2007-06-19 04:37:45 · 4 answers · asked by ? 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
You are talking about what Catholics call reconciliation, and Lutherans call confession and absolution. Jesus gave the Church the authority to act as God's emissary to forgive sins face-to-face. It's the reason people in churches that practice reconciliation don't (or shouldn't) have to sit around angsting about whether their repentance was really a valid, heart-felt repentance or not. If the pastor says your sins are forgiven, your sins are forgiven. Period. Check out John 20:21-23 and see for yourself.
Yeah, God can forgive sins without going through a pastor or priest, but why wouldn't you seek the assurance that comes from utilizing the most tangible means He has provided?
2007-06-19 05:20:55 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous Lutheran 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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.
Jesus said, "I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16:19)
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." (Luke 20:22-23)
Oral confessing sins is recommended over and over in both the Old and New Testaments:
+ James 5:16
+ Acts 19:18
+ Matthew 3:5-6
+ Mark 1:5
+ 1 Timothy 6:12
+ 1 John 1:9
+ Numbers 5:6-7
+ Nehemiah 9:2
+ Sirach 4:26
The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation with a priest ordained in the name of Jesus Christ not only reconciles the sinner to God but with the entire church, including you and me.
With love in Christ.
2007-06-19 23:24:03 · answer #2 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, God is the only one whop can forgive sins.
But Jesus Christ-GOD- gave his apostles- the first priests the ability to adminster GOD's forgiveness to sinners.
"Then he breathed on them and said,'Whose sins you forgive shall be forgiven."
2007-06-21 20:21:11 · answer #3 · answered by Mommy_to_seven 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yep, and he does it through them. He blew on them and said "Receive the Holy Spirit, whose sins you shall forgive, will be forgiven and whose sins you shall bind will be bound to them" Yep look it up
2007-06-19 11:54:08 · answer #4 · answered by Midge 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋