Do Protestants not understand that?

Question

Jesus Christ authorized the priests of His Church to hear confessions and empowered them to forgive sins in His Name. To the Apostles, the first priests of His Church, Christ said: ``Peace be to you. As the Father hath sent me, I also send you.... Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.'' (John 20:21-23). Then again: ``Amen I say to you, whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth, shall be loosed also in heaven.'' (Matt. 18:18). In other words, Catholics confess their sins to priests because priests are God's duly authorized agents in the world, representing Him in all matters pertaining to the ways and means of attaining eternal salvation. When Catholics confess their sins to a priest they are, in reality, confessing their sins to God, for God hears their confessions and it is He who, does the forgiving

There is no mediator. We are confessing to God thru the priest and receiving absolution from God
If our confessions are not sincere, their sins are not forgiven.

I guess you Protestants dont understand Apostolic Succession either?

Answer 1

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 is 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

Answer 2

"Just as in the Old Testament the priest makes the leper clean or unclean, so in the New Testament the bishop and presbyter binds or looses not those who are innocent or guilty,but by reason of their office, when they have heard various kinds of sins, they know who is to be bound and who loosed."
Jerome,Commentary on Matthew,3:16,19(A.D. 398),in JUR,II:202


"All mortal sins are to be submitted to the keys of the Church and all can be forgiven; but recourse to these keys is the only, the necessary, and the certain way to forgiveness. Unless those who are guilty of grevious sin have recourse to the power of the keys, they cannot hope for eternal salvation. Open your lips, them, and confess your sins to the priest. Confession alone is the true gate to Heaven."
Augustine,Christian Combat(A.D. 397)

Answer 3

James 5:16
"Confess your faults (trespasses/sins) one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

James, the half brother of Jesus and the leader of the Jerusalem church of the dispersed Jewish Christians said confess your sins one to another. James didn't mention bishops or deacons, only elders.

The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins and purifies and refines us. And when the Holy Spirit comes, what He begins in us, He is more than able to finish. As the Holy Spirit works in us, we begin to hate sin because we love the Lord and sin has no place in Him.

1 Corinthians 2:15, 16
But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
For who hath known the mnid of the Lord, that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:13, 14
Which things also we speak, and in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Answer 4

Different religions (and different sects within Christianity) interpret the process differently.

I don't know every specific Protestant interpretation, but I do know that some do consider the priest to act as agent, mediator, authority -- whatever you call it -- and that it is the priest, acting as mediator or agent for God, that grants forgiveness.

From what you say, I am assuming your branch of the Catholic church (and perhaps all Catholics) believe the priest is a conduit, and not acting as an intermediary agent -- but that's a difference of religious interpretation.

The thing about religion is -- there is no one answer that absolutely is correct for everyone -- because so much is a matter of interpretation. Wars have occurred over those differences -- and not everyone accepts that someone else's different interpretation is valid.

But it's not a matter of them "not understanding" what you are saying -- it's a matter of them disagreeing with the interpretation you are presenting.

Answer 5

Well this is what Jesus said to His Apostles, but it is true of any believer, God says that we need to confess our sins to one another, as it is written in James 5:16:

"Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed".

And what you quoted from Matt 18:18, has a context, in Matt 18:15, it starts like this:

"If your bother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him..."

Then God is saying that if you know of somebody's sin you need to confront the sinner one on one, and if it doesn't work, you can take 2 or 3 people with you, and if it doesn't work, you take him before the Church (the community of believers). And then is when it says "Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven..."

As for the first versed you quoted (John 20: 21-23), Jesus is talking to his first disciples, and today we are all called to be His disciples. It doesn't say: "Well only you, my apostles right now, can forgive sin". Because then that statement would only be true of the first Apostles.

Answer 6

Uh. Well. Speaking as a protestant with an unbiased voice; it could just be interpretation. Catholics interpret this message as something to use to release their sins on Earth. Protestants would rather pray and speak directly with God on their forgiveness. I hope that doesn't sound bad?

Answer 7

So let me get this right...if I sin and dont reach a priest but pray directly to God my sin is not forgiven me? Please the whole point of sin confession was a gimmich created by Catholic leaders to know what was going on amongs they people they were forcing to follow the church and to always have something on anyone that could be used to blackmail or pursuade people to do the actions of your pope. While the verses you include here depend on an intepretation, how much more directly can Christ make it plain then that ONLY he stands between God and man and no that other man is even worthy to be an intercessor....

Also, a job of hte priest is to make sacrifices for the sins of hte people. Christ has offered himself up as a sacrifice and serves as the high priest. What sacrifices do your white collar MEN offer.

And haven't the abhorent behavior of so called priest throughout the history of the Catholic church proven enough that the thought of confessing our sins to these dirty vessels is ridiculous

Answer 8

And what does that matter

As a Catholic I must say that the continuation of outdated and idiotic schisms amongst Christians is a pointless thing.
There are so many issues we as a people must face that disagreements on the colour of socks means nothing. Know your own God and know the difference between right and wrong. be good, be kind, be just. Follow the ten commandments and I am sure that God will not worry about the details if you have done the best you can to serve humanity

Answer 9

When Jesus resurrected He became our meadiator and there was no need of a priest. Take your confessions directly to God through Jesus and forget the priest. You don't have to rely on him for forgivness nor for your spiritual growth. That is why the Catholic Church had a fit when the first Bible was printed. It made it possible for Catholics to understand without a priest.

Answer 10

the only priest we confess our sins to is jesue. becouse he is sinless and will never die. paul said confess your sins to him...... not man .if you will read the book of hebrews you will find that every born again believer holds the royal priesthood. he also said any man that comes to me,,,i,will not cast out.no man can forgive your sins against god. they can only tell you who can forgive them.jesus also said come unto me , not man i dont care if he wears a robe with a 10 foot tail,he cannot forgive my sins against god. hes not my saviour, interseser,, advocate. or go between. that position belongs to jesus and jesus alone. just kneel down and ask him. hope this helped love pastor carney

Answer 11

The apostles were not "priests", that term is never used for them.
In reference to the Matt. 18 passage, I offer this commentary:

(1)"Whatsoever ye shall bind ... - These words were spoken to the apostles. Jesus had before addressed the same words to Peter, (Mat_16:19). He employs them here to signify that they all had the same power; that in ordering the affairs of the church he did not intend to give Peter any supremacy or any exclusive right to regulate it. The meaning of this verse is, whatever you shall do in the discipline of the church shall be approved by God or bound in heaven. This promise, therefore, cannot be understood as extending to all Christians or ministers, for all others but the apostles may err."

And in regards to the John 20 passage:

(1)"Whose soever sins ... - It is worthy of remark here that Jesus confers the same power on all the apostles. He gives to no one of them any special authority. If Peter, as the Papists pretend, had been appointed to any special authority, it is wonderful that the Saviour did not here hint at any such pre-eminence. This passage conclusively proves that they were invested with equal power in organizing and governing the church. The authority which he had given Peter to preach the gospel first to the Jews and the Gentiles, does not militate against this. This authority given them was full proof that they were inspired. The meaning of the passage is not that man can forgive sins that belongs only to God (Isa_43:23) but that they should be inspired; that in founding the church, and in declaring the will of God, they should be taught by the Holy Spirit to declare on what terms, to what characters, and to what temper of mind God would extend forgiveness of sins. It was not authority to forgive individuals, but to establish in all the churches the terms and conditions on which men might be pardoned, with a promise that God would confirm all that they taught; that all might have assurance of forgiveness who would comply with those terms; and that those who did not comply should not be forgiven, but that their sins should be retained. This commission is as far as possible from the authority which the Roman Catholic claims of remitting sin and of pronouncing pardon."

The RCC priest has no more power than anyone else. Peter himself stated this, that all believers are "priests", and fully capable of coming before God to pray, intercede and worship.

1Pe 2:5 you also as living stones are being built a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

1Pe 2:9 But you are "an elect race," "a royal priesthood," "a holy nation," "a people for possession," so that "you may openly speak of the virtues" of the One who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

Christ's sacrifice on the cross was fully sufficient for the forgiveness of all the sins of His people, nothing more needs to be done. To say that any human can forgive sins against God is to say that Christ's work was insufficient and He didn't really mean it when He said, IT IS FINISHED!