Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope – part 35
Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Matthew 6:7–13
Series: Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Click for a recording of today's lesson.
From the Confessions: Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope
They have obscured the doctrine concerning sin, and have invented a tradition concerning the enumeration of offenses, producing many errors and despair.
Pulling It Together
We should not pray endlessly over our sins, thinking our devotion to naming each and every transgression is cause for God’s mercy. Instead, we must believe we are forgiven for Christ’s sake, not because of our religious zeal. So, pray like Jesus taught his disciples to pray: forgive my sin-debts. Period. No long list of offenses is offered — just a petition for forgiveness. Leaving it there requires faith in God where too often, there is only faith in religion.
Prayer: Forgive me of all my sin, Father. Amen
Share this post
Author
Rev. Dr. Mark E. Ryman has served as Pastor for St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Salisbury, NC, since 2021. Previously, Pastor Ryman served congregations in North Carolina and Ohio, as well as a call to specialized ministry with Sola Publishing.
Click Here For Content Archives