The means of grace and forgiveness
Professor Pope, Thank you for the tireless work and enthusiasm you bring to WELS Q&A. It is much appreciated. I have a question about forgiveness and the sacraments. My understanding of our WELS doctrine is that our Baptism forgives our sins for all time, even those committed after the Baptism. I trust in this doctrine, and believe it is well supported by Scripture. However, when I read First Corinthians, I notice that Holy Communion also forgives our sins. I trust that both these sacraments are a free gift received through faith in Christ, but I can't help but wonder as a result if Baptism truly forgives all future sins, given that God saw fit to institute the Lord's Supper as a separate means of forgiveness. Do these sacraments forgive separate "kinds" of sins, or do both sacraments equally forgive all sins, or is the question simply unanswered in Scripture? I read the Large Catechism on the subject, but was still left uncertain, as Luther seemed to focus more on the comfort and strength imparted by Holy Communion rather than on the details of forgiving sins. I trust in my Baptism, but the situation nags at me. Thank you for your time.
Thank you for your kind words!
Your question focuses on the means of grace—the means by which God offers and gives forgiveness of sins to sinners. That means is the gospel in word and sacraments.
Through Baptism—water and the word of God—or the word of God alone, God changes hearts and connects people in saving faith to Jesus Christ (Romans 1:16). As children of God through faith in Jesus Christ, Christians enjoy forgiveness of all sins (Romans 8:33-34; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 2:13).
Having a sinful nature means that Christians still sin (Romans 7:15-25). In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught us to confess our sins to God (Luke 11:4). Scripture teaches us that such confession is not meaningless. No, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). God provides that forgiveness through his gospel in word and sacrament. Through the message of the Bible alone, through the Lord’s Supper and through Baptism, God says, “Your sins are forgiven.”
Is that a separate kind of forgiveness, you wonder? No. God’s message of forgiveness is consistently the same: “Your sins are forgiven because my Son lived perfectly in your place and on the cross suffered the punishment of your sins.” God forgave all sins when he gave us spiritual life by connecting us to Jesus in faith, and God gives us that same message of forgiveness each time he comes to us through the gospel in word and sacraments. Through word and sacraments, God tells us repeatedly, “I forgive you. You are mine.”
As people who still have a sinful nature, as people who fail to do the good that God commands, and as people who fail to avoid the evil that God forbids, we need God’s message and declaration of forgiveness. God gave that when he brought us to faith and he continues to give that when we use his gospel. God is not stingy with his forgiveness, nor does he give it out in installments. God’s forgiveness is total—full and free.
I hope this helps your understanding.