Corporate/Personal Confession of Sin

[bookish_Basset]

I've experienced a range of approaches to confession of sin in P&R congregations. In none of these have I ever been certain how to approach it on a personal level during the worship service; I'm not sure I've ever really heard it explained.

My PCA church does not have a corporate confession of sin in our order of service. My previous one did, typically using a different congregational prayer each week and followed by a brief time for private prayer and then words of assurance from scripture. I always struggled with this because the written prayer was usually something I'd never seen before the service, and the prayer time was so short as to feel almost perfunctory.

However, we recently visited a URC congregation that had a congregational reading of the law from scripture, a more prolonged period for personal confession of sin (with many kneeling), followed by a congregational affirmation of belief in the sufficiency of Christ's atonement and a declaration of absolution. I had never experienced this form before and rather liked how seriously it was taken, even though I still struggled with it. I've been told that the ministerial declaration is more of a feature in the Dutch tradition.

I'm interested in thoughts on any or all of the following:

• I understand that confession of sin was part of the earliest Reformed liturgies—how did Reformers like Calvin and Knox understand the role of confession and absolution in worship, given that they certainly didn't regard it in the same way Rome did?
• How does your church/denomination practice this, if at all?
• (Pastors in particular) If it's part of your worship services, how do you counsel people to make the best use of this element, especially those who tend to be overly scrupulous? I know the personal confession is obviously not meant to be exhaustive (as if it could ever be). So what should one try to focus on; and how should one take comfort from the absolution, knowing full well how poor and inadequate their confession was?

(edit: I meant to put this in the general Worship forum, not Church Calendar, so feel free to move it if desired.)

 

[JD]

1. Reading from God's Law
2. Private Prayer of Confession
3. Corporate Prayer of Confession (pre-written by the minister or an historic prayer)
4. Scriptural Assurance of Pardon

This seems to me to be the most biblical order. The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin in the reading of the Law, we respond in faith through prayer, and the Holy Spirit assures us of our forgiveness in Christ's blood by the Word.

Our church does not usually include #1 and substitutes a pastoral prayer at #3.

 

[alexanderjames]

I am not advocating for one position or another, simply sharing that of my own church congregation (which is conservative Church of England). We always have a time of corporate confession, but it is not always in the same format. Generally however, it takes place after some prayers and a couple of songs. The congregation is invited to assume a posture they are most comfortable with (most people sit, some kneel) and say together either the part or the whole of a liturgical confession. I understand what you mean when you say,

I always struggled with this because the written prayer was usually something I'd never seen before the service, and the prayer time was so short as to feel almost perfunctory.

Although I am now familiar with the typical prayers used, it often feels like the time of penitential contemplation is too brief.

A book which came out a few years ago may be of interest here - it's called "Reformation Worship: Liturgies from the Past for the Present" and traces example liturgies from Martin Luther to the 'Middelburg Liturgy' in 1586. The Reformed Forum discussed it on their podcast (Christ the Centre episode 566) although I haven't listened to it.

 

[bookish_Basset]

A book which came out a few years ago may be of interest here - it's called "Reformation Worship: Liturgies from the Past for the Present" and traces example liturgies from Martin Luther to the 'Middelburg Liturgy' in 1586. The Reformed Forum discussed it on their podcast (Christ the Centre episode 566) although I haven't listened to it.

Thanks for this -- heard of this book before and will likely check it out, as it sounds helpful.

Anybody else have thoughts on this, especially the pastoral aspect in the third bullet above?

 

[Charles Johnson]

The vast majority of historic reformed liturgies do not have the congregation reciting a confession of sin. Some folks get confused when they read historic liturgies and see words like "prayer of confession" or "confession of sin", and they read the modern practice of a recited corporate confession into that, but it was actually the pastor praying for the sins of the congregation.
The issue with a recited corporate confession is that it's often insincere. The people are confessing sins, not because they're convicted they have committed them (and perhaps they haven't committed them in the manner described), but because it's printed in the bulletin.
The reformers criticized the Roman Mass liturgy for including the words "mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa," "my guilt, my guilt, so great is my guilt," which the priest would say, whether or not he was convicted he was guilty of heinous sins. It's inherently insincere.
Thus, Presbyterian, Dutch Reformed, Swiss, etc liturgies had no such thing.

 

[Contra_Mundum]

(Pastors in particular) If it's part of your worship services, how do you counsel people to make the best use of this element, especially those who tend to be overly scrupulous? I know the personal confession is obviously not meant to be exhaustive (as if it could ever be). So what should one try to focus on; and how should one take comfort from the absolution, knowing full well how poor and inadequate their confession was?

You asked, so I'll make a stab.

I would counsel a pastor (or liturgist) to make the corporate terms generic, as in not sin-specific any further than a moral law description goes. As far as possible, borrow the language of Scripture itself for the people to take up on their lips. Remember, worship is a repetitive activity, so everything--every particular sin--is not suitable for confession every Sunday in corporate terms. There are the "big sins," lust of flesh, lust of eyes, pride of life stuff. There is a general admission of corruption, ala David in Ps.51. If the pastor is careful, the sin that so easily entangles me, the command I have difficulty preserving, will be covered in general often, and in particular in a week or two (probably).

Ps.51 is a good example, too, because it isn't a Psalm exclusively for adulterers and murderers to use when confessing one's guilt. The book of Psalms is where the pastor might turn to counsel the people to make their best use. If an individual can adopt the language of David for him/herself, then if we all pray the words of Ps.51 with one voice (or like terms), we can each of us intend a personal confession of our own fault distinct from the weakness and sin of someone else, besides our shared fallen nature and burden of the flesh.

As for receiving the comfort of the gospel, this is why we need to confess (internalize) the "Amen" of the exemplar prayer. Heidelberg Catechism 129.

Q. What does the word Amen mean?​

A. Amen means:​

It is true and certain.​

For God has much more certainly heard my prayer​

than I feel in my heart that I desire this of him.​

It is essential of true faith to believe even when we are partly unbelieving. Assurance does not come from my own sense or "feeling," but is imparted by God through his word and Spirit. Hence, realizing our inherent weakness, we return over and over all our lives to the means of grace. Thereby, we are built up in our faith, our assurance grows. "Take it, lassie; it's for sinners!"

 

[bookish_Basset]

The issue with a recited corporate confession is that it's often insincere. The people are confessing sins, not because they're convicted they have committed them (and perhaps they haven't committed them in the manner described), but because it's printed in the bulletin.

This has definitely been my experience in the past.

It is essential of true faith to believe even when we are partly unbelieving. Assurance does not come from my own sense or "feeling," but is imparted by God through his word and Spirit. Hence, realizing our inherent weakness, we return over and over all our lives to the means of grace.

I need to hear this over and over! Thanks.

 

[jwithnell]

We follow the order: law -- corporate confession -- private -- and assurance from scripture. The corporate prayer often quotes from scripture and draws from a topic we'll hear in the sermon. Quite frankly, I've never read the corporate prayer and thought, "well I've never done that." I find it also enhances my follow-up to what is preached that week.

 

[bookish_Basset]

We follow the order: law -- corporate confession -- private -- and assurance from scripture. The corporate prayer often quotes from scripture and draws from a topic we'll hear in the sermon. Quite frankly, I've never read the corporate prayer and thought, "well I've never done that." I find it also enhances my follow-up to what is preached that week.

That makes sense.

For me, I think it's not so much that I don't think I need to confess particular things. It's more the disconnect between the subjectivity of my poor confession (which requires looking inward) and the objectivity of the assurance/absolution (which is supposed to be entirely outward), which has confused me for as long as I can remember. I've assumed that you're meant to somehow flip an internal switch from grief to comfort, but have never fathomed how to do that on the spot.

But, per some of the discussion above, I guess I need to let go of expecting a specific subjective sense or feeling of comfort or (for lack of a better word) "closure" from this part of the service. After all, if I somehow felt that I had confessed my sins with adequate concreteness and sincerity, which I can never perfectly do, there's no way it could ever somehow merit forgiveness. I struggle in a similar way with the Lord's Supper and have to continually remember to look outward instead of at my (lack of) feeling and trust that it's effectual over a lifetime, even though I can't perceive it in the moment and can't grasp how. I can see how I probably need to adopt a similar practice here.

 

[Contra_Mundum]

there's no way it could ever somehow merit forgiveness. I struggle in a similar way with the Lord's Supper and have to continually remember to look outward instead of at my (lack of) feeling and trust that it's effectual over a lifetime, even though I can't perceive it in the moment and can't grasp how.

You have groped your way to the truth. As hard as it may be to settle on this point, yet nothing is more vital to faith's exercise: God's word (Amen) is more solid and sure, objective and concrete, originating outside of me and my self-generated feelings. I may judge my reaction to the word "insufficient" or "over-the-top," neither which extreme or in between having the slightest bearing on what God has said.

There is a sense in which the intellect is not "enough." I see my wife most every day, I regularly note the ring on my finger, I remember our wedding day, there is a marriage license in a drawer. I am definitely married, but I want to feel married. If, on the other hand, all I had were the feelings, that would be a poor foundation for a marriage, if one even existed outside my passions and my claim to "be married." I am thankful that even when I don't feel married (mostly attributable to my need for an attitude adjustment), nothing actually changes about my status. My intellect reliably informs me that I am wed.

God is almighty, holy, just, and good. He is merciful. He really did send his Son into the world, and the Son did a great work of redemption. Salvation is God's free gift to believers, given for sinners who do nothing but receive it. He works in those people to change and sanctify them, remaking them into what they ought to be. God is love.

These propositions come to us from God, if the Bible be trustworthy. Christians respect the Bible's authenticity. It is as venerable as an official, government document, fresh mint or parchment old. It is reasonable to expect the Authority described in the Bible would authenticate his revelation by preserved word and sacramental sign & seal. I don't have to feel it in my heart or want it so to a sufficient degree that it becomes true.

It's a common conceit that truth compels assent from all "reasonable" people, provided some minimum standard of evidence or deduction. How often it is said: "Well, I'm convinced (or not); and if you disagree with me (and my standard) you are unreasonable." Or, "Greater than 51% of (smart) people agree on this opinion, making it the best conclusion." Except, truth isn't a popularity contest; and each man's subjective evaluation of whatever evidence comes before his purview only sets a gauge for his competency, it doesn't affect what's real and what's not. Furthermore, it's also common for desire to blind the faculties, and dismantle safeguards, making men less "reasonable" than they imagine. It is human nature to follow our hearts.

1Jn.3:20, "God is greater than our heart." Whether our heart condemns us, or judges the law and God himself, God remains who he is and his word does not change. Mal.3:6, "For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." Why? Because his promises and mercies are sure.