one of His pastors, who says, “Your sins are forgiven. Go in peace.”

“Our people are taught that they should highly prize the Absolution as being God’s voice and pronounced by God’s command” (Augsburg Confession XXV 3).

Do I Really Need Individual Absolution?
Some persons may feel that careful self-examination before Communion eliminates the need for private confession. However, the practice of individual confession and absolution is really a separate and unique act in its own right. It does not necessarily precede the Sacrament of Holy Communion, although you will undoubtedly desire to commune the next time the Eucharist is offered.

Individual confession and absolution fulfills the very essence of the Gospel: “Your sins are forgiven!” Christ died for you. This is an individualized word to you from the pastor, acting in the stead of Christ. What a blessing! What great benefit! As the Augsburg Confession says (XXV 3–4): [We] are taught that [we] should highly prize the Absolution as being God’s voice and pronounced by God’s command. . . . God requires faith to believe such Absolution as a voice sounding from heaven. . . . Such faith in Christ truly obtains and receives the forgiveness of sins.

“Any heart that feels its sinfulness and desires consolation has here a sure refuge when he hears God’s Word and makes the discovery that God through a human being looses and absolves him from his sins” (Large Catechism V 14).

Must I “Tell All”?
No, you don’t need to confess any specific sins to your pastor. Of course, you may want to do so for the “release” it will give you. Sometimes a person cannot find real peace and the certain assurance of God’s forgiveness without full disclosure of what is troubling him or her. The pastor is under the “confessional seal” and is bound to confidentiality. The pastor never repeats what he has heard in confession.

If you are not burdened with particular sins, do not trouble yourself or search for or invent other sins, thereby turning confession into a torture. Instead, mention one or two sins that you know and let that be enough.

What a “blessing often overlooked” individual confession and absolution can be! What peace can come to your heart when hear the pastor say personally to you: “Your sins are forgiven! Go in peace.”