Confessional Corner: Two Parts of Repentance (Ap XIIa 28-58)

To deliver godly consciences from these mazes of the learned persons, we have attributed these two parts to repentance: contrition and faith. If anyone desires to adda third--fruit worthy of repentance, that is, a change of the entire life and character for the better--we will not oppose it. We separate from contrition those useless and endless discussions regarding grief from loving God and from fearing punishment. We say that contrition is the true terror of conscience, which feels that God is angry with sin and grieves that it has sinned. This contrition takes place when sins are condemned by God's Word. The sum of the preaching of the Gospel is this: to convict of sin; to offer for Chrsit's sake the forgiveness of sins and righteousness, the Holy Spirit, and eternal life; and that as reborn people we should do good works. (Ap XIIa 28-29)