O holy God, just Judge, I know that I am conceived and born in sin (Psa. 51:7). I know that I was formed from unclean seed (Job 14:4) in the womb of my mother. The poison of sin has so corrupted and spoiled my entire nature that no powers of my soul are free from its infection. The holy gift of the divine image entrusted to me in the first parent of our race has perished in me. I now have no powers for initiating a saving recognition, fear, trust, and love of You. I have no capability to obediently perform Your commandments. My will is turned away from the law, and the law of sin in my members is opposed to the law of my mind [Rom. 7:23], so that my entire nature is corrupt and perverted. I am wretched and miserable and feel the assault of sin tenaciously clinging to every part of me. I feel the yoke of perverse desire weighing heavily upon me. I have been regenerated and renewed in the washing of baptism through the Spirit of grace [Tit. 3:5]. But I am not totally free from the yoke and captivity of sin, since that bitter root lurking in me always strives to shoot forth [Heb. 12:15]. The law of sin raging in my flesh fights to capture me. I am full of doubts, distrust, and the desire for my own honor. Depraved thoughts come forth from the heart [Mat. 15:19], which totally defile me in Your sight. From a poisoned spring flow forth poison streams.

Do not, O Lord, enter into judgment with Your servant [Psa. 143:2], rather be gracious to me according to Your great mercy [Psa. 51:3]. The depth of my wretchedness [Psa. 42:8] calls out for help to the depth of Your mercy. For this foulness of my unclean nature I place before You the most holy conception of Your Son. For me, He was born [Isa. 9:6], and so He was also conceived for me. For me, He was made sanctification and righteousness [1 Cor. 1:30], and so He also was made my purification and purity. Through and on account of this Your Son, have mercy upon me, O Most High, and do not place the hidden evil corruption of my nature in the light of Your face [Psa. 90:8]. Look to Your beloved Son, my Mediator! May His most holy and unpolluted conception be the remedy for my miserable conception. Amen. (The Daily Exercise of Piety by Johann Gerhard, Repristination Press, p.14-15)

Meditation on sins comprises these two parts, namely that we recognize the seriousness of original and actual sin. Actual sins are committed by thought, word, and deed. They are committed by the commission of evil and by the omission of good. They are committed against God, neighbor, and self. There are sins of youth and daily weaknesses. Every day we are tempted by the flesh and we will often succumb to these temptations. At times we participate in the sins of others, and fall into many of these same sins ourselves. And indeed, we are convicted guilty of our sins by all creation, and we contemplate the severity of divine wrath against our sins in the suffering and death of Christ. (The Daily Exercise of Piety by Johann Gerhard, Repristination Press, p.14)

When these doctrines are properly lodged within the heart, they will, first of all, induce people to glory in the goodness and grace of God, to love Him with all their heart, and also to live to the honor of this merciful God. They will begin, in true earnest to do all that they know to be pleasing to God; and to avoid all that they know to have been forbidden by Him. They are then pious and holy Christians, because they enjoy forgiveness of sins by faith and live in the fear of God and in obedience to Him. Therefore Christ so earnestly admonishes us to adhere to these doctrines and not listen to any thing contrary. He promises too, on His part, that He will not suffer Himself to be confined to any other place, but that He will be with us in His Word and grace, always and everywhere. And though it sounds terrible, that great heresy, darkness and seduction shall come upon the world, yet we are comforted when He says: “Wherever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together;” that is, my Christian Church shall remain with me. And though the devil, the Turk, and the pope, be ever so powerful, they shall not harm my Christians who adhere to my Word. May our merciful God in heaven, through the Holy Ghost, for the sake of His Son Jesus Christ, our dear Lord, grant this to all of us. Amen (Luther’s House Postil, Sermon for the Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Trinity, Volume 3, p. 901)

From this you may perceive the foundation of the true doctrine, from which you should not deviate in the least. Note well that the true doctrine points you to Christ and presents Him, in order that you may be truly comforted against sin and death. This is done by teaching that we should believe Christ to be true, eternal and almighty God, one with the Father and the Holy Ghost, who has come to us on earth, conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary. He finally died on the cross, not for His own sins, but for our sins; in order that God might be reconciled and our debt might be canceled, and that we might arise from the dead and come to the enjoyment of everlasting life. In our behalf, Christ has conquered sin and death, so that these no more can harm us; now Christ sitteth at the right hand of God, protecting us against the devil, bestowing upon us the gifts of the Holy Ghost, and answering all our prayer, offered in His name for all we need for body and soul. This is the true doctrine concerning Christ and agrees throughout with the Word, which alone will enable us to resist Antichrist and his lies.

(Luther’s House Postil, Sermon for the Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Trinity, Volume 3, p. 900-901)