A Message From Laestadius to the Awakened Sinner

Laestadius, New Postilla, Sermon #87:

"When Luther wrote to the doubting ones and prisoners of unbelief, "Commit yet more sin, but believe even more firmly; sin we must commit as long as we live. The Lamb who taketh away the sin of the world must not become separated from us, by sin, even if we committed adultery or murder a thousand times a thousand in one day." Do you hear, meek devils, what doctrine this is? You prisoners of unbelief, do you consider it a right doctrine when he says to commit yet more sin and preaches so strongly of faith that the whole kingdom of the Pope was confounded and wroth. The Pope's priests said, "This Luther's preaching of faith is the speech of one possessed, and the abomination of false doctrine, when he says that sin cannot separate us from the Saviour; even if we had committed adultery and murder a thousand times a day, yet must we believe. Is this doctrine of Luther a true doctrine?" In the ears of the papists it sounds as if the devil himself had risen up from hell to proclaim such an abomination of false doctrine, but he that understands these words of Luther rightly must know it to be true gospel and that man who is truly awakened surely knows that he has committed adultery and murder, if not a thousand times, at least seven times a day; nevertheless, he must believe that he is a Christian and a child of God.

"Thus Luther preaches the gospel to the prisoners of unbelief. Is this a true doctrine, you sorrowful, penitent, doubting, and prisoners of unbelief? Is this a true doctrine which Luther preaches to you? Is it possible to believe that this gospel of Luther is a true gospel when the papists say that this is the talk of a man possessed and the abomination of false doctrine? I say unto you now, you prisoners of unbelief, if you are able to believe what Luther preaches in this passage, you may prove if this doctrine is of God. Now it will depend only on this that you believe that it is of God; then you may know and prove that it is of God. If you do not believe, then you will remain in your sins and to you the gospel of Luther will change into the gospel of the devil in your mind and you must say as the the papists, "Such a doctrine is exactly the doctrine of a devilish man and the abomination of a false doctrine.

"How is it, you penitent souls? Is the gospel of Luther a true gospel? Are you able to believe that such a one is a Christian who commits adultery and murder a thousand times a day? I believe that all whores and murders who believe this gospel shall be saved, but they who do not believe this gospel of Luther will fall into hell, even though they had not committed adultery nor murdered even once. Remember now that they who believe shall get into heaven. There they may rejoice and be glad in the wedding of the Lamb, There they may sing the new song, Amen, Hallelujah! There the sun shines overhead. There may the penitent and believing whores dance on the golden floor of Heaven in the throng clad in white garments, forevermore. Amen." End Sermon.

Is this not enough to raise us up to sit and rejoice in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus? God be praised for His wonderful gift of salvation!

The Eternal Blessings Received In Holy Baptism

"Therefore every Christian has enough in baptism to learn and to practise all his life. For he has always enough to do to believe firmly what baptism promises and brings, viz. victory over death and the devil, forgiveness of sin, the grace of God, the entire Christ and the Holy Ghost with his gifts. In short, it is so transcendent that if timid nature consider it, it might well doubt whether it could be true. For only consider, if there were somewhere a physician who understood the art of saving men from dying, or, if they died, of restoring them to life, so that they would live for ever, how the world would pour in money like snow and rain, so that because of the throng of the rich no one could find access! But here in baptism there is brought free to every one's door such a treasure and such medicine as utterly destroys death and preserves all men alive." Luther's Large Catechism.

This is the doctrine of the Apostolic Lutheran Church of America, and is received by those who are in the Truth. Those who reject the blessings which God brings to the sinner in the sacrament of Holy Baptism, must necessarily hold instead to some work which they bring to God in order to win His favor. This is a self-righteous condition, and such, after offering their chiefest work to God, must go to their house unjustified and damned, while the sinner who can but plead for mercy goes to his house justified.

The Doctrine Of Election And Predestination

The following quote from the Book of Concord (Formula of Concord, Part II) is the doctrine of the Apostolic Lutheran Church of America. This truth is in stark contrast to the common current doctrine of Universalism, which is a deadly heresy.

"8. That those whom he has elected, called and justified, he would eternally save and glorify in life eternal.

      And that in his counsel, purpose and ordination he prepared salvation not only in general, but in grace considered and chose to salvation each and every person of the elect, who shall be saved through Christ, and ordained that in the way just mentioned he would by his grace, gifts and efficacy bring them thereto [make them participants of eternal salvation], and aid, promote, strengthen and preserve them."

Luther On Baptism And Original Sin

"In all Christian earnestness I would ask all those who administer baptism, who hold the children, or witness it, to take this wonderful work to heart in all its seriousness. For here, in the words of these prayers, you hear how meekly and earnestly the Christian church concerns itself about the lilttle child and how it confesses before God in plain undoubting words that he is possessed by the devil and is a child of sin and wrath, and prays very diligently for aid and grace through baptism that he may become a child of God." Luther's Baptism Liturgy, AE Vol. 53 p. 101.

The Philadelphia edition of Luther's Works translates the above paragraph in part: "For here in the words of this prayer you hear how plaintively, pitifully, and earnestly the Christian Church concerns itself about the little child, etc." This gives a better picture of the creature before the Creator.

If more were aware of man's sinful nature and subsequent condemnation, there would be a far greater urgency to hear the gospel and partake of the sacraments, the gospel would be received as something wonderful, and there would yet be rejoicing among us.

The lack of this is due to rampant  Antinomianism in the ALC as many reject the right preaching of the holy Law of God. Some don't mind hearing of surface sins preached, but will not hear the truth of the spiritually dead condition of man by natural birth. This is the worst form of Antinomianism by which men call God a liar and deny Christ.

Concerning Confession Of Sin

There is today much stress placed upon auricular confession of sin; that is, the confession one makes into the ear of another person. It is also called private confession. This has been fomenting for decades, until it is now to the point where other words have wrongly become synonymous with confession, such as repentance, putting away sin, and laying sin aside. The term "forgiveness of sins" is tied almost exclusively to private confession. Also many places in Scripture are misunderstood to speak of auricular confession, and are taught in such a way as to require such confession. Luther teaches, however, that this confession is nowhere demanded by Scripture, but is of human rite, and is beneficial in the church as a comfort for troubled consciences. Not that one can breath a sigh of relief that they finally met the requirement of confession, but that they are able to hear the gospel, or absolution, preached. Herein is our comfort, that we are reassured and strengthened to believe that by faith in the blood of Christ we are in a state of forgiveness wherein God does not impute our sin unto us. Private confession is but one of the many ways by which God pours out abundant absolution upon His church. He desires that we be confident of His good will toward us through Christ.

Many who today demand private confession use the very same arguments as did the Roman Catholic church against Luther. I'm afraid many are far from Reformation doctrine and are rather in bed with the Pope in this matter.

One of the passages often used to teach private confession as a scriptural requirement is I John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Let us look briefly at what Luther writes in his commentary on this passage, taken from the American Edition of Luther's Works:

"God is faithful because He keeps His promises. He is just when He gives righteousness to him who confesses that He is just. It is as if God were saying: 'Because you say that I am just, which I am, for this reason I shall show you My justice and justify you.' Therefore if you can say: 'We have no righteousness,' you should persuade yourself with certainty that God is faithful, cling to His promises that He wants to forgive sins because of Christ, and is just, since He gives to everyone that which belongs to him, presents the righteousness acquired through the death of Christ to him who confesses his sins and believes, and in this way also makes him righteous. David confesses his sin, but Saul excuses his sin before Samuel and could not say: 'I have sinned' in the way David did (I Sam. 15). All he wanted was to be honored before the people. This is what we do when we defend our sins in order that we may not be shamed before men. It was Saul's wish that the prophet pray for him before the elders of Israel. For he certainly did not want to seem to have sinned against the Lord. But for this reason he, together with all our hypocrites, was shamed before God. Furthermore, this statement cannot be understood as referring to auricular confession, although I do not reject that confession either. No, this statement must be understood as referring to confession before God by which we ourselves confess our sins as well as our faith. Thus God finally forgives sin and grants grace and a pacified conscience by taking away the sting and the bite of conscience." End quote.

Notice that Luther says this cannot be understood as referring to auricular confession. He instead speaks of much deeper matters which pertain to the condition of the heart, of the knowledge of sin and of grace; the knowledge of self and of God.

Drastic Changes

"This dumb, deaf, blind, and demon-possessed man represents all the children of Adam, who through the flesh are possessed of Satan in original sin, so that they must be his slaves and do according to his will."

"Here he shows us both heaven and hell, death and life, wrath and grace, and reveals unto us our sins and ruined condition, so that we may be awakened on account of it, because we hear that a man as soon as he is born, naturally belongs to the devil and is condemned. This is part of this constraint, by which one is terrified at the wrath of God and desires grace and help from him."

I know many reject Luther, but there might be a few elect souls whom God will yet lead to the knowledge of the truth. I therefore quoted from two of his sermons as he preached concerning Original Sin. Truly there was rejoicing in Heaven when such sinners were given the grace to hear and believe the gospel! Many ask where the rejoicing has gone from among us. I assert and assure you that it is gone with the right preaching of the Law.

The teaching of Original Sin was very clearly taught in the Reformation and Awakening times, and was accepted as a common and ordinary saying. Today, however, people rise up angrily against this teaching. I fear it is because they are unawakened, and the judgment of damnation by God against them has never been experienced. Revelation of sin goes no deeper for them than actual sin, do's and don'ts. When they clean up their act they are converted, and if they fall into a sin on their conviction list they simply confess it to 'put it away'. They teach that all are born saved and if we lead a good life and make confession of our sins we will stay saved. God's judgment is always pending, and if we toe the line we will escape it.

The truth is, God's judgment has already been pronounced against the sinful race of Adam, and this judgment applies to all, youngest to oldest. This is because of our inward corruption which we cannot change or confess away. We need to be delivered from this state, born again, thoroughly washed and purged. This comes when one hears and believes the gospel; that Christ has died for your sins and by faith in His blood you are completely cleansed and justified. You are now by the operation of the Holy Spirit dead to sin and alive unto righteousness. This is God's promise, a blood Covenant in which He sees and remembers your sins no more, but sees you as holy and righteous, without spot or blemish. This applies to all sinners, youngest to oldest, upon whom God now, by this Gospel, shows favor and promises to pour out blessings upon them even unto eternal life.

On Confession And Absolution

Luther On Confession Of Sin

This is an apt and timely addition to our present study of Luther when we consider today how the Apostolic Lutheran Church has come to the point where the sacrament of Holy Baptism is greatly diminished, and in reality is rejected as it is performed basically as a tradition, and the blessing of private confession has been unscripturally elevated to a sacrament and is commanded as necessary for salvation. This is to turn Christian doctrine upside down, for we reject the very command and promise of Christ concerning Baptism, and we erringly draw from Scripture non-existent commands and promises with regard to private confession.

The scriptural doctrine of the Apostolic Lutheran Church as explained in the Augsburg Confession is taken from Article 25 which reads in part:

But of Confession, they teach, that an enumeration of sins is not necessary, and that consciences be not burdened with anxiety to enumerate all sins, for it is impossible to recount all sins, as the Psalm testifies [19:13]: "Who can understand his errors?" Also Jeremiah [17:9]: "The heart is deceitful, who can know it?" But if no sins were forgiven, except those that are recounted, consciences could never find peace; for very many sins they neither see, nor can remember.

The ancient writers also testify that an enumeration is not necessary. For, in the Decrees, Chrysostom is quoted, who thus says: "I say not to thee, that thou shouldest disclose thyself in public, nor that thou accuse thyself before others, but I would have thee obey the prophet who says: 'Disclose thy way before God.' Therefore confess thy sins before God, the true Judge, with prayer. Tell thine errors, not with the tongue, but with the memory of thy conscience." And the Gloss ("Of Repentance," Distinct. v, Cap. Consideret) admits that Confession of human right only. Nevertheless, on account of the great benefit of absolution, and because it is otherwise useful to the conscience, Confession is retained among us.

We see that confession is retained not for the sake of telling our sins, but rather for hearing the absolution. It is wrongly taught today that confession and absolution is effective opus operatum, that is if the work is performed and sins are recounted, they are then forgiven. I've heard expressions concerning confession such as sin is thereby "pulled up by the roots," and that in confession sin is "put away." What of the condition of heart? What of faith? What of true penitence? These are rather what are necessary and essential unto salvation, and when these are present, sins are forgiven even before they are auricularly (spoken into the ear) confessed, for believers abide under a complete and eternal forgiveness in the New Covenant which is sealed by the blood of Christ. It is absolutely impossible for man to put away the guilt of his sin. "Put" is a verb, and man has no power over sin. But Christ does, and this is what we hear in the gospel.

The scriptural usage of the term "put away sin" means to put it out of your life and do not live in it. Make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lust thereof. It is only Jesus Christ who can put away the guilt of sin. This is taught in both the Old and New Testaments. Nathan told David, "And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die" II Sam. 12:13. We read in Hebrews, "For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself" Heb. 9:26. This wonderful freedom from the guilt of sin is received only by the hearing of faith; when the word of the gospel sheds abroad in the sinner's heart the love and forgiveness of Christ. This hearing brings a confidence against sin, death and hell, and we are encouraged to keep this confidence steadfast unto the end (Heb. 3:14, 10:35). May we never be moved from the hope brought unto us by the hearing of faith, that, when we find that we are sinners we would begin to doubt our salvation and seek to add something unto faith, for we know that we are justified by faith alone. That gospel which we heard at the beginning is in full force yet today.

I will include also part of a sermon of Luther from his Church Postil, also known as the Wartburg Postil.

The other aspect is the fact that they are virtually in control of confession; the pope has granted them this privilege too, by virtue of the same authority by which he permitted them to make their way through the houses. This is truly the devil's game and the women fall for it, especially those who are secretly tormented by serious and grievous sins, or, as St. Paul says, are burdened with sins [II Tim. 3:6]. For as soon as their consciences plague them and they do not know where to seek help and advice, these foolish women run and disgorge their troubles into a cowl (garment worn by a priest) and think they have succeeded in getting rid of them. But they become really enmeshed and keep on bringing and donating whatever they can and own. The holy fathers then arise and preach about the need to confess sins and cite many examples of women who were eternally damned and appeared after death and stated that they were damned because they had failed to confess something. Thus the greatest of popish lies so surround us, that the stones might well tremble and sweat.

Observe the examples cited in their sermons and you will notice that usually it is only women, not men, who were damned because of failure to confess something, so we might clearly realize that it was an archrogue who invented these examples. For he was curious to know the innermost heart and the secrets of women. Noticing that womenfolk are by nature fainthearted and bashful, more so than men, he thought: I will give them good advice and extort the innermost secrets from their hearts through the terrors of confession. With the help of the devil he succeeded in this. But in this manner he also bound and condemned the consciences of many who had failed to confess because of sheer unconquerable bashfulness and timidity, and so they sinned against their consciences because they believed it was necessary to confess and yet did not do so. God will judge you according to your faith; if you believe that it is your duty to do a thing and you fail to do it, it is a sin. In my judgment this rogue who by such examples binds consciences in a false faith and condemns them, deserves to have not only his body but also his soul torn apart by all devils and pulverized into a hundred thousand pieces. What a horrible murder of souls is perpetrated throughout the world by these hellish traitors and popish liars! Oh weep, whoever can weep, over such lamentable destruction of poor souls!

When poor, fainthearted women who are naive and credulous by nature and want to be pious and devout, hear such preaching, they fall for it and are caught and seek advice and help from their spiritual father. But this course ass and blind leader of the blind knows nothing of faith or of Christ and proceeds to teach them to do penance for their sins by works and satisfactions. And so the martyrdom begins of which St. Paul speaks here when he says that they always learn and never arrive at the knowledge of the truth. But this is not the way to pacify women's consciences. Their sins burden and torment them and they would gladly be rid of them, but do not know how, and so they reach the next stage about which St. Paul speaks here when he says that they are swayed by various impulses. They then begin to fast with bread and water, to go on pilgrimages in bare feet, want to visit the saints. Some whip themselves until they bleed, some make gifts to the church, others donate a chalice. There is no end or limit to the various impulses that sway them. They fall on anything they hear as being good for the expiation of sins, and with utter seriousness they are anxious to emulate it and yet they cannot find peace. Meanwhile the spiritual, holy father sits tight, for he has trapped the poor animal and its value for him far surpasses the possession of so many cows that can be milked. Once the women are trapped, their men are soon caught too and must accommodate themselves to the extortions of secret confession. But where the true royal road to freedom is preached, they will say: Dear women, if anyone among you is burdened by sin, let her confess it, if she so desires. But whether she confesses or not, let her have the firm faith that Christ forgives her sins, and let her secretly confess to him with a full and hearty trust in his grace which he has promised to all who seek it and do not doubt it, and so her sins are most certainly forgiven. Let her thereafter avoid such sins and practice good works towards her neighbors who are in need of them; let her invite the poor, wash their feet, and humbly serve them. Behold, that would be the right way to restore a sinful woman, and all of it would be done with joy and good will, without burdening the conscience, and so would be will pleasing in the sight of God.

Luther writes again on confession in a March 16, 1522 sermon preached at Wittenberg. In it he writes of three types of confession: two of which are commanded by Scripture and one which is not commanded. He writes concerning the latter:

Thirdly, there is also the kind of confession in which one takes another aside and tells him what troubles one, so that one may hear from him a word of comfort; and this confession is commanded by the pope. It is this urging and forcing which I condemned when I wrote concerning confession, and I refuse to go to confession simply because the pope has commanded it and insists upon it. For I wish him to keep his hands off the confession and not make of it a compulsion or command, which he has not the power to do. Nevertheless I will allow no man to take private confession away from me, and I would not give it up for all the treasures in the world, since I know what comfort and strength it has given me. No one knows what it can do for him except one who has struggled often and long with the devil. Yea, the devil would have slain me long ago, if the confession had not sustained me. For there are many doubtful matters which a man cannot resolve or find the answer to by himself, and so he takes his brother aside and tells him his trouble. What harm is there if he humbles himself a little before his neighbor, puts himself to shame, looks for a word of comfort from him, accepts it, and believes it, as if he were hearing it from God himself, as we read in Matt. 18 [:19], "If two of you agree about anything they ask, it will be done for them."

Moreover, we must have many absolutions, so that we may strengthen our timid consciences and despairing hearts against the devil and against God. Therefore, no man shall forbid the confession or keep or draw any one away from it. And if any one is wrestling with his sins and wants to be rid of them and desires a sure word on the matter, let him go and confess to another in secret, and accept what he says to him as if God himself had spoken it through the mouth of this person. However, one who has a strong, firm faith that his sins are forgiven may let this confession go and confess to God alone. But how many have such a strong faith? Therefore, as I have said, I will not let this private confession be taken from me. But I will not have anybody forced to it, but left to each one's free will.

For our God, the God we have, is not so stingy that he has left us with only one comfort or strengthening for our conscience, or only one absolution, but we have many absolutions in the gospel and we are richly showered with many absolutions. For instance, we have this in the gospel: "If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you" [Matt. 6:14]. Another comfort we have in the Lord's Prayer: "Forgive us our trespasses," etc. [Matt. 6:12]. A third is our baptism, when I reason thus: See, my Lord, I have been baptized in thy name so that I may be assured of thy grace and mercy. Then we have private confession, when I go and receive a sure absolution as if God himself spoke it, so that I may be assured that my sins are forgiven. Finally, I take to myself the blessed sacrament, when I eat his body and drink his blood as a sign that I am rid of my sins and God has freed me from all my frailties; and in order to make sure of this, he gives me his body to eat and his blood to drink, so that I shall not and cannot doubt that I have a gracious God.

Thus you see that confession must not be despised, but that it is a comforting thing. And since we need many absolutions and assurances, because we must fight against the devil, death, hell, and sin, we must not allow any of our weapons to be taken away, but keep intact the whole armor and equipment which God has given us to use against our enemies. For you do not yet know what labor it costs to fight with the devil and overcome him. But I know it well, for I have eaten a bit of salt or two with him. I know him will, and he knows me well, too. If you had known him, you would not have rejected confession in this way.

I commend you to God. Amen.

We see that believers are justified by faith, and are in a Covenant of grace and forgiveness in which God showers us with absolution. We are a forgiven people. "And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin" Heb. 10: 17, 18. Private confession is used to reassure us of our blessed condition when our conscience is burdened. It is not commanded by Scripture, neither is it used as a means of receiving forgiveness of particular sins. Furthermore, consciences must not be trained to be burdened and under pain of judgment should there be a sin on the conscience. Rather we must teach that faith in the blood of Christ brings complete and eternal forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation unto us, and the conscience must be ruled by this grace, and not by a law of confession.

Steven E. Anderson
7/4/2011