Catechisma
Luther's Small (Kids)
56 / 72
OriginalModernizedFor Kids
Quiz Mode

Confession

Q56. What sins should we confess?

Before God, we should admit that we are guilty of all sins, even ones we don't know about, just like we do in the Lord's Prayer. But before the pastor, we should confess the sins that we know about and that weigh on our hearts.

Scripture Proofs — King James Version

1

Psalm 19:12

Psalm 32:5

1 John 1:8–10

Parent Guide

Discuss this question together

Discussion Questions

  1. 1

    What is the difference between confessing before God and confessing before the pastor?

  2. 2

    Why does the catechism say we are guilty of sins we do not even know about?

  3. 3

    What kind of sins should we bring to the pastor?

Illustration

You might track mud through the house without knowing it. The mud is still there even if you did not notice. Before God, we confess all our sin, including the mud we did not see. Before the pastor, we confess the sins that are heavy on our hearts, the ones we know about and cannot shake.

Application

Use the Ten Commandments as a mirror this week. Go through each one and ask, "Did I break this today?" Write down what you find. Bring it to God in prayer and hear his promise of forgiveness.