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.
This sacrament is rooted in the mission God gave to Christ in his capacity as the Son of man on earth to go and forgive sins (cf. Matt. 9:6). Thus, the crowds who witnessed this new power "glorified God, who had given such authority to men" (Matt. 9:8; note the plural "men"). After his resurrection, Jesus passed on his mission to forgive sins to his ministers, telling them, "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).
Since it is not possible to confess all of our many daily faults, we know that sacramental reconciliation is required only for grave or mortal sins—but it is required, or Christ would not have commanded it.
Over time, the forms in which the sacrament has been administered have changed. In the early Church, publicly known sins (such as apostasy) were often confessed openly in church, though private confession to a priest was always an option for privately committed sins. Still, confession was not just something done in silence to God alone, but something done "in church," as the Didache (A.D. 70) indicates.
Penances also tended to be performed before rather than after absolution, and they were much more strict than those of today (ten years’ penance for abortion, for example, was common in the early Church).
But the basics of the sacrament have always been there, as the following quotations reveal. Of special significance is their recognition that confession and absolution must be received by a sinner before receiving Holy Communion, for "[w]hoever . . . eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord" (1 Cor. 11:27).
The Didache
"Confess your sins in church, and do not go up to your prayer with an evil conscience. This is the way of life. . . . On the Lord’s Day gather together, break bread, and give thanks, after confessing your transgressions so that your sacrifice may be pure" (Didache 4:14, 14:1 [A.D. 70]).
Peace and every blessing!
2007-04-01 21:08:03
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answer #1
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answered by Anonymous
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There is no barrier between the Slave and Allah. Forgiveness only must be asked from ALLAH....and directly from Him with conditions of repentance as follow:
1 – Giving up the sin immediately.
2 – Regretting what has happened in the past.
3 – Resolving not to go back to it.
4 – Making amends to those whom you have wronged, or asking for their forgiveness.
According to ISLAM
2007-04-02 04:02:34
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answer #2
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answered by MusliM...SalaFi 3
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Jesus Christ the God incarnate, who called Himself Son of God has the authority to forgive sins. Minor, major, big small, every sin He will forgive if with repentance and change of heart, confessed to him directly and personally. There should be a sincere desire not to sin any more and follow him in Word and deed. Invite Him as saviour and commit to obey him. This the reaching of Christ and His Word the Bible. Between God and the people, there is only one mediator, who came to die as a punishment and and sacrifice on our behalf. Read and study Bible to know more. It is a mis interpretation to teach that, God delegated this authority to representatives or priests.
2014-06-28 08:30:56
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answer #3
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answered by Phil 1
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I am a Christian. Therefore , I believe is better to speak with a priest about your faults. ask him what to do to rid of sin. If you are a Christian is better to pray to God for get rid your sin. For example, you can read every day the Psalm 50.
2007-04-04 03:04:12
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answer #4
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answered by Gabriel 1
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A perfect man got us into sin [ Adam] and only a perfect man can get us out...Its Jesus.
He has already paid the price with his life.
We have to be obedient to get the results...no death.
(Revelation 21:4) And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”
2007-04-02 03:48:57
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answer #5
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answered by pugjw9896 7
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Try a Sin-eater.
2007-04-02 03:22:56
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answer #6
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answered by Zarathustra 5
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pray to Jesus and let him into your life accept his gift of salvation. be washed clean by his blood.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=50&chapter=3&version=31
John 3
Jesus Teaches Nicodemus
1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."
3In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born agai
2007-04-02 03:46:52
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answer #7
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answered by Mim 7
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How about getting rid of religion. No more sin.
2007-04-02 03:47:47
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answer #8
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answered by Anonymous
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I guess once you sinned you are sin.
2007-04-02 04:00:24
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answer #9
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answered by Anonymous
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by repenting and not to do those sins in future.
2007-04-02 04:04:40
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answer #10
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answered by nightingale 6
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