Sola Devotions

Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions

Scripture Text: Romans 4:22–25

• Image  • Index

  Click for a recording of today's Sola Devotion.

Romans 4:22–25

From the Confessions: The Defense of the Augsburg Confession

Concerning Confession and Satisfaction 

But Scripture does not teach that eternal punishments are remitted only because of the payment rendered by certain traditions or by purgatory. Indulgences were formerly the pardoning of these public observances, so that people were not excessively burdened. But if human authority can pardon satisfactions and punishments, this compensation is not necessary by divine law, for a divine law is not annulled by human authority. Furthermore, since the custom has become obsolete and the bishops have remained silent, there is no necessity for these remissions. And yet the name “indulgences” remains. Just as “satisfactions” is no longer understood in terms of public discipline, but instead, in reference to the compensation of a punishment, so also “indulgences” is incorrectly understood as the freeing of souls from purgatory.

Pulling It Together: Where is it written? Where do the Scriptures teach that we pay the price of freedom from eternal death? How do our punishments replace the excelling merit of Christ’s satisfaction for sin? In fact, Scripture teaches us that the forgiveness of sins occurs without such payments, because of Christ—and only on his account. Human traditions and customs of churches must never be allowed to supplant the Word of God. And there is nothing clearer in all of Scripture than this: Christ died for our sins and was raised from the dead so that those who believe will be resurrected to eternal life. 

Prayer: Thank you for giving me faith in you, God. Amen. 

The kind of church we see in the New Testament is different from what most modern people imagine when they think of “going to church.” Experience Life Together: A 15-Week House-Church Model Resource & Session Book, by Rev. Tom Hilpert, is a 15-week house-church curriculum designed for pastors, lay leaders, and churches interested in getting a taste for what church in the home is really like. Whether referred to as a house-church, organic church, alternative church, or cell church, this material applies well to any group that wants to experience Christian worship in the context of a small group meeting within the homes of the participants.

Click Here For Content Archives