Confession
Definition: A declaration or an acknowledgment, either publicly or in private, (1) of what a person believes or (2) of his sins.
Is the rite of reconciliation, including confession (personal confession into the ear of a priest), as taught by the Catholic Church Scriptural?
The manner in which the priest is addressed
The traditional formula, still often used, is: “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been [length of time] since my last Confession.”—U.S. Catholic magazine
Matt. 23:1, 9,“Jesus said, . . . ‘You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven.’”
Sins that can be forgiven
“The Church has always taught that every sin, no matter how serious, can be forgiven.”
Heb. 10:26, If, after we have been given knowledge of the truth, we should deliberately commit any sins, then there is no longer any sacrifice for them.”
Mark 3:29, “Let anyone blaspheme against the Holy Spirit and he will never have forgiveness: he is guilty of an eternal sin.”
How penance is to be shown
Frequently the confessor directs that the penitent say a specified number of “Our Fathers” and “Hail Marys.”
Matt. 6:7, “In your prayers do not babble [that is, utter in a meaninglessly repetitious manner] as the pagans do, for they think that by using many words they will make themselves heard.”
Matt. 6:9-12,“You should pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, . . . forgive us our debts.’” (Nowhere in the Bible are we commanded to pray to or through Mary. See Philippians 4:6,
Rom. 12:9, Do not let your love be a pretence, but sincerely prefer good to evil.”
2007-11-02
12:11:40
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16 answers
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