Christians - regarding "Confession".........?

Question

Do you wonder why Catholics (and Eastern Orthodox Christians) confess their sins to a priest? God had sent Jesus to forgive sins, but after his resurrection Jesus told the apostles, "‘As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, ‘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). This is the establishment of the Sacrament of Penance (Confession). Christ told the apostles: "As the Father has sent me, even so I send you" (John 20:21). Just as the apostles were to carry Christ’s message to the whole world, so they were to carry his forgiveness: "Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matt. 18:18).

This power was understood as coming from God: "All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation" (2 Cor. 5:18). Indeed, confirms Paul, "So we are ambassadors for Christ" (2 Cor. 5:20). Some say that any power given to the apostles died with them. Not so. The powers necessary to maintain the Church as a living, spiritual society had to be passed down from generation to generation.It would take much time. And he promised them assistance: "Lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age" (Matt. 28:19–20). The Catholic Bishops (and Eastern Orthodox Bishops) are the direct successors of the Apostles through the laing on of hands. There is an unbroken line of 265 popes going back to Peter himself. In this way, the authority to forgive sins was handed down. But again, this power comes from God: "All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation" (2 Cor. 5:18).
Comments?

more at:
http://www.catholic.com/library/Forgiveness_of_Sins.asp

Answer 1

I need only God to confess my sins to. I don't need the approval or validation of any man in my quest to humble myself before God.

Answer 2

You've given a good and accurate description of the doctrine of Apostolic Succession. Yes, Bishops and priests *are* the direct successors of the Apostles, in an unbroken chain from Apostolic times right down to today. When Christ founded His Church on earth, He charged the Apostles with preaching, laying on of hands, forgiving sins through the power of God, etc.

And that is partly why we as Catholics (and our Orthodox bretheren too) go to see a priest for Confession. It's God who actually does the remission and forgiving of sins, but the anointed minister of the sacrament, the priest, is charged with granting God's absolution.

Answer 3

Doesn't the idea of confessing to a person (as well as God) come from the verse, "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." James 5:16

I think the idea is that sometimes it helps to talk to another person about it...not that you 'have' to or anything. Just a thought.

Answer 4

Since I started in these forums I have seen this question quite a few times. Since I did not have a good answer for it I have been researching it. The first thing I have found and which makes sense is that the verse was slightly mistranslated. A paper I found in the Journal of Biblical Literature states that this verse should be translated into the perfect tense not the present tense. When translated in this tense it gives the idea instead that the apostles should only consider as forgiven the sins that God has forgiven. I hope this makes sense to you and helps with your question. Also the Bible clearly states that Christ is the only mediator between God and man. It is not necessary to go to man for forgiveness.

1Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

Another point is when you look at when Simon the sorcerer tried to buy the gift of the Holy Spirit. Peter did not tell him to confess to Peter so his sins could be forgiven.

Act 8:22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

Hopefully this clears some things up. It did for me.

Answer 5

The unbroken string of popes going back to Peter is pure fantasy. How could anyone prove or disprove such a wild claim. Once the corrupt bible was cannonized and the main false doctrines of the christian church established, a holy war insued. All other writings were rounded up and destroyed. Anyone not on board with the doctrine of the state sponsored church was harrassed or worse. If salvation is a gift then all that obey or else stuff is contradictory. So is the idea that we are in need of blood atonement. We did not need Jesus to be a saviour because we already had one, The Holy Spirit.

Answer 6

Amen brother! I think you already know the truth, but it is interesting to read the protestant rationalizations as to why they disagree with this teaching. Confession is an awesome gift from God!

Answer 7

First of all these verses describe the powers that Jesus gave His twelve original disciples. Secondly, they reflect in no conceivable way any sort of confessional. Note that Jesus gave them His Holy Spirit that empowered them. No pope has EVER or will EVER have Jesus' Holy Spirit inside him!

Jhn 8:44 Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Answer 8

For those of us who are not catholic, we confess our sins to God, and ask God for forgiveness from Him. We also pray only to Him, as Christ directed us to. We all have a choice, and it is my choice to depend on God and not man-made doctrine. I will not pray to a man-made saint, bow before any statue/idot or confess my sins to any priest and expect that God will forgive me through that person. I don't need that person as an intermediary, I go directly to the source.

Answer 9

"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" -1st Timothy 2:5

Now I know you'll tell me I took that out of context. However, the temple curtain was torn apart at Christ's death, signifying the end of man's seperation from God. I am exhorted by scripture to come boldly before the throne of grace, to cast all my cares on him. I have no need of black robed intercessor.

Answer 10

Talk to a Catholic priest and ask him.