Catholics and confession?

Question

Let me preface this by saying I am not attacking Catholics. I just want to point out something.

A question was asked about confession a couple days ago. A Catholic who responded said the following "While it is possible to confess directly to God and obtain forgiveness, what assurance do we have that we are actually forgiven?". This amazed me. The confidence I have that I am forgiven comes directly from the Bible and not from man. The Bible tells us if we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive us. So if I confess my sins to God, He will forgive me. I do not need to wonder if I am forgiven. I do not need to worry. I know I am forgiven. No priest needed. So my question is this why not trust God's Word to tell me I am forgiven rather than man?

1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Please don't tell this verse means confess to a priest. It doesn't.

Midge - not very nice. But I will let it pass. I do not believe I am smarter than Jesus. In fact I know I am not. However I also know that the Catholic church is not the church Jesus founded. In the future would you mind actually addressing the question and being polite? I would really appreciate it.

The Cub - would you mind giving verses for 1-8? Quite frankly you can't because most of it is not supported Biblically. The ministry of reconciliation is merely bringing people to God. Reconciling them to Him. It has nothing to do with working for forgiveness or acts you must do to be reconciled. All I need do to take communion is make myself right with God. Pray and make sure my sins are forgiven and my life is right with Him.

cristoiglesia - I know the RCC claims to be the church Jesus founded. Sorry but this is not true and nowhere in scripture does it say it. Peter was not a pope and never claimed to be. Going back in history and saying someone was pope or the leader of your church does not make it so.

You are right in saying Jesus founded one church. It is the church of all believers. Not a denomination.

the cub - you said "Just as Original Sin is forgiven by God in the sacrament of Baptism through His priests". Would you mind showing me where the office of priest was instituted in the Bible? As I understand it Christians are a royal priesthood. All Christians. Not just a select group.

newlycradlecatholic - no where in the Bible do the apostles forgive sin. No where does it say if they actually had the power to forgive sins that it was passed on. God forgives sin. Not man.

Answer 1

Having been brought up in the Catholic church, and going thru classes, and first communion, and first confession, and so forth, and now, being born again into Christ, I see and feel such a difference. I can truly say that not once during "confession" to a priest did I feel particularly close to or forgive by God.

Now, however, in prayer and repentance, I feel His presence in my life every day. In reading His word, I am getting to know Him deeply. I had never picked up, nor was I encouraged to, a Bible.

To me, looking back, my time as a Catholic was more about what I can't do, and ritual, than it was about Jesus, his death for me, and my eternal life with Him. This was all very new to me when I was born again. The idea of having a relationship with Jesus was unheard of.

Thank you for once again giving us things to think of.

God bless.

Answer 2

Hello, Edge.

We are not taught that the priest himself forgives our sins. The only thing my parish priest can forgive me is if I transgress against him, personally, and ask his forgiveness -- basically just like any other brother in Christ.

We ARE taught that through apostolic succession -- directly from John 20:22-23 -- priests have the authority to forgive sins THROUGH CHRIST.

By ourselves, we can do nothing. Yes? And so it is Christ who forgives our sins, always. The priest is neither mediator nor arbitrator. He is simply the means through which Christ provides absolution of sins to those who confess.

Of course, if one's personal theology does not recognize apostolic authority, there's a problem accepting this. But for those of us who do that doesn't mean we don't trust God's Word -- it means we rely upon it.

Your respondent who made the comment that led to this question may have phrased it a bit clumsily, but I take his point. From a strictly Catholic perspective, it's difficult to understand how one can sit alone in one's room, say to God they're sorry for something they did and ask forgiveness, and say "amen" and it's a done deal. What if they weren't sincere about it? What if they're just going to turn right around and do the same thing again?

You see, from this side of the confessional booth, it looks a whole lot easier that way to slide back into the same sin that brought us to our knees in the first place. I do understand the objections to that, and to a point I agree (I don't think it's ever "easy" to approach the throne of God when we've messed up, regardless of how we do the approaching).

What matters, in the end, is that you and I both confess our sins with the assurance that we are forgiven.

Answer 3

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 of 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.

Remember all sacraments are encounters with God. This sacrament is a healing encounter between God and the penitent.

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 4

The power to forgive sin was given to the Apostles by Jesus Himself, not a Catholic interpretation but directly from the Bible:

Joh 20:21 Jesus therefore said to them again, Peace be unto you: as the Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
Joh 20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Spirit:
Joh 20:23 whose soever sins ye forgive, they are forgiven unto them; whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

Through Apostolic Succession, this same power to forgive is given to the Bishops and the Priests today.

Answer 5

Actually you are the one in error when you say that the Catholic Church is not the Church created by Christ and the apostles. History and Scriptures stand in direct opposition to your opinion.

Christ instructed us to forgive sins and gave us the authority to do so. this is recorded in Scriptures and was practiced by the Church from the beginning. When a priest gives the words of absolution it is comforting especially since Catholics understand that the priest is acting "in persona Christi".
This means that it is Christ that see the heart and forgives the sin and not the priest.

I pray this helps.

In Christ
Fr. Joseph

Answer 6

Jesus said, "As the Father has sent me, so I send you." (John 20:21)

God sent Jesus for the word of God and for the forgiveness of sins and Jesus sends his disciples for the forgiveness of sins (or to do confessions). It is the passing of the mission and teachings from Jesus to his disciples. That is why Catholics have the sacrament of reconciliation. They practice the mission of Christ.

As simple as that!!

Answer 7

If you confess your sins to God in prayer (e.g. via an Act of Contrition) with a contrite heart, indeed your sins are forgiven.

However, God has instituted a sacrament for this, and via the sacrament you gain a number of things that can not be obtained via "direct" confession:

1. Increased grace,
2. Increased strength to fight against evil and its temptation in the future,
3. a closer awareness of God,
4. a purgation that is unlike simply asking for confession directly.....and that purgation can be felt.
5. an increased peace,
6. the ability to receive Holy Communion (if you have satisfied the other requirements...e.g. Baptism, joining the Church, etc.).
7. counseling from the priest,
8. etc.

If indeed you believe the Bible.....and if indeed you believe that Jesus would not lie.....and if indeed you believe that Jesus would not lead us astray, then you will honor the following:

Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." 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." (Cf. Jn 20:21-23)

"…And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation…" (Cf. 2 Cor. 5:18)


http://www.call2holiness.org/faith.htmlhttp://www.call2holiness.org/faith.html

Just as Original Sin is forgiven by God in the sacrament of Baptism through His priests, mortal sin is forgiven by God in the sacrament of Reconciliation through His priests.

We have God's Word on it.

Answer 8

Sorry, you're no longer waiting to acquire absolution on your sins over a working laptop or computing device through actuality it does no longer entail oral confession of sins. you ought to confess your sins orally to a catholic clergyman. a working laptop or computing device with (you're assuming) a Catholic clergyman on the different end, does no longer symbolize oral confession. This oral confession does no longer unavoidably ought to take place in a church, it in simple terms should be executed interior the presence of a priest. So, if every physique is motionless, they do no longer omit out - a priest can come to them and acquire absolution of their very own house, or the situation ever they are. in distinctive words, if one are no longer waiting to get to the Church to acquire Confession, the Church can placed across confession to them. This fulfills the requirement of oral confession of sins. on the exterior, interestingly like a superb theory yet, a maximum suitable determining of the want of oral confession of sins could instruct why "cyber-confessionals" do no longer and can't exist.

Answer 9

It is an act or a ritual that uses a Priest for guidance and direction. In my Catholic teachings we have never believed that a Priest could offer forgiveness. Do not read into it more than it is.

Answer 10

Christ gave to His Apostles and disciples and their successors power to forgive sins. He said: "Receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained" (John 20:22-23).
This power to forgive sins was not given to the Apostles alone, since men of later ages would need forgiveness as much as men of Apostolic times. The power, therefore, must also remain in the successors of the Apostles, the bishops and clergy of the Catholic Church.