tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9048575444859487507.post209728574545334753..comments2023-09-12T10:10:57.773-04:00Comments on thinking-out-loud: How to Contend for the Faith without Killing Your BrotherRev. Rick Stuckwischhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10664716292792101540noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9048575444859487507.post-81639777977142789352008-05-01T22:54:00.000-04:002008-05-01T22:54:00.000-04:00Thank you, Pastor! I'll take it to heart: both the...Thank you, Pastor! I'll take it to heart: both the Law and the Gospel.sarahlaughedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13497856947371058556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9048575444859487507.post-42982803911857011412008-04-29T21:30:00.000-04:002008-04-29T21:30:00.000-04:00>>the practice of Individual Confession and Absolu...>>the practice of Individual Confession and Absolution was not far from my mind in writing what I did.<BR/><BR/>That was obvious to me. You said it; it's just you didn't say it in a 2x4-to-the-head sort of way. I think of all the years that I would've agreed with what you wrote, but then would try to manufacture the love and brotherly kindness under my own power ... and fail and fail and fail. At that time, I wouldn't have realized what you were saying about private confession because it was just so foreign to my experience.Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16307213773466556564noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9048575444859487507.post-72060634723187259612008-04-29T20:13:00.000-04:002008-04-29T20:13:00.000-04:00Dear Susan, thank you for your very appropriate ad...Dear Susan, thank you for your very appropriate additional comment. In fact, the practice of Individual Confession and Absolution was not far from my mind in writing what I did. So I am glad for you to have added that point, as I should have done.<BR/><BR/>As I have noted in the past, I find Individual Confession and Absolution to be "instructive" (or, better to say, catechetical) in precisely this way that you describe. Not only as a penitent who makes his own confession, but also as a pastor who hears the confessions of God's people and absolves them in the name and stead of Christ. On both counts, I am taken entirely out of myself and put into Christ Jesus.Rev. Rick Stuckwischhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10664716292792101540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9048575444859487507.post-4079099923055188052008-04-29T12:53:00.000-04:002008-04-29T12:53:00.000-04:00I find that it is easy to scam myself into thinkin...I find that it is easy to scam myself into thinking that I am concerned about my brother when I am often more concerned with defending my own position. So may I add one thing in addition to all those wise things you wrote/advised? I think a regular and frequent practice of private confession makes a person more aware of his/her sin. The absolution then received in response creates the new heart which has real love for the brother who may be almost as sinful as I. Private confession does a lot to destroy that pride and that love of being "right" which works against the love and concern for the erring brother.Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16307213773466556564noreply@blogger.com