Minkota Mission District – NALC

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Isaiah 38:14–15

From the Confessions: The Defense of the Augsburg Confession

Concerning Repentance 

Scripture speaks of these terrors, as in Psalm 38:4, 8: “For my iniquities have gone over my head; they weigh like a burden too heavy for me…. I am utterly spent and crushed; I groan because of the tumult of my heart.” And, “Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are troubled. My soul also is sorely troubled. But thou, O LORD—how long” (Psa 6:2–3)? Also, “I said, In the noontide of my days I must depart; I am consigned to the gates of Sheol for the rest of my years…. I cry for help until morning; like a lion he breaks all my bones; from day to night thou dost bring me to an end” (Isa 38:10, 13).

Pulling It Together: We are very weak. Jesus reminds us of this fact of human nature. “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt 26:41). Though we may want to do good and to please God by doing his will, we fail. And we fail miserably. If we were honest, we would agree with David, that our guilt is deep; it has risen over our heads. We are drowning in sin. The willing spirit therefore, chirps and moans before God. We look to his mercy, for there is not much that we can do in this flesh but walk humbly before God all our years.

This is the first step in repentance. When one admits this humbled condition and confesses the guilt of sin, then contrition has occurred. This contrition may arise either from fear or love, but finally, it should come from both fear and love. For we should fear and love God above all things. Yet one is not repentant if only contrite, since we are not only to fear and love God, but to also trust him above all things. As has been said here, this trust, or faith, is the second step in repentance. Being sorry for sin is not enough. Trying harder is not the answer either. We must come to trust God with a confident faith, that he cares for helpless, weak sinners such as ourselves, and is himself the answer to our problem, our help in these years of trouble, and the one who sustains us (Psa 54:4).

Prayer: Deliver me from this flesh, O Lord, and sustain me with your Spirit. Amen. 

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Exodus in Sola's "Old Places, New Faces" series is an adult Bible study that seeks to make the stories and places of the Bible a reality in our lives today. It makes the messages of Exodus relevant for today. This study relates to the Bible as a book that speaks clearly about present realities through stories of the past. Old places from within the Bible can come alive with present significance to new faces—us. 

Other books in the "Old Place, New Faces" series

Source: Daily Devotions in the Lutheran Confessions

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Luke 24:45–48

From the Confessions: The Defense of the Augsburg Confession

Concerning Repentance 

We remove from contrition those idle and infinite discussions, as to when we grieve because of the love of God, and when because of the fear of punishment. But we say that contrition is the true terror of conscience that perceives God is angry with sin, and that grieves that it has sinned. This contrition takes place when sins are censured by the Word of God. For the sum of the preaching of the gospel is to convict of sin, to offer the forgiveness of sins and righteousness for Christ’s sake, to give the Holy Spirit and eternal life, and to lead regenerated people to do good works. Christ summarizes the gospel in this way when he says “that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations” (Luke 24:47).

Pulling It Together: It is easy enough to get caught up in useless babbling about when contrition takes place, or whether sorrow stems from the correct attitude. Simply stated, contrition is when a person, because of love or fear, stops defending sin and confesses it instead. But repentance has not yet occurred, for contrition is only the beginning of true penitence. Since we confess that one should fear, love, and trust God, faith in his forgiveness must follow sorrow. We do not only have faith in God’s forgiveness, but also trust that he has granted the Holy Spirit who will renew us and lead us to delight in his will and to walk in his ways.

Prayer: Forgive me, a poor sinner, and grant me the power and guidance of your Holy Spirit. Amen. 

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Genesis in Sola's "Old Places, New Faces" series is twelve studies that make Bible stories come alive for today's Christian. In the Bible we find God's people in many different places, both physically and spiritually, in their relationship to the Creator and Savior. We, like them, journey through many lands in our Christian walk. We move from chaos to order, from Ur to Canaan, and from obedience to disobedience. As we become more acquainted with our spiritual geography, we will better discern where God would have us go or what changes we need to make in order to serve Him better.

Source: Daily Devotions in the Lutheran Confessions

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Proverbs 32:5

From the Confessions: The Defense of the Augsburg Confession

Concerning Repentance 

In order to deliver pious consciences from these labyrinths of the scholastics, we have ascribed these two parts to repentance: contrition and faith. If any one desires to add fruits worthy of repentance, or a change of the entire life and character for the better as a third part, we will not resist.

Pulling It Together

As good works follow true repentance or conversion, the Lutherans did not quibble on this point. Their position was that contrition and faith cannot be removed from repentance, leaving only the good works. This removes Christ from repentance, since penitence would only involve the devotion of the penitent—or worse, their money. Repentance begins with a heart that is moved toward God’s mercy and then has faith that he forgives for Christ’s sake. As has been said here many times, good works will surely follow. Does this make good works necessary for repentance to occur? We confess that in true repentance, good works will necessarily follow. 

Prayer: I acknowledge to you my many sins, Lord, and rejoice in your salvation. Amen. 

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Views of Baptism is written for a range of readers including the parent or sponsor about to baptize a child, the adult who wants to understand baptism more fully, and the professional teacher or preacher who needs the truth about baptism stated simply but backed by careful research. This books explores three views of baptism: the individual-centered view, the means-of-grace view, and the Roman Catholic view. It includes a description of how Christian baptism came to us in stages from its Jewish roots. A question and answer section addresses specific matters often raised when people contemplate baptism.

Source: Daily Devotions in the Lutheran Confessions

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John 2:13–16

From the Confessions: The Defense of the Augsburg Confession

Concerning Repentance 

XI. That in reserved cases, not only canonical punishment, but also the guilt ought to be reserved in the case of one who is truly converted.

Pulling It Together

At the time of the Reformation, part of the concern was that people were instructed in certain cases, they could purchase their pardon. In these reserved cases, persons had only to go through the motions of confession, but without either contrition or faith in God to forgive. All they had to do was pay a willing confessor to absolve them. This makes the Church of God a market place, where people no longer not only buy and sell sacrificial animals, but instead purchase the sacrifice itself. Their purchasing power would become the power of absolution.

The Lutherans, on the other hand, confessed that the power of the keys was the authority of Christ spoken by any confessor, and dependent upon two things: contrition and faith. First, a person had to actually be sorry for sin, not merely go through the motions, ex opere operato. Second, that person must have faith that God forgives for Christ’s sake, not because enough money was in-hand to leverage forgiveness. 

Prayer: Give me faith, O Lord, to trust in your forgiveness. Amen. 

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The Sola Online Worship eResource (SOWeR) is a lectionary-based resource site for Scripture lessons, lectionary inserts, children's bulletins, devotionals, text studies, prayers, hymn-planning, and much more! There are subscription levels for every congregation size. 

Source: Daily Devotions in the Lutheran Confessions

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Ephesians 1:7–10

From the Confessions: The Defense of the Augsburg Confession

Concerning Repentance 

X. That the power of the keys frees our souls from purgatory through indulgences.

Pulling It Together

On March 31, 1515, Pope Leo X issued an indulgence that promised to forgive the temporal punishments of sins for anyone who purchased that certificate. These indulgences were especially attractive purchases, even to the poor, because it was thought that if enough indulgences could be acquired, people could free themselves—or even others—from the sins that kept people in purgatory.

The fault with indulgences lies not only in who it is that forgives sin, but in what this forgiveness costs. God’s gracious forgiveness is a gift to those who believe in the one who redeemed them with the price of his own life (1 Cor 6:20; Gal 3:13). Forgiveness is not something we may purchase at any price. The power of the keys is the authority of Christ who eternally showers his forgiveness on us at the cost of his blood, not the authority of the Church to temporally forgive with the price of a coin. The remission of sins and eternal life without a purgatory are granted to those who believe in the riches of Christ. We have redemption, not through our purchasing power but, through the riches of his grace.

Prayer: Thank you for redeeming me, Lord, and for forgiving me through your grace. Amen. 

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Winning, Losing, Loving ; The Gospel in the Old Testament traces themes of chosenness, sin, and grace throughout the early books of the Bible. These cycles of sin and redemption point forward toward God's ultimate act of redemption in Jesus Christ.

Source: Daily Devotions in the Lutheran Confessions