You are Rich

Why do Lutherans begin almost every worship service with Confession and Absolution? Christians need the regular cycle of confession and absolution because every Christian still has a powerful sinful nature that leads us to commit many sins every day.  We need Christ’s forgiveness and God’s mercy all the time.

Romans 4:7 "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

To qualify for bankruptcy, you have to admit you are broke. And to go to heaven, you have to admit you are hellbound. That’s a tough one. Not easy for a decent guy to admit he’s a sinner. Hard for a pretty good girl to confess spiritual destitution. If we are saved it is because God rescued us and not because we learned to swim.

In order to appreciate the glories of heaven, you must first feel the flames of hell licking at your feet. In order to appreciate being called a child of God, you must first hear that you were born as and often live as a slave of Satan. In order to appreciate God’s full and free forgiveness through His Son, you must first learn that it was your sins that put the Son of God to death on the cross. That’s Law and Gospel. That’s Confession and Absolution.  You Are Rich

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