September 29

By the Law is the knowledge of sin. Romans 3:20.

Before you confess your sins, you must first have a true knowledge of your sins. For if you do not really know your sins, you cannot confess them as you should. Therefore you must examine yourself before you confess, that you may truly know your sins.

Sincere self-examination in the light of the Ten Commandments will show every one, be his station and calling whatever it may, that he has sinned much against God and man. Luther gives us the following instruction for examining ourselves before confession: "Here consider your station according to the Ten Commandments, whether you are a father, mother, son, daughter, master, mistress, servant; whether you have been disobedient, unfaithful, slothful; whether you have grieved any person by word or deed; whether you have stolen, neglected or wasted aught or done other injury." This instruction is short and good.

First consider the station in which God has placed you here on earth. Are you father, mother, son, daughter, master, mistress, servant? Or what is your special calling? Then take the Ten Commandments with their explanation as you find them in your Catechism. Learn from them what is your duty as a Christian and child of God in your proper station and calling; examine carefully what God has commanded you to do or not to do in each of His

commandments. You surely will find many transgressions of the divine Law. Its existence must call forth shame and sorrow. But it is not enough that there be simply shame and sorrow. Both must be deep, thorough. Not a single sin must be excepted. Then consider your station as a Christian, as a disciple of Christ. Again take the Ten Commandments. Learn from them what is your duty as a child of God towards God and your neighbor. Will you not find a multitude of transgressions? And does not God threaten to punish the transgressors? Is not every sin an abomination in the sight of God? Did not His Son have to suffer on the cross for every sin?

Prayer.

O heavenly Father, since the days of my youth I have transgressed Thy commandments and, alas! am doing so to this day, having within me my sinful flesh, the Old Adam. But I take comfort, dear Lord, in the boundless, unsearchable, infinite, and unspeakable grace and mercy which Thou hast promised in Thy Word to all penitent sinners for the sake of the precious merits of Thine only-begotten Son. Let me always approach the Lord's Table with a contrite heart, and cling to Jesus alone as my only Savior. Amen.

Whoso to this board repaireth Take good heed how he prepareth; Death instead of life shall he Receive who comes unworthily.

Thou shalt hold with faith unshaken That this food is to be taken By the sick who are distressed, By those whose heart is sin-oppressed.