“I Am Simply Urging You to Be a Christian” By Lynnette Fredericksen
I DON’T WANT TO DO IT!
I am scared! What will I say? What if what I say sounds stupid? What if I make a fool of myself? What will others think of me if they find out I do this “churchy” thing? What will pastor think of me? Can I trust my pastor?
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Auugh! Why has pastor reinstituted private confession and absolution? He says it has been around from the time of Reformation. Martin Luther even said that he would not exchange it for all the wealth of the world for he knew what strength and comfort it had given him. I check my Book of Concord, and find this: Holy Absolution is the “voice of the Gospel,” and says “we must believe the voice of the one absolving no less than we would believe a voice coming from heaven.” But why couldn’t pastor have left it hidden on the back shelf like it has been for the past couple hundred years? Do I really need to do this? I have not robbed a bank or killed anyone, but I am troubled by guilt because of little, dumb sins. I need to dump this load of guilt. But preparation is scary. There is nothing pretty about looking at myself and seeing what sin I have committed against God. It is hard to face the hurt I have caused others by what I have said or done; or the things I have not done. The evil in my heart is horrible to dig out and look at. It is hard to face the truth of my sin once I strip off all the excuses, blaming of others, and explaining it away. I am not very good at accepting responsibility for my sin.
