The Book of Confessions - The Presbyterian Leader

And we do not doubt that they were accepted by God into grace. For the apostle John says: "If
we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all
unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us" (I
John 1:9 f.).
SACERDOTAL CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION. But we believe that this sincere
confession which is made to God alone, either privately between God and the sinner, or publicly
in the Church where the general confession of sins is said, is sufficient, and that in order to obtain
forgiveness of sins it is not necessary for anyone to confess his sins to a priest, murmuring them in
his ears, that in turn he might receive absolution from the priest with his laying on of hands,
because there is neither a commandment nor an example of this in Holy Scriptures. David testifies
and says: "I acknowledged my sin to thee, and did not hide my iniquity; I said, 'I will confess my
transgressions to the Lord'; then thou didst forgive the guilt of my sin" (Ps. 32:5). And the Lord
who taught us to pray and at the same time to confess our sins said: "Pray then like this: Our
Father, who art in heaven, . . . forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors" (Matt. 6:12).
Therefore it is necessary that we confess our sins to God our Father, and be reconciled with our
neighbor if we have offended him. Concerning this kind of confession, the Apostle James says:
"Confess your sins to one another" (James 5:16). If, however, anyone is overwhelmed by the
burden of his sins and by perplexing temptations, and will seek counsel, instruction and comfort
privately, either from a minister of the Church, or from any other brother who is instructed in
God's law, we do not disapprove; just as we also fully approve of that general and public
confession of sins which is usually said in Church and in meetings for worship, as we noted above,
inasmuch as it is agreeable to Scripture.
OF THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. Concerning the keys of the
Kingdom of Heaven which the Lord gave to the apostles, many babble many astonishing things,
and out of them forge swords, spears, scepters and crowns, and complete power over the greatest
kingdoms, indeed, over souls and bodies. Judging simply according to the Word of the Lord, we
say that all properly called ministers possess and exercise the keys or the use of them when they
proclaim the Gospel; that is, when they teach, exhort, comfort, rebuke, and keep in discipline the
people committed to their trust.
OPENING AND SHUTTING (THE KINGDOM). For in this way they open the
Kingdom of Heaven to the obedient and shut it to the disobedient. The Lord promised these keys
to the apostles in Matt., ch. 16, and gave them in John, ch. 20, Mark, ch. 16, and Luke, ch. 24,
when he sent out his disciples and commanded them to preach the Gospel in all the world, and to
remit sins.
THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION. In the letter to the Corinthians the apostle
says that the Lord gave the ministry of reconciliation to his ministers (II Cor. 5:18 ff.). And what
this is he then explains, saying that it is the preaching or teaching of reconciliation. And
explaining his words still more clearly he adds that Christ's ministers discharge the office of an
ambassador in Christ's name, as if God himself through ministers exhorted the people to be
Copyright © 1996 by the Office of the General Assembly, Presbyterian Church (USA)