Absolution

The Remission of Sins

Jesus, in our Gospel reading this morning breathed upon his Apostles and said, “Receive ye the Holy Spirit.” This was in preparation for the work they were to do in building the Church of Christ which He had just purchased with his own blood. This power and authority was an essential gift necessary to the work. For if the gates of Hell were not to prevail, there must be the ability, the power, to withstand the onslaughts of the wicked. This gift of the Holy Spirit was conferred first upon the apostles at, then upon the other members of the church. For us this morning it is essential that we observe that with this gift, given to the Apostles, was power was the authority of absolution. “Whosoever sins ye remit they are remitted and whosoever sins ye retain they are retained.” This is a serious matter before God. For there is no other reason why this this authority would have been given. The Scripture teaches “ that without the shedding of blood there is no remission,” As we further understand that without absolution there is no assurance of remission.

All of the Old Testament sacrifices commanded by God included confession and absolution. The sacrifice was offered so that one could receive absolution. In the New Testament confession and absolution were an integral part of the Eucharist. It has always been so.

The understanding and the forms of this absolution have varied throughout the centuries, especially between East, West and Anglican traditions. However, it was never questioned until the 1500’s. Even Luther did not question absolution, but only the abuse of it through the sale of indulgences. The reason it was not questioned in the church is clear. It has always been a part of the worship. It is and has been both Biblical and historical. Christ, who has the authority to forgive sins, has given the authority of absolution to His ministers who are in apostolic succession. This was and has been the understanding and teaching of the Church from the beginning.

Let me share a quote from an early Bishop of the church DIONYSIUS, BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA. Who lived from 200-265, A.D. Please bear with me as I share this with you.

11. But I shall give a more particular account of one case here which occurred among us: There was with us a certain Serapion, an aged believer. He had spent his long life blamelessly, but had fallen in the time of trial (the persecution). Often did this man pray (for absolution), and no one gave heed to him; for he had sacrificed to the idols. Falling sick, he continued three successive days dumb and senseless. Recovering a little on the fourth day, he called to him his grandchild, and said, “My son, how long do you detain me? Hasten, I entreat you, and absolve me quickly. Summon one of the presbyters to me.” And when he had said this, he became speechless again. The boy ran for the presbyter; but it was night, and the man was sick, and was consequently unable to come. But as an injunction had been issued by me, that persons at the point of death, if they requested it then, and especially if they had earnestly sought it before, should be absolved, in order that they might depart this life in cheerful hope, he gave the boy a small portion of the Eucharist, telling him to steep it in water and drop it into the old man’s mouth. The boy returned bearing the portion; and as he came near, and before he had yet entered, Serapion again recovered, and said, “You have come, my child, and the presbyter was unable to come; but do quickly what you were instructed to do, and so let me depart.” The boy steeped the morsel in water, and at once dropped it into the (old man’s) mouth; and after he had swallowed a little of it, he forthwith gave up the ghost. Was he not then manifestly preserved? and did he not continue in life just until he could be absolved, and until through the wiping away of his sins he could be acknowledged for the many good acts he had done?

Much earlier we find the Apostle Peter in Acts 8 invoking his authority in the case of Simon Magus the magician who thought he could buy the power to confer the Holy Spirit. (Acts 8:12-24)

But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning thekingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the LORD for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.

Here in this passage we find both the retention of sins in Peter’s remark, “Thy money perish with thee,” and Simon’s desire for absolution from Peter “Pray ye to the LORD for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.” The understanding of “Absolution” in those days was understood. Both in the OT faith of the Hebrews and in the pagan religions “Absolution” from a priest was necessary. The sacrifice would be offered and the Priest would grant absolution (the forgiveness of sins and offenses).

These things are written not so much as to magnify the power and authority of the Priests or of the Apostles and their successors, but to accentuate the need for absolution from sin. Without forgiveness of sin, how shall we stand before the Lord ourmaker? Certainly the Lord can forgive sins of the ignorant and those in far away places who are not able to come to a priest and to participate in the Eucharist, at any time and any place He chooses. However, those who are willfully stubborn and refuse to follow the teachings of Scripture, which were clearly worked out in the early Church, because of their private judgment, can not be assured of the grace. This was the point of DIONYSIUS, BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA. We are not to judge but we are to follow. The Word calls us to be obedient. Hear what Scripture teaches us in Hebrews 13:17

“Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.”

It is the responsibility of those who have been called and duly ordained to the ministry of the Gospel to seek the redemption of mankind and not their ruin. Yet there would be those who seek to pervert and twist the Scriptures to their own destruction. Of them we have often been warned by the Apostles. To those we would call to repentance. Should they persist in their evil are to be put out of the church. Thus again rather than remitting of sin ones sins are retained for failing to repent (I Cor. 5:1-5).

5:1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

What is important for us to grasp this morning is that who we are and what we do here within the Church has serious consequences. Again, what we believe is not just a nice way of seeing life, as insimply and altruistic philosophy, but a Gospel that goes forth in power and in the authority of Jesus Christ. For every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that He is Lord. He is just that, Lord of both heaven and earth. The gates of Hell shall not prevail against the church. The church is His Body. It has been empowered with authority from our Lord to be the continuing incarnation to the world. It’s mission is the continued work of reconciliation. (1 Cor 4:5-7 & 5:17-21)

4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

5:17-21 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Conclusion: It is from Christ that we seek our reconciliation with God through forgiveness of sins with which we have offended Him. It is from Him that we receive it. The means by which we are to seek it and to receive it is by faith, which is expressed in obedience to the gospel. This Gospel is not a matter of our own private judgment, but the Gospel which has been handed down to us by the Apostles.. Christ has instituted his Church and the sacraments to be the means by which we ordinarily find that forgiveness and remission of our sins. He commissioned His Apostles “as the Father hath sent me so send I you.” In that sending is the ministry of reconciliation that whosoever sins they remit they are remitted and whosoever sins they retain they are retained, that the world may know that God is the lord and that Jesus is the redeemer. Those who through successive generations have been lawfully ordained continue the ministry of reconciliation until Jesus returns. Let us find then forgiveness of our sins as we repentantly confess them and by His grace receive absolution as we prepare to receive the Holy Eucharist.