The Ministry & Confession
The Ministry of the Keys
(This section on the Ministry of the Keys is a later addition, taken from Wilhelm Löhe’s 1845 Handbook for the Home, School, and Church, included here for the usefulness it lends to instruction.)
What are the words about the ministry of the keys?
The Lord Jesus breathed on His disciples and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit! If you forgive the sins of any, to them they are forgiven, and if you retain the sins of any, to them they are retained.”
What does this mean?
I believe in what the called ministers of Christ do among us, by His divine command—especially when they exclude public, impenitent sinners from the Christian congregation, and when they absolve those who repent of their sins and are willing to mend their ways—that it is all as valid and certain in heaven also, as if our dear Lord Christ did it Himself.
How the Simple Should Be Taught to Confess
Confession consists of two parts. First, that a person confesses his sins. Second, that a person receives the absolution or forgiveness from the minister, as from God Himself, not doubting, but firmly believing that his sins are thereby forgiven before God in heaven.
Which sins should a person confess?
Before God, we should plead guilty of all sins, including the ones we are not aware of, as we do in the Lord’s Prayer; but before the minister we should only confess the sins that we know and feel in our hearts.
Which are these?
Consider your station according to the Ten Commandments. Are you a father, mother, son, daughter, master, mistress, or servant? Have you been disobedient, unfaithful, or lazy? Have you hurt anyone with words or deeds? Have you stolen, been negligent or careless, or caused any harm?
Dear sir, would you please provide me with a brief way to make confession?
This is what you should say to the minister:
Dear reverend! I ask you to hear my confession and to pronounce forgiveness to me for God’s sake.
Proceed!
I, a poor sinner, confess before God that I am guilty of all sins. In particular, I confess before you that I am a servant, maid, and so on. But, sadly, I do not serve my master faithfully; for in this and that way I did not do what he told me. I angered him and caused him to curse. I was negligent and allowed harm to come to him.
I have also acted shamefully in word and deed. I was angry with my peers. I cursed and grumbled at my mistress, and so on. I am sorry for all this, and I ask for grace. I will mend my ways.
A master or mistress may say as follows:
In particular, I confess before you that I have not faithfully reared my children, servants, and wife for the glory of God. I cursed. I set a bad example with irreverent words and deeds. I did my neighbor harm and spoke evil of him. I sold goods at too high a price and gave out defective and faulty merchandise…
And whatever else he has done contrary to God’s commandments and his own station, and so on.
But if anyone does not find himself weighed down with similar or more serious sins, he should not worry or look any further for sins, nor should he invent sins, thereby turning confession into a martyrdom. But recount one or two things that you know of, in this way:
In particular, I confess that I once cursed. Likewise, I once used foul language. I once neglected this or that, and so on.
Let that be enough.
But if you are not aware of any sin (which hardly seems possible), then say nothing in particular. But receive forgiveness after the general confession that you make before God in the presence of the minister.
Then the minister should say:
God be gracious to you and strengthen your faith! Amen.
Furthermore:
Do you also believe that my forgiveness is God’s forgiveness?
Answer: Yes, dear pastor.
Then let him say:
As you believe, so may it be done to you. And I, by the command of our Lord Jesus Christ, forgive you your sins, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit! Amen.
Go in peace!
But for those whose consciences are heavily burdened or who are troubled and afflicted, a father confessor will know well how to comfort them with other passages and stir up their faith.
This should merely serve as a general way for the simple to make confession.