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Office of the Keys Teaching Sermon
What is the "Office of the Keys"?
It is that authority which Christ gave to his church to forgive the sins of those who repent and to declare to those who do not that their sins are not forgiven.
What are the words of Christ?
"Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." John 20:23
"Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Matthew 18:18
"Key" Quote
"Our people are taught that they should highly prize the absolution, as being the voice of God, and pronounced by God's command. The power of the Keys is set forth in its beauty and they are reminded what great consolation it brings to anxious consciences, also, that God requires faith to believe such absolution as a voice sounding from heaven, and that such faith in Christ truly obtains and receives the forgiveness of sins." – From the Augsburg Confession, a basic document of Lutheran teaching
What sins should we confess? (Luther’s Small Catechism)
Before God we should confess that we are guilty of all sins, even those which are not known to us, as we do in the Lord’s Prayer. But in private confession, as before the pastor or any Christian, we should confess only those sins which trouble us in heart and mind.
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