Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: 1 Corinthians 6:19–20
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1 Corinthians 6:19–20
From the Confessions: The Defense of the Augsburg Confession
Concerning Confession and Satisfaction
Yet now that the custom has become obsolete, the term “satisfaction” still remains, along with a trace of the custom of prescribing in confession certain satisfactions, which they define as works that are not due. We call them canonical satisfactions. We maintain that canonical satisfactions, just like enumeration, are not necessary by divine law for the forgiveness of sins, just as those ancient exhibitions of satisfactions in public repentance were not necessary by divine law for the forgiveness of sins.
Pulling It Together: Recently, a car rental company called, wanting to know when I was going to pay the bill on a transaction from over a month ago. I let them know that the company had paid that bill, informing them of the transaction details. Their claim on me was satisfied. Take note, however, it was nothing that I did to meet their demand for payment. Someone else did it; someone else paid the debt. Indeed, because the bill had already been paid, there was no debt at all.
We may get calls from our consciences, telling us that because we are sinners that we have a bill to pay. That just is not the case at all. Christ has already paid the debt in full. Our consciences, and the devil to boot, have no further claim on us.
Prayer: Thank you, God, for satisfying my debt, through Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.
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Author
Rev. Mark E. Ryman serves as Pastor for St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Salisbury, NC. Previously, Pastor Ryman has served other congregations in North Carolina and Ohio, as well as a call to specialized ministry with Sola Publishing.
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