one question for catholic religion?

Question

why do you have to go to confessional to repent,,why don't you just go to God himself and hadle it. I guess i really don't know the signifigance of the middle man?

Answer 1

It is not Biblical to think that a mere human can forgive sin, only God has forgiven sins. For the believer, the work of forgiveness is done, completed by Christ on the cross, nothing more needs to be done. There was only one sacrifice that atoned for the sins of the believers, and that was sufficient. The idea put forth by the catholics that priests or anyone else can forgive sin was simply a way of controlling people. If someone in "authority" knew your faults, your sins, he could use that to control you.

Heb 9:28 so Christ having been once offered "to bear the sins of many," Christ shall appear a second time without sin to those expecting Him for salvation.

1Ti 2:5 For God is one, also there is one Mediator of God and of men, the Man Christ Jesus,

Answer 2

Confession started in the Medieval days. Each town had one church. The entire population knew each other, including the priest. By getting the people to come in and tell him all the dirt that's going on, gave him unbelievable power over the people. He knew everybody's most inner secrets, and used them to his advantage. The church at that time was corrupt beyond belief.
On a higher level. The king had absolute control over the people for their few short lives, but the bishop could send you to hell or heaven,for the rest of eternity, whichever suited him. He even had power over the king ( the kings believed this B.S, also ).
The Medieval church would have been only a fraction of what it actually was, if it had not come up with the confession idea.

Answer 3

"If you are ever asked why Catholics believe that Jesus gave us the Sacrament of Reconciliation, you can simply refer to John 20:22, "After saying this [`As the Father sent me, so I send you'], he breathed on them and said: `Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.' "

The early Christians had no doubt that the Lord Jesus had left with his community the power to forgive sins. What was not clear was the form that such forgiveness was to take, and it is clear that the understanding of the sacrament has evolved over centuries.

Scholars tell us that the earliest form of forgiveness of sins was expressed through the Sacrament of Baptism. When a person was baptized, sins were forgiven at the same time that the person became a member of the Christian community. As time went on, however, the question arose of what to do about sins committed after Baptism. (more on link)(1)
~~~~~~~
"A question that often arises is: Why confess my sins? And why confess to a priest? Why not confess directly to God, since God has already forgiven me anyway? From God's point of view, the simple answer is: There is no reason. But from our point of view, the answer is that as human beings who do not live in our minds alone, we need to externalize bodily—with words, signs and gestures—what is in our minds and heart. We need to see, hear and feel forgiveness—not just think about it.

We need other human beings to help us externalize what is within and open our hearts before the Lord, which puts confessors in a new light. They are best seen, not as faceless and impersonal judges, but as guides in our discernment, compassionately helping us experience and proclaim the mercy of God in our lives. As the Introduction to the Rite puts it, the confessor "fulfills a parental function...reveals the heart of the Father and shows the image of the Good Shepherd." Another of the confessor's roles is to say the prayer of absolution. Contrary to what we may have thought in the past, this prayer, which completes or seals the penitent's change of heart, is not a prayer asking for forgiveness. It is a prayer signifying God's forgiveness of us and our reconciliation with the Church—which is certainly something to celebrate. " (2)

Answer 4

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.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 1422 and following: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2chpt2.htm

With love in Christ.

Answer 5

I am a Catholic. I've gone to Confession 4 times in my lifetime and I'm 64. Many more times I've done what you suggest but to be sincere, there is no feeling of being cleansed afterwards. Telling your sins to a priest, who may be or not, a better person than you, somehow is cathartic.
Probably this is a question best answered by a psychologist.

Answer 6

The Catholic Catechism says that you must confess to a priest so he can forgive you and reconcile (restore your standing) with the Catholic Church.

Another reason is so they can give you penance to do, which is an Old Testament thing. (Having to do "works" in order to be forgiven)

http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p2s2c2a4.htm#1468

- Not a Catholic -

Answer 7

We are told in the New Testament to confess our sins to one another. Also, Christ informed His apostles that they had the power to forgive sins, and whatever they chose to forgive would be forgiven. Since part of the Catholic Church's doctrine involves the Apostolic Succession, that tradition continues. And praying to God is part of the process of confessing.

Answer 8

You don't have to. The point of confession is that the priest has the authority to extend absolution or forgiveness,upon performance of a penance. You can still pray to God and Christ for forgiveness; in fact you do that during confession.

Answer 9

First off, I myself am not catholic, my mother is. I asked her this question and she said it is because priests are supposed to be closer to God then average people. Although I dont agree with the whole priests being closer to God thing. That is what they think. Most priests have a moment in their lives that changes them and makes them want to be priests, and makes them feel closer to God.

Answer 10

well in the Catholic religion, the priest is rep resting God. Instead of you talking to the priest you are talking to God, and the priest when he absolves you get grace.(don't get me wrong the priest is not God and it is wrong to hold anny one in that light) this type of grace helps you lead a more holy life.