John 20:22-23  And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld."

We know that Jesus has given two keys for the door of heaven. One key locks the door shut. The other key opens the door. Sometimes, as a Christian, I need the key that locks the door shut to me. I need to see the true severity of my sin. I may think the door is open to me, even though I continue in my sin without any concern for God's Law. This is the binding key. It binds my sin until I turn to Jesus. And it's good for me because it shows me my evil and calls me to faith.

Other times, I need only the key that opens the door to heaven. This is the best and most comforting key. In my guilt and shame, I imagine that the door to heaven is closed to me and will never be opened again. Yet  I confess my sin to Jesus and beg for mercy. And I hear the sweetest sound of heaven's doors swinging open to me in these words, "By the command of Christ, I forgive you all your sins." And I know that when a called pastor of the Church deals with me in this way, it's just as true and certain as if Jesus Himself dealt with me.

This is how my good and faithful pastor Jesus Christ loves me and cares for me. He uses these keys to keep me on the middle road between prideful arrogance and hopeless despair. He walks me down that road of humble and joyful faith into the open doors of heaven.
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