2006-10-25 00:13:51 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The Catholic Church believes that "Only God forgives sin."
When a penitent person asks God for forgiveness, his (or her) sins are immediately forgiven.
Catholics also believe that when someone sins they not only hurt their relationship with God, they also injure the entire church, the body of Christ.
The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation with a priest ordained in the name Jesus Christ not only reconciles the sinner to God but with the entire church, including you and me.
The Bible also teaches us to confess our sins:
James 5:16 - Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.
Acts 19:18 - Many of those who had become believers came forward and openly acknowledged their former practices.
Matthew 3:5-6 - At that time Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan were going out to him (John the Baptist) and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins.
Mark 1:5 - People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him (John the Baptist) and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins.
1 Timothy 6:12 - Compete well for the faith. Lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called when you made the noble confession in the presence of many witnesses.
1 John 1:9 - If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing.
Numbers 5:6-7 - "Tell the Israelites: If a man (or a woman) commits a fault against his fellow man and wrongs him, thus breaking faith with the LORD, he shall confess the wrong he has done, restore his ill-gotten goods in full, and in addition give one fifth of their value to the one he has wronged."
Nehemiah 9:2 - Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all who were of foreign extraction, then stood forward and confessed their sins and the guilty deeds of their fathers.
Sirach 4:26 - Be not ashamed to acknowledge your guilt, but of your ignorance rather be ashamed.
With love in Christ.
2006-10-25 18:01:46 · answer #1 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
The Bible does talk about Christians confessing their sins one to another, though I'm not positive this is where the Catholic and Orthodox idea of confessing before priests comes from. Some Lutherans (Apostolic) confess their sins to their minister at the altar and in front of the congregation as part of their regular church service. The bulk of the remaining Christians feel they don't have to confess to a priest because the Bible talks about Christ being the mediator between God and man and therefore they don't feel the need for another "middle man." However, many Christian churches teach the importance of having fellow Christians before whom one is accountable to share struggles in the faith and for mutual encouragement (i.e. fellowship).
2006-10-25 00:19:34 · answer #2 · answered by KDdid 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The Greek, Russian, & Eastern Orthodox Churches and Ukranian Churches also do. They are all larger than any Protestant denomination and have 7 sacraments like the Catholics. Most Prostestant churches have 3. Also, keep in mind that even the Pope goes to confession on a regular basis.
The purpose is that is what was done in the Bible. Repenting means to confess your sins. Confessing your sins just to God is not needed in that God already knows. Confessing your sins before a minister, who cannot reveal anything from your confession, humbles you and gives you advise on how to defeat your bad habits. There are many benefits to confessing before a minister.
2006-10-25 00:28:04 · answer #3 · answered by Search4truth 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Catholic confession is a way to control the masses and keep them in line. Any time you have a doubt or independent thought, the priest is able to squash it like a bug and make you feel guilty about it. Confession is a form of mind control and brain-washing used to keep "pollution" from contaminating the dogma stream, it is corrupt.
2006-10-25 01:44:36 · answer #4 · answered by iknowtruthismine 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jesus is our High Priest so we go through Him in prayer rather than a human priest. After Jesus' death on the cross, the temple veil, where only the priests could go to ask forgiveness for people's sins, was torn in two symbollizing our access to God in prayer. I don't know the Catholic's reason for continuing to use a priest.
2006-10-25 00:23:06 · answer #5 · answered by cldb730 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
confession is one thing the Catholics do right. To confess is Biblical and psychologically a healthy thing to do. In many churches there is no one to confess to that you can be sure will not handle the confession in some wrong way, and so many keep things bottled up and feeling guilty. Confessing to God is all that is necessary to obtain forgivness but it is recomended to also confess to another believer and as psychology professionals will tell you it is good for you. As with victims of trauma havig a confidant can make the differance between healing and not healing.
2006-10-25 00:21:42 · answer #6 · answered by ronnysox60 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Are all of our sins—past, present, and future—forgiven once and for all when we become Christians? Not according to the Bible or the early Church Fathers. Scripture nowhere states that our future sins are forgiven; instead, it teaches us to pray, "And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors" (Matt. 6:12).
The means by which God forgives sins after baptism is confession: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). Minor or venial sins can be confessed directly to God, but for grave or mortal sins, which crush the spiritual life out of the soul, God has instituted a different means for obtaining forgiveness—the sacrament known popularly as confession, penance, or reconciliation.
2006-10-25 00:20:11 · answer #7 · answered by Debra M. Wishing Peace To All 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The Necessity and Practice of Orally Confessing Sins
James 5:16 - James clearly teaches us that we must “confess our sins to one another,” not just privately to God. James 5:16 must be read in the context of James 5:14-15, which is referring to the healing power (both physical and spiritual) of the priests of the Church. Hence, when James says “therefore” in verse 16, he must be referring to the men he was writing about in verses 14 and 15 – these men are the ordained priests of the Church, to whom we must confess our sins.
Acts 19:18 - many came to orally confess sins and divulge their sinful practices. Oral confession was the practice of the early Church just as it is today.
Matt. 3:6; Mark 1:5 - again, this shows people confessing their sins before others as an historical practice (here to John the Baptist).
1 Tim. 6:12 - this verse also refers to the historical practice of confessing both faith and sins in the presence of many witnesses.
1 John 1:9 - if we confess are sins, God is faithful to us and forgives us and cleanse us. But we must confess our sins to one another.
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.
Sir. 4:26 - God tells us not to be ashamed to confess our sins, and not to try to stop the current of a river. Anyone who has experienced the sacrament of reconciliation understands the import of this verse.
Baruch 1:14 - again, this shows that the people made confession in the house of the Lord, before the assembly.
1 John 5:16-17; Luke 12:47-48 - there is a distinction between mortal and venial sins. This has been the teaching of the Catholic Church for 2,000 years, but, today, most Protestants no longer agree that there is such a distinction. Mortal sins lead to death and must be absolved in the sacrament of reconciliation. Venial sins do not have to be confessed to a priest, but the pious Catholic practice is to do so in order to advance in our journey to holiness.
Matt. 5:19 - Jesus teaches that breaking the least of commandments is venial sin (the person is still saved but is least in the kingdom), versus mortal sin (the person is not saved).
2006-10-25 06:10:52 · answer #8 · answered by Daver 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Because the Catholic church wants to preserve the power of the priesthood. In 1 John 1:9, the Bible says: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness." The "he" is Jesus Christ, not a priest. All believers belong to the priesthood of believers. We have direct access to God; therefore we do not need an earthly intercessor as was needed in the past.
2006-10-25 00:20:05 · answer #9 · answered by Preacher 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I was raised Catholic. I quit going to the Catholic Church because my mom tried to MAKE me go to confession. I tried to tell her that if I was truly sorry for what I had done, God was going to forgive me. Saying 10 Our Father's and 10 Hail Mary's was not gonna do it. Whatever I do wrong is between me, God, and the other person/people involved...not a priest
2006-10-25 00:59:44 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋