Psalm 32, appointed for next Sunday, is near and dear to the hearts of Lutherans. The opening versicles of Lutheran liturgy come from verse 5:

I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,”
     and you forgave the iniquity of my sins.

The church's message is a spiritual one, the forgiveness of sins before God, for the sake of Christ who suffered and died to atone for the sins of the world.

Yes, Christians (individually and corporately) are dedicated to the love of neighbor by acts of charity and mercy. But good works are secondary, they are the fruit of the forgiveness of sins.

Because God has been merciful to us by "remembering our sins no more" and receiving us as his pure children in baptism, Christians cannot help but to extend the same grace to others. 

Without the forgiveness of our sins we are condemned as Sunday's gospel states: the
"the eternal fires" as Jesus states in Sunday's Gospel. (Mt. 18:8) But with it! we are the children of God, each assigned his own mighty angel to watch over us, and guard us from all evil. (Mt. 18:10) With the remission of sins that is ours solely by faith in Jesus, we are the recovered sheep over which all of heaven "rejoices". (Mt. 18:13). And there is nothing better than that! For it alone gives us peace that surpasses understanding, true rest, and life now and eternally.