hide submenuDuring a Lenten service, we had a printed prayer of confession that stated the following: "Forgive our sins great and small." Twice this year that we have heard in a worship of "big and little sins" or "great and small sins." From my understanding of the Lutheran Confessions, the Small Catechism, the Large Catechism, and Scripture, sin is sin. Are there large and small sins in the eyes of the Lord?
The Lutheran church always talks about us as "poor miserable sinners." This is ridiculous. We were sinners, but if you read Romans, Paul's entire argument is that we are righteous because we have died to sin. Our sinful flesh, while still a part of us, no longer has reign over us since Christ lives in us. We are now spiritual beings, being born again, raised from the dead. While the old Adam still struggles with our new self in Christ, and causes us to sin, it has no hold over us. That is the freedom in Christ. So while we may continue to struggle with sin, our identity is no longer that of a sinner but that of a saint...for through faith in Christ we are righteous. I spent 30 years thinking I was a poor miserable sinner and I was locked into and held bondage to sin. I do sin, but I have been made righteous through the blood of Christ, and sin no longer has any hold over my life.
I am doing a research paper on why the LCMS believes that all sins are equal before God. Some religions make distinctions between sins, saying that some are less serious than others. What does the Bible say about this?
According to the answer on the "All Sins the Same?" page the LCMS teaches that "all sins come equally under God's judgment," and therefore all sins are equal--whether sins of thought or deed, or even perhaps where our earthly laws would have us believe one sin is of greater wrong than another (for example, murdering someone versus swearing). Yet on your "Degrees of Heaven/Hell" page you say that in Hell the degree of torment will be "determined by the nature of the sins to be punished" and in Heaven "there will be degrees of glory corresponding to the differences of work and fidelity here on earth." This doesn't seem to make sense to me: If all sins are the same equally under God's judgment in their capacity to separate us from the love of God, and God sees all sin weighing equally, how then can we at the same time be evaluated by degree with regards to heaven/hell?
Can a person be forgiven of a sin that they are still committing? For example, if a person is doing drugs? Let's say the person confesses their sin to God, but then continues to commit the sin again. They want to stop doing the drugs, but for whatever reason they continue with the drugs and continue asking for forgiveness. I guess the question is really this: My understanding is that a person is forgiven based on what they believe (not on what they 'do'). If a person is sorry for their sin and confesses their sin, but does not 'omit' the sin from their lives, are they truly forgiven?
I believe that Christ took the punishment for our sins. We confess and are forgiven, but we are not punished because Christ paid the ultimate price. I believe we are not under the law but under the gospel of Christ. My husband, however, believes that we confess, are forgiven, but are still punished. He says we are still under the law as well as the gospel. For example, if I am envious of someone's possessions, I can confess and God will forgive, but He will still exact some punishment, such as keeping me financially strapped so I cannot have that possession which caused the envy in the first place.
I don't really understand repentance. Is it being sorry for your sins and confessing them to God or does it mean to stop committing a certain sin? Like if you are stealing, does repentance mean to stop stealing, because that would mean we can stop sinning and we know we can never stop sinning. I have sins that I commit over and over again, not like I did before I was saved, but I still commit them. So if I don't stop committing those sins (repentance), does that mean that I am going to hell? And also, when the Bible talks about how worldly sorrow brings death but godly sorrow brings repentance and life, how do I know which one I have?
Why do bad things happen to good people? Does God cause bad things or does he just let them happen? Does he punish or discipline? And what could be the purpose--such as when you lose your Mom at the age of 11 and she suffered so with cancer?
In our church's confession, the congregation states that we deserve eternal damnation and hell, or something close to that. These words sound harsh and don't feel like they are legitimately connected to God. I just don't think that God thinks that we deserve eternal damnation and hell. Will you please explain this part of the confession and also provide information on the Biblical basis for it?
We understand that by His suffering and death as the substitute for all people of all time, Jesus purchased and won forgiveness of sins and eternal life for them. My question is this: Why are we still asking God to forgive our sins? It seems to me that it's a part of the liturgy in almost all worship services, it's taught in our schools, and modeled by our pastors in their teaching and prayers. The implication to me is that I am not really forgiven. I must keep asking and pleading to "keep the slate clean." Any kind of rational thought or logic tells me that I am either forgiven or I am not. The sins that accumulate between the times that I ask for forgiveness would certainly separate me from God and send me to hell if I were to die with them unforgiven.
How does a person know if he or she has sinned against the Holy Spirit? Could a person commit this sin and not know about it? Is concern about this sin evidence that one has not committed it?
Will God forgive me of my sins if I haven't forgiven others?
What does the Missouri Synod believe about confession of sin. Should it be made to God directly or through a person, such as a minister?
Why is Confession\Absolution not considered a Sacrament in the Missouri Synod?
My son asked me why Jesus had to suffer for our sins. Why couldn't God excuse our sins just by our belief in Christ without Jesus suffering such a horrible death?
I have a question related to forgiveness of sins. If I have not directly confessed my sins to those I have sinned against but I have confessed and repented to the Lord will my sins still be forgiven?
