Turning away from sin
From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Repentance, turning away from sin and returning to God, is not something we can do in our own strength, and it is not something we do once and master. It is a life-long process, which we can only do in faith through God’s word and the Holy Spirit. Lent gives us the opportunity to develop the habit of daily repentance.
Luther on repentance as a spiritual discipline
As we see in the first of Luther’s 95 theses, the whole life of a believer is to be one of repentance:
When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, ‘Repent' (Mt 4:17), he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance
Luther provided considerable advice about repentance. In the Small Catechism we find several examples.
His Evening Prayer includes “I ask you to forgive me all my sins, where I have done wrong”;
In the Fifth Petition of the Lord’s Prayer, Luther makes it clear that when we ask God to forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us, “We are neither worthy of the things for which we pray, nor have we deserved them, but we ask that He would give them all to us by grace, for we daily sin much and surely deserve nothing but punishment”;
In Part V – Confession, Luther explains what confession is, what sins to confess and how to identify them by considering the Ten Commandments in light of our various vocations. Formal confession and absolution take place in worship. You may also spend time in private confession and absolution with the pastor.
In A Simple Way to Pray Luther outlines to his barber a fourfold way to pray – one strand of which is repentance. He gives examples of how one might ask God’s forgiveness when praying through the Ten Commandments.
Putting it into practice
Here are a few ideas:
Worship - Regular attendance at worship helps keep us accountable before our neighbours and before Christ, as we receive absolution, hear the Word proclaimed and partake of Holy Communion.
Consider asking a pastor to give you private confession and absolution if possible.
Spend time in God’s Word each day, so that the Holy Spirit can reveal your sin and bring you to repentance.
Commit to daily prayer, following Luther’s advice.
Having confessed your sin, put steps in place to help you avoid falling back into the same temptation. Is there a time of day when you most struggle with temptation? Try using that time to read your Bible or pray.
Seek reconciliation with those you have wronged or who have wronged you. Repentance includes confessing our sins to one another, whenever we become aware that we have not loved our neighbour as God commands us.
If you are overwhelmed with the weight of your sin, remember that God has promised to forgive all those who repent and believe, including you. He is a loving Father, who will welcome you back with open arms.
The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and kind in all his works.
The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
He fulfils the desire of those who fear him;
he also hears their cry and saves them.
Suggested Reading
Ambassadors of Reconciliation website https://www.aorhope.org/
Kinnaman, Scot A. (editor), 2010, Lutheranism 101, Concordia Publishing House
Pless, John T., 2019, Luther’s Small Catechism. A Manual for Discipleship, Concordia Publishing House
Weedon, William Chancellor, 2017, Thank, Praise, Serve and Obey. Recover the Joys of Piety, Concordia Publishing House