Welcome
Help support this site:
Sermon List
Search
About
The following reading from the CONCORDIA edition of the Book of Concord is for the Genesis 9:8-17 for the Pentecost 9, series B, July 26, 2015. It is from Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article XIIB, page 172. After witnessing the greatest expression of God's wrath against sin, God reminded Noah of God's mercy when He made an everlasting covenant between God and every living creature. Click here for the reading formatted for the back of a standard CPH bulletin. Pastor Doug May
Confession is mentioned at different times in the Psalms. " 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,' and You forgave the iniquity of my sin" (32:5). Such confession of sin, which is made to God, is contrition itself. When confession is made to God it must be made with the heart, not only with the voice. Confession is contrition in which, feeling God's anger, we confess that God is justly angry and that He cannot be reconciled by our works. Yet, we seek for mercy because of God's promise. Such is the following confession, "Against You, You only, have I sinned … so that You may be justified in Your words and blameless in Your judgment" (Psalm 51:4). This means, "I confess that I am a sinner and have merited eternal wrath. Nor can I set my righteousnesses, my merits, against Your wrath. So I declare that You are just when You condemn and punish us. I declare that You are clear when hypocrites judge You to be unjust in punishing them or in condemning the well-deserving. Yes, our merits cannot satisfy Your judgment. But we will be justified if You justify us, if through Your mercy You count us righteous." Perhaps someone may also cite James 5:16, "Confess your sins to one another." But here the reference is not to confession made to priests, but is the reconciliation of brothers to each other. Confession should be mutual. (paragraphs 10-12)
These are excerpts from the Book of Concord.
|
Unique Visitors: