(Jesus) said to them (his disciples)again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you."
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."
John 20: 21-23
2006-10-10 03:45:25 · 21 answers · asked by Sldgman 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Live4Truth - If you really want to live for truth, you will stop reading Chich comics. I am a Catholic and there is nothing but lies and hate in those comics. Stop reading them - they are poison
Robert - why would Jesus give the authority to forgive sins ONLY to those disciples in the room with Him? If Jesus thought it was important that His disciples be able to forgive sins, He must have meant this authority to be passed down through the priesthood
Kevin - no, Jesus was not talking about proclaiming forgiveness, He was talking about actually forgiving people of sins or retaining those sins.
2006-10-10 08:53:56 · update #1
yes we confess to God but If Jesus gave the apostles the power to forgive or retain there must of been a reason .. i.e. if you murdered the priest would not forgive your sin until you tell the police even if you are sorry how much people would actually tell the police even though they were sorry... and he also gives you apenance so i dont know whats wrong with going to confession... some protestants ignore some stuff in the Bible.
2006-10-10 03:51:45 · answer #1 · answered by STAR POWER=) 4 · 2⤊ 3⤋
The verse that Rhonda quoted does not fit here. It is the scribes talking about Jesus, not about confessing your sins to a priest or one another. They did not believe that Jesus could forgive sins because they did not believe Jesus was GOD.
Also, Robert K thinks that a priest tells your sins to another priest, and then to the Pope. Where does this notion come from? The priest is not allowed to disclose any of your sins to ANYONE. If the police demanded to know what you told him in Confession--he can not and will not disclose that info. There have been priests thrown in jail for keeping the Seal of Confession.
2006-10-10 04:08:09 · answer #2 · answered by Godsgirl 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
This is probably not referring to apostolic power to forgive or retain the sins of individuals (as it is sometimes understood), but to the “power” of proclaiming this forgiveness which was entrusted to the disciples. This is consistent with the idea that the disciples are to carry on the ministry of Jesus after he has departed from the world and returned to the Father, a theme which occurred in the Farewell Discourse.
2006-10-10 03:50:48 · answer #3 · answered by Kevin 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Tell the priest all your so called sins and then he knows too much about you.
If you feel you need to confess anything to any thing then I guess a priest is as good a way as any.
If it makes you think you are forgiven your sins by confessing then it is easier to sin again. Why not as you can be forgiven again.
I do not believe in using the word sin for any thing I do. If I do wrong then that was my choice. It is other people that it hurts so it is them that I have to face and try and make amends.
Confession to a priest is the easy way out.
2006-10-10 04:05:55 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. This means we are to ask God to forgive us because He is the only one who can. no man has that ability. v.21 As God sent Jesus to earth, so Jesus was sending them to be witnesses for Him As He talked to them, He showed them His pierced hands. designating how difficult it would be to live as a Christian in the world
v.22 Jesus demonstrated the power in which the disciples should walk by breathing on them the Holy Ghost (Acts 2 4)
v.23 If a person confesses his sin and turns to Christ. we can tell him that his sins are forgiven by God If he refuses to confess his sin, we can tell him he will face the judgment of God.
2006-10-10 03:57:03 · answer #5 · answered by Lover of my soul 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Matt.23:1 ,9,"You must call no one on earth your father"
look at Acts.13:11. It refers to a period of darkness,not seeing the
sunlight.and the last part-"And he went around seeking men to lead
him by the hand." Also see Acts 9:8.So these scriptures refer to
being wide awake with eyes open, yet not seeing.The Church has
always taught that every sin,no matter how serious,can be forgiven.
However the scriptures say differently.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."Frequently the confessor directs that the
penitent say a specified number of "Our Fathers" and "Hail
Marys" Please refer to Matt.6:7."In your prayers do not babble
as the pagens do,for they think that by using many WORDS
they will make themselves heard." Earnest prayer to Jehovah
God through Jesus Christ(John 14:6, 14)is how true Christians
approch our creator.not through a man or priest.
2006-10-10 05:02:34 · answer #6 · answered by OldGeezer 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Well, you asked the question, and look at what you got.
Selective Bible comprehension 101!
These guys have been deceived, and they don't even have a clue.
I bet most don't even know that just saying you're sorry for your sins isn't enough to receive God's forgiveness, and it never was.
May God have mercy!
2006-10-10 06:12:24 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
forgive those who wrong you or people you know or who do something that you hold against them but he was talking to his deciples and any one who follows him is a deciple so all christians need to forgive sins not just priests.
Jesus died so that we could be forgiven and through his death our sins are forgiven all we have to do is confess them to God but we also need to forgive others in order to be forgiven the lords pray which jesus taught us says "forgive us our sins(/debts/transgressions) as we forgive those who sin against us(/our debtors/ our transgressors)." matt ch 6 v 12
so what did jesus tell us about forgiveness? you are forgiven, forgive others and tell others about God's forgiveness and his gift of love(Jesus).
2006-10-10 03:56:34 · answer #8 · answered by attb 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Simple answer. Acts 2:38 speaks about remission of sins, through water baptism, That is remissiom of sins done in the body & not the soul, It takes the Blood of Jesus Christ to remit those sins, So Jesus sent out his Apostles to baptize them for their remission of sins done in the body or you can say flesh, That cleanse the body also, Therefore they were comission & whosoever you baptized their sins will be omitted, & if they are not worthy to be batized, Then don't baptize them. So we have to see this picture, The Blood of Jesus Christ cleanse our soul from sin, water baptism cleanse the body from sin, & the Holy Ghost is that seal to prove that God had accepted our repentance & water baptism.
2006-10-10 03:58:49 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Protestants do believe in confessing sins. The great things is we can do directly to Jesus and ask forgivensess...
2006-10-10 04:06:43 · answer #10 · answered by WhatIf 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋