The Small Catechism
by Dr. Martin Luther
As the head of the family should teach them in a simple way to his household.
What is the Office of the Keys?
The Office of the Keys is the special authority which Christ has given to His Church on earth: to forgive the sins of repentant sinners, but to retain the sins of the unrepentant as long as they do not repent.
Where is this written?
The evangelist writes, in John 20:22-23, “Jesus breathed on His disciples and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; and if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’”
What do you believe according to these words?
I believe that when the called servants of Christ deal with us by His divine command, specifically, when they exclude public, unrepentant sinners from the Christian congregation, and absolve those who repent of their sins and want to amend their ways, this is just as valid and certain in heaven as if Christ our dear Lord has done it Himself.
What is Confession?
Confession consists of two parts: one, that we confess our sins; the other, that we receive absolution, or forgiveness, from the pastor or confessor as from God himself, and in no way doubt, but firmly believe that our sins are thereby forgiven before God in heaven.
What sins should we confess?
Before God we should acknowledge ourselves guilty of all sins, even of those which we do not know about, as we do in the Lord’s Prayer. But before the pastor or confessor we should acknowledge those sins only which we know and feel in our hearts.
Which are these?
Here consider your own station according to the Ten Commandments, whether you are a father, mother, son, daughter, employer, employee; whether you have
been disobedient, dishonest, lazy; whether you have injured anyone by word or deed; whether you have stolen, neglected, wasted anything, or done any harm.
