Prayers of General Confession
The following prayers are for use in corporate worship (for the whole congregation to say together). See also “Prayers of Confession and Consecration” (some may also be appropriate for the general confession).
FROM THE ORDER FOR THE LORD’S SUPPER (BCP)
Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Maker of all things, Judge of all men; we acknowledge and lament our many sins and wickedness, which we have, from time to time, most grievously committed, by thought, word, and deed, against your divine majesty, provoking most justly your wrath and indignation against us. We earnestly repent, and are sincerely sorry for our misdoings; the remembrance of them is grievous to us. Have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us, most merciful Father. For the sake of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, forgive us all that is past; and grant that we may ever hereafter serve and please you in newness of life, to the honor and glory of your name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
FROM THE ORDER FOR THE LORD’S SUPPER (BCP)
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
FROM THE ORDER FOR DAILY CORPORATE PRAYER (BCP)
Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and there is no health in us. But you, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare them, O God, who confess their faults. Restore them that are penitent, according to your promise declared unto mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.
FROM THE ORDER FOR COMPLINE (BCP)
Almighty God and Father, we confess to you, to one another, and to the whole company of heaven, that we have sinned, through our own fault, in thought, and word, and deed, and in what we have left undone. For the sake of your Son our Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and by the power of your Holy Spirit raise us up to serve you in newness of life, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
Absolution After Confession
After corporate confession, the Minister often prayers a prayer for God to forgive or “absolve” the sins of his people, or declares to the People that God forgives all who are truly repentant and genuinely believe the gospel. John Wesley notes that John 20:23 entails “a power of declaring with authority the Christian terms of pardon, whose sins are remitted and whose retained, as in our daily form of absolution.”
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who in his great mercy has promised forgiveness of sins to all those who sincerely repent and with true faith turn to him, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and bring you to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Almighty and merciful Lord grant you absolution and remission of all your sins, true repentance, amendment of life, and the grace and consolation of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, desires not the death of sinners, but that they may turn from their wickedness and live. He has empowered and commanded his ministers to pronounce to his people, being penitent, the absolution and remission of their sins. He pardons and absolves all who truly repent and genuinely believe his holy Gospel. For this reason, we beseech him to grant us true repentance and his Holy Spirit, that our present deeds may please him, the rest of our lives may be pure and holy, and that at the last we may come to his eternal joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
This may be said by a Deacon or layperson:
Grant to your faithful people, merciful Lord, pardon and peace; that we may be cleansed from all our sins, and serve you with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.