Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Matthew 16:19 "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven . . ."
THE PRIEST AND HIS KEYS
Many of our readers remember memorizing the following from Luther's Small Catechism: "The office of the Keys is the special power Christ gave to His Church on earth to forgive the sins of penitent sinners and to retain the sins of impenitent as long as they do not repent."
This week our e-mail devotions have reminded us that every believer is a priest before God. Our priesthood involves using the keys of God's kingdom. On the basis of Christ's Word, Luther explains we use the keys either to unlock heaven's door when we pronounce forgiveness in Christ's name to a penitent sinner, or to lock heaven's door when we withhold forgiveness to an impenitent sinner.
A penitent sinner is one who is troubled by his sin. The prophet Nathan unlocked the door to heaven for penitent David. "The LORD has put away your sin. You are not going to die!" However, an impenitent sinner is not troubled by his sin, and he may even try to defend it. When the scribes and Pharisees refused to repent, Jesus locked heaven's door tight against them.
As God's priests we have many opportunities to use the keys in our daily lives. When our children are naughty, we scold them, but we also assure them that Jesus loves them. We use the keys when we tell them the Savior died for their sin and forgives it. When a friend, neighbor, or fellow church member confesses some wrong-doing to us, we lead them straight to the cross where Jesus died for the sins of all people. We use the keys by telling them the blood of Jesus has washed their sin away. At times, however, we may have to warn an impenitent sinner that heaven's door is closed to them as long as they do not repent. Christ paid for the sins of even the impenitent, but they push away His forgiveness by hanging onto their sin. To such Paul says: "But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath . . ." (Romans 2:5).
Think of it! The King of kings gives us authority to use His keys! What a privilege it is to open heaven's door as we speak His word of pardon and peace to those in our personal circle of life.
