Will I still be forgiven? From what I know, you have to confess everything you remember to have a proper confession, but what if I'm only sorry about certain things while unsure about others? I WANT to be sorry, but I just don't get the feeling of truly being sorry with some things. If I only confess what I'm sorry about while knowing there are others sins, will the whole confession have been useless?
Also, is it true that you only have to confess your mortal sins?
And another question - how detailed do you have to be about each confession?
2007-01-12 15:58:26 · 17 answers · asked by blank 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I forgot to add that this is a question coming from a Catholic, and I'd appreciate it if only Catholics responded.
The reason I'm asking this question is because I know that we have to confess ALL sins that we're aware of. So what if we're sorry about some and not about others? If I confess only what I'm sorry about, does that mean it's still a proper confession even though I didn't name everything?
2007-01-12 16:10:40 · update #1
Within the sacrament of reconciliation, less than perfect contrition for sin is acceptable, but not ideal.
Sorrow for sins only because you know they might land you in hell is acceptable, but being truly sorry because your sin offended God, would be best.
And since even ONE mortal sin can keep us separated from God, it is necessary to confess EVERY mortal sin that we're aware of, without exception.
Holding back any known MORTAL sins makes the entire confession invalid, and a waste of time.
One may also properly confess venial sins, but it's not required, as we can simply apologize directly to God for those sins. Attending Mass also typically takes care of venial sins.
It's best to be as detailed as possible when confessing, so the priest might be able to evaluate your true spirtual condition, suggest possible solutions, and prescribe appropriate penance.
It should also be noted that absolution of sins is impossible without a firm intention of amendment and a real possibility of true repentance.
People living in a confirmed state of sin (like unmarried cohabiting couples, whether homo or hetero) tend to be trapped in their sin by the relative permanency of their inappropriate living arrangements.
2007-01-12 18:17:21 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
You need to be humble and pray constantly, because every time you confess, it will be harder and harder. "When the house is clean the the devil comes with seven other worst demons." To accept your sins and feel pain or repentance for them, is a gift from God. We like sin, and sometimes we would like to avoid confession, so that we could keep sinning, and that is the beginning of loosing your faith. The reason is because we many times think that sin is something good that we cannot do, and that is a lie. We cannot drink poison or we die. Poison will kill our bodies but sin brings death to our soul and Spirit. So keep up the good fight and confess all sins, that you have commit it from the last confession. "The righteous man sins seven times a day", so don't worry about confessing constantly, do it until Jesus come, he will find you fighting or down. I will pray for you.
And for those of you who answer and are not Catholic. Jesus gave the order, Jesus founded the Catholic Church, or the church died with Peter? There has always been a Pope since Peter die. (http://mb-soft.com/believe/txc/popes.htm) , "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be[e] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." (Mathew 16: 17-19) And to the other disciples Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven." (JOHN 20: 21-22) That means priests are following God’s direct teaching not man’s teaching. http://www.biblegateway.com
2007-01-12 16:51:40 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like you are coming from a Catholic perspective of sin and confession. The very fact that you know something is a sin is a form of confession. There is nothing that says that you need to confess publically. It's really between you and God.
2007-01-12 16:04:05 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Wow. Are you Catholic?
Read Hebrews in the NEW King James Version, preferably the Spirit Filled or Nelson Study Bibles.
Once we confess Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, the Scriptures say God the Father "remembers our sins no more". It also says that the sacrifice of Jesus is so all-encompassing and the putting away of our sin nature so complete that there "no longer remains an offering for sin".
The work is done! He did it, all you have to do is believe it in your heart and in your mouth. (With your CONFESSION.) Confession is not to remove all your sinful acts....true Bible confession is professing your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
As long as your bound by so much sin-consciousness, you'll be living by the law, and Galatians says anyone who tries to live by the law is living under a curse. Jesus became a curse for us so we have been redeemed from the curse of the law.
Don't live in bondage to your old sins....walk away from them and be free in the new man you have (or will) become in the Lord Jesus Christ!
2007-01-12 16:10:32 · answer #4 · answered by CassandraM 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
the sins you are truly sorry about will be forgiven, while the others you aren't sorry about won't. Besides mortal sins, It is recommended that you confess venial sins. You don't have to give exact details, just give general confession such as I committed adultry, lied, stole, etc.
Don't let unforgiven sins remain in your conscience, you should confess them , in order for GOd to forgive you, you'll feel so much better, I promise. peace.
2007-01-12 16:03:14 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Firstly, I am confident that you are on the right track, because you know the difference between a genuine repentant confession and one that you are not ruly sorry for. Believe, that this the Holy Spirit working.
My advise is, confess all sins, even those that you are not sorry for...BUT...those ones that you know you are not sorry for, speak with your father of confession, and tell him exactly that...tell him that you know its wrong and you do not feel bad for it, and you know that you will do them again, but you want to learn to hate it and really feel sorry for it...he will pray for you, and God will work right there and then.
More importantly, when you do confess such sins, go back home into your room, and pray to God to give you the true repentance...and say it to Him as it is...cry out saying
"Lord, I know this particular sin is wrong, but I am not sorry for it, and I like it, and I want to stop it...Give me the genuine feeling of repentance and wash me clean from it, give me the grace to over come it."
You gotta understand the repentance and confession is a mysterious work of the Holy Spirit within you, and He will speak to you and guide you and work with you.
In regards to confessing only 'mortal sins'...well, a sin is a sin, and all sins are hated by God, and God wants us cleansed and washed from all sins, as st paul clearly said it in His epistle to the corinthians...so Yes, you must confess all sins.
God bless you my friend, and guide you in all repentance.
2007-01-12 16:11:32 · answer #6 · answered by copticphoenix 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well god knows everything you really feel, from what happened, to what you did, to how you feel know. In honesty, god has the power to read your thoughts, so you really dont have to confess outloud since he already knows what your talking about.
BUT if your trying to confess something to make it better when your really not sorry, whats your motives?
To still be able to break commandments, yet save yourself from going to hell? - doesnt work like that.
You will need to be honest with yourself about what your doing before you can truely connect with a higher power.
2007-01-12 16:06:27 · answer #7 · answered by Ducky 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just read your question and see how ridiculous it sounds. I'm sorry but all this confession stuff if ridiculous. In my mind, if you do something you know is wrong, then you either go to the person you have wronged and apologize, or you pray to God himself and ask forgiveness. Then you try to make amends. But if you're not really sorry, it's all a waste of time.
2007-01-12 16:05:13 · answer #8 · answered by crazywoman88 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If you don't feel truly sorry, then you truly will not be forgiven is what I think. Matter of fact, I think if you pull something like this, is it not going to be a favorable thing when the times comes that decides if you are going up or if you are going down.
2007-01-12 16:03:40 · answer #9 · answered by rosey 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Repentance skill more suitable than being truly sorry. 2 Corinthians 7:10-11 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no remorseful about, yet worldly sorrow brings death. 11 See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to sparkling yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what difficulty, what readiness to be sure justice achieved. At each factor you've proved yourselves to be innocuous in this remember. portion of repentance is eagerly and actually possessing as a lot as your movements and dealing with the consequences. A lower than the impact of alcohol motive force who mowed down a baby would walk right into a police station of his own volition and turn himself in, would plead accountable with out desiring a criminal professional will fortunately take regardless of sentence grow to be exceeded to him and would bypass previous the criteria of guy's guidelines and under no circumstances in trouble-free words provide up ingesting alcohol at enthusiastic about some thing else of his existence yet actively seek out or commence a help team to help people provide up ingesting and carry public knowledge of the disadvantages of drink and rigidity. such someone would under no circumstances ignore the horror of what exceeded off and be brought on by using that experience to do as a lot good as achieveable for some thing else of his existence, even with understanding that he's forgiven he will under no circumstances enable that experience be forgotten and under no circumstances enable the finished horror of what exceeded off quit him being brought on to make amends any way he can. it truly is genuine repentance. Mentally saying you're sorry to God and protecting up your crime and hoping you receive away with it isn't repentance and would not deliver about forgiveness.
2016-10-30 23:31:45 · answer #10 · answered by bonanno 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋