Forgiveness of sins.....Can priests do that?

Question

On another question someone posted this as An answer :

since in the Bible it states that forgiveness comes only through Christ that the Catholic church is wrong to believe that you can have forgiveness by paying a penance or asking a Priest instead of Christ. Since this goes against what Christ said, that is why a lot of people think the Catholic Church is "not Christian".

So that we are clear, the Church states that Christ is the one that forgives the sin....the Priest acts 'in persona' of Christ. It actually IS biblical for the priest to act in this capacity.----"As the Father has sent me, even so I send you. . . . Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained" (John 20:21–23).

So, any better reasons why people think that Catholics are not Christians?

Oh and btw, 'paying a penance' does not gain you forgiveness.....absolution comes prior to the penance. Penance is a form of restitution and reconciliation with the greater body of Christ.

Answer 1

Not to dispute your reasoning, but I have a question - if you can go to Jesus directly for your confession, why do you feel the need to go through a man?

I'm not ridiculing, I have often wondered this as I have seen this passage used many times in justification of the role of the priest. I'm also curious, is it true that if your prayers do not go through Mary you do not believe they reach Jesus?

I have studied theologies and religions in years past, and it's been just that, many years past and I know that the Vatican has changed many doctrinal teachings since 1964 when they allowed the printing of the Bible for their masses. So, it is genuine curiosity that I ask.

Answer 2

I'm going to study this out & get back to you with an answer.
I think it's a very good question. I'm talking about the bible verses you give in John 20:21-23.
I can tell you this Gods Church isn't called the Catholic Church nowhere in the bible. It's always called the Church of God or churches of God. So the name doesn't fit. Of course most names don't fit. Also the bible teaches the keeping of the 7th day sabbath which is Saturday not Sunday! Jesus & the diciples kept Gods Holy Days (Read Lev. chapter 23). None of them never kept Easter or Christmas which came from pagan sunworship. To say that Christ died of Friday ,was buried in the evening just before sunset & came back to life Sunday morning at sunrise is calling the real Jesus Christ of the bible a liar, because He said He would be in the grave 3 days & 3 nights or 72 hours. It doesn't add up. They are guilty of changing Gods Word the bible to go along with their false teachings!

Answer 3

Strictly speaking, no human person can forgive sins. We can forgive only those who hurt us and continue as before as though nothing happened. That would be great. It's like wiping out the blots caused by another.

Only God can forgive sins. But how do we know God has forgiven us? We say mothers love their children. How do we know they truly love? When a mother hugs her child, caresses her, kisses her and gives her what she needs, we know that she truly loves. So also we need a human analogy to believe and to feel that God whom we cannot see and touch truly forgives us. For this we need human instrumentality. In the gospels it is put that God forgives us through his apostles and their successors. But God can also forgive us directly. i.e. when you have done something wrong and you feel guilty because of your religious upbringing, the moral codes and ethical values placed on you by the religion you practice, you feel sorry for it in your heart and ask God to forgive you, then you are forgiven. a priest is not needed to reinforce this. It is the Catholic Church that made it obligatory for Catholics to submit their sins to Church. The Church wanted to exercise control over people's lives. Confession has made many in this world to carry a greater burden of guilt.

Psychologically if sharing your sins or wrongdoings with another helps you to get rid of your guilt and find some relief go ahead and do it but not as obligation. Jesus after all came to make people's burdens light.” Come to me" he said, "all you who are tired and heavy laden and I will give you rest".

So rest assured that God forgives you when you are truly sorry, repentant and mend your ways. Reconciliation, true repentance, restitution are all part of the whole process of being forgiven.

Don't worry, God loves you as you are.He/she is patient with you through your failings. Perfection is not expected within a day or year. Falling and rising is but natural and normal. Be ever on your way towards God. That is most important. Be constant in love.

Answer 4

Anti-Catholics are ignorant of the fact that confession of sins began with the Jews long before Jesus was born. So if the Jews are wrong, so is Jesus, Paul, and all the Apostles, and their successors.

Lev. 5:4-6; 19:21-22 - God used priests to forgive and atone for the sins of others.

Num. 5:7 - this shows the historical practice of publicly confessing sins, and making public restitution.

2 Sam. 12:14 - even though the sin is forgiven, there is punishment due for the forgiven sin. David is forgiven but his child was still taken (the consequence of his sin).

Neh. 9:2-3 - the Israelites stood before the assembly and confessed sins publicly and interceded for each other.

John 20:21 - before He grants them the authority to forgive sins, Jesus says to the apostles, "as the Father sent me, so I send you." As Christ was sent by the Father to forgive sins, so Christ sends the apostles and their successors forgive sins.

John 20:22 - the Lord "breathes" on the apostles, and then gives them the power to forgive and retain sins. The only other moment in Scripture where God breathes on man is in Gen. 2:7, when the Lord "breathes" divine life into man. When this happens, a significant transformation takes place.

John 20:23 - Jesus says, "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained." In order for the apostles to exercise this gift of forgiving sins, the penitents must orally confess their sins to them because the apostles are not mind readers. The text makes this very clear.

Matt. 9:8 - this verse shows that God has given the authority to forgive sins to "men." Hence, those Protestants who acknowledge that the apostles had the authority to forgive sins (which this verse demonstrates) must prove that this gift ended with the apostles. Otherwise, the apostles' successors still possess this gift.

Where in Scripture is the gift of authority to forgive sins taken away from the apostles or their successors?

James 5:15-16 - in verse 15 we see that sins are forgiven by the priests in the sacrament of the sick. This is another example of man's authority to forgive sins on earth. Then in verse 16, James says “Therefore, confess our sins to one another,” in reference to the men referred to in verse 15, the priests of the Church.

Answer 5

A priest is just a man. He can not forgive sin. The Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins and He is the only mediator between man and God. 1 Timothy 2: 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

Answer 6

I believe that we need to cut out the middle man! Pray to the Lord in the name of our brother JESUS Christ... and leave the priest and pastors to help encourage us in prayer! To lead us to a relationship with GOD. Man cannot pardon you! Christ said that there is only one way and that Is through him not Pastor Brown or Rev. Daniels. IMO...God wants to hear from you. He whats you to bear yourself to him and come to him open and I just dont think you can do that we the fear of being judged by some man or woman how your telling all your business too....

Answer 7

No. Only Jesus can forgive and he already does, you just have to ask it and believe it within your heart.

I think that there are Christians in the Catholic faith. I just think that they are the ones that do not stand out.

God Bless

Answer 8

God can forgive your sins. A priest cannot be a persona of God nor an intercessor. God is God, no other can imitate him. Don't ask a priest or pay money to be forgiven. Forgiveness is FREE! Just ask God to forgive you ! He'll be glad to! So, no, a priest cannot forgive your sins.

Answer 9

When I asked for forgivness of my sins and was saved I asked God to forgive me. I did'nt have a priest ask for me. I believe that my religion is right, but others believe that theirs is right. I guess it just takes faith

Answer 10

it just seems like alot of motions to go thtough when you can go to your home get on your knees confess, and claim the blood of jesus for yourself. i mean its ok to have a priest there bc its probrably makes people feel more connected but you don't need a priest to pray for you a good understanding friend would probrably do just fine to. i think catholics are christians(even tho im not catholic) but you all seem to have a laundry list of things to do before you can repent. and i don't understand the saints..why pray to them ifJesus is righ there?