=steve b;11291699]I’m reading what Luther actually said
*11. “By no means can you have reassurance of being absolved because of your contrition,” but because of the word of Christ *
Is he talking about forgiveness of venial sins? Mortal sins? Being absolved of sins requires contrition. One isn’t forgiven regardless of contrition.
He isn’t talking about mortal and venial sins because that’s not, generally, the way Lutherans speak of sin. Sure, we have a concept of mortal and venial, but it differs from the Catholic view. Again, grace absolves.
Luther continues
*“Whatsoever you shall loose, etc.” Hence, I say, trust confidently, if you have obtained the absolution of the priest, and firmly believe yourself to have been absolved, and you will truly be absolved, whatever there may be of contrition." *
What’s in red is a conditional statement.
One has absolution only if one believes they have absolution and regardless of contrition.
Tell me where my reading of this is incorrect
In the entirety of context regarding confession and repentance, yes you are incorrect. Look again at the Smalcald article I posted. The statement “whatever may be of contrition” is, again, a statement of what absolves, and that is grace. Even the faith that makes it possible for one to seek absolution and believe the words of the priest granting it, is a gift of grace.
That’s not the point I raised. Luther said “No sin can separate us from Him, even if we were to kill or commit adultery thousands of times each day.”
What’s underlined is nonsense. The rest is an extreme exaggeration
This is why pulling a sentence or two out of the letter is fruitless.
“If you are a preacher of grace, then preach a true and not a fictitious grace; if grace is true, you must bear a true and not a fictitious sin. God does not save people who are only fictitious sinners. Be a sinner and sin boldly, but believe and rejoice in Christ even more boldly, for he is victorious over sin, death, and the world. As long as we are here [in this world] we have to sin. This life is not the dwelling place of righteousness, but, as Peter says, we look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. It is enough that by the riches of God’s glory we have come to know the Lamb that takes away the sin of the world. No sin will separate us from the Lamb, even though we commit fornication and murder a thousand times a day. Do you think that the purchase price that was paid for the redemption of our sins by so great a Lamb is too small? Pray boldly—you too are a mighty sinner.”
The entire paragraph is about exhorting Melanchthon to be a preacher of true grace, without hesitation or fear of sin. Preach the Gospel!
And all the hyperbole regarding murders and fornication, and how those things cannot separate us from the Lamb leads up to the last two sentences:
** Do you think that the purchase price that was paid for the redemption of our sins by so great a Lamb is too small? **
God’s grace, for Christ’s sake, is far greater than our sin. If it were not, then we would be believers in vain.
And he finishes:
Pray boldly—you too are a mighty sinner.
Pray boldly. Who but the regenerate, who knows he has sin, and is sorry for them (contrite) prays boldly. Why pray boldly - because you too are a mighty sinner.
I get that. But that’s not Luther’s point that I’m focusing on. His point is what precedes that. “No sin can separate us from Him”
That’s NOT true.
Of course its not true, taken on its own, or out of context. Witness the last line - pray boldly, and remember, this is not a doctrinal statement, but a personal letter between theologians of (at least at this time) like minds. Read what Melanchthon writes about confession and repentance:
Article XI: Of Confession.
1] Of Confession they teach that Private Absolution ought to be retained in the churches, although in confession 2] an enumeration of all sins is not necessary. For it is impossible according to the Psalm: Who can understand his errors? Ps. 19:12.
Article VII: Of Repentance.
1] Of Repentance they teach that for those who have fallen after Baptism there is remission of sins whenever they are converted 2] and that the Church ought to impart absolution to those thus returning to repentance. Now, repentance consists properly of these 3] two parts: One is contrition, that is, 4] terrors smiting the conscience through the knowledge of sin; the other is faith, which is born of 5] the Gospel, or of absolution, and believes that for Christ’s sake, sins are forgiven, comforts 6] the conscience, and delivers it from terrors. Then good works are bound to follow, which are the fruits of repentance.
They each know and believe in Confession and repentance, and that they go together. There is no need to state the obvious, that which is assumed by both, that the regenerate will seek out absolution, and that the feeling of need for repentance includes contrition.
Jon
). Luther was very much conservative and very much against most of the innovations that were blowing up during this time - see the 
I’m thinking, If he was really concerned about hell, he never would have left the Catholic Church.