As a non-Catholic, do you pray to God for the forgiveness of your sins?

[JonNC]

I don’t want to miscategorize luthern beliefs (which is difficult when Lutherans themselves are such a divided group) so please correct me if I’m wrong. Lutherns do not believe that confession is the only ordinary means of absolution. I.e. Lutherns would say that you can be sure of your absolution by saying some of the mass prayers. Is this a fair statement?

The standard Lutheran practice is corporate Confession and holy Absolution as part of the liturgy. Additionally, Lutherans have access to private Confession and Absolution. In both instances, the Pastor pronounces Absolution. In both instances, the Church is fulfilling its role to bind and loose. In both instances, the command that we confess our sins one to another.

Neither of these exclude the encouragement of individuals to pray for forgiveness. God hears prayers. God forgives sins. Christ, in the Our Father, sets the example of asking for forgiveness of sins. It would make no sense for Christ to do that without the promise of forgiveness.

If so you can’t and shouldn’t pretend to have a Catholic understanding of confession.

I don’t think anyone claimed, much less pretended that the Lutheran understanding of Confession lines up in lock step with the Catholic understanding, nor would a Lutheran feel it is necessary to do so.

 

[lilypadrees]

From what I’ve read, a Lutheran minister’s ability to forgive sins is only valid to and for the members of his church.

 

[JonNC]

From what I’ve read, a Lutheran minister’s ability to forgive sins is only valid to and for the members of his church.

Source.

When I was Lutheran, I visited many Lutheran churches and received Absolution as well as the Eucharist.

That said, would I be granted Absolution in a Catholic Church?

 

[Hodos]

If so, how do you justify doing that if you also believe Jesus died for all of your sins past, present, and future, and you have already been redeemed in full?

First, Jesus is God, the second person of the Godhead. Your statement was a little confusing so I wanted to make sure that this point was clarified. That being said, yes, Christ did die for our sins past, present, and future, and we have been redeemed in full. However, we still sin and repent of our sin and pray for forgiveness in the confidence that Christ has paid for that sin. We do so knowing that we are wretched sinners and that we daily and continually rely on God’s grace through faith, and wait expectantly for the day when sin and death will be destroyed and our redemption will be made manifest to all. We repent and pray for forgiveness in the assurance that the Holy Spirit will continue to work in us and sanctify us day by day because of the completed work of Christ, and that the Holy Spirit has been given to us as the deposit which provides God’s guarantee that we are his inheritance.

 

[CelticWarlord]

# do you pray to God for the forgiveness of your sins? <<<

I used to in the specific way I’m sure you mean here. But contrition for wrongdoing is now an ingrained part of my character. My dialog with God is continuous. My constant goal is to overcome the flaws which cause me to stumble. I make corrections to thoughts and habits daily. I no longer feel addressing each mistake is necessary. Speak with God, respond to God, make God the center of our existence. It amounts to the same thing for me.