why do catholics not just confess their sins directly to God as protestants do?

Answer 1

Well, the quick answer is because that's the way God wants us to do it. In James 5:16, God, through Sacred Scripture, commands us to "confess our sins to one another." Notice, Scripture does not say confess your sins straight to God and only to God...it says confess your sins to one another.

In Matthew, chapter 9, verse 6, Jesus tells us that He was given authority on earth to forgive sins. And then Scripture proceeds to tell us, in verse 8, that this authority was given to "men"...plural.

In John 20, verses 21-23, what is the 1st thing Jesus says to the gathered disciples on the night of His resurrection? "Jesus said to them, 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.'" How did the Father send Jesus? Well, we just saw in Mt 9 that the Father sent Jesus with the authority on earth to forgive sins. Now, Jesus sends out His disciples as the Father has sent Him...so, what authority must Jesus be sending His disciples out with? The authority on earth to forgive sins. And, just in case they didn't get it, verses 22-23 say this, "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.'"

Why would Jesus give the Apostles the power to forgive or to retain sins if He wasn't expecting folks to confess their sins to them? And how could they forgive or retain sins if no one was confessing their sins to them?

The Bible tells us to confess our sins to one another. It also tells us that God gave men the authority on Earth to forgive sins. Jesus sends out His disciples with the authority on earth to forgive sins. When Catholics confess our sins to a priest, we are simply following the plan laid down by Jesus Christ. He forgives sins through the priest...it is God's power, but He exercises that power through the ministry of the priest.

Answer 2

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 3

That's a practice in that sect of Christianity that goes way back, I don't know the exact history. I don't believe in it, why should I confess my sins to a "regular human being" since GOD knows all anyway. Shouldn't I have a relationship with HIM first, and everyone else second?

Answer 4

The priest in the sacrament of confession is not a mediator. He is a minister of God's forgiveness, using that power which was given to him by Jesus Himself, as recorded in the Bible (John 20:22-23) .
The passage of John is :
"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 them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

Answer 5

Jesus said."NO MAN COMES TO THE FATHER ACCEPT THROUGH ME. The thing about the Bible is that you can make it say anything. God gave us the common sense (hopefully) to think for ourselves. It just makes common sense that God knows our lives better than we do.To call a Priest father and to confess to him seems wrong to me. I have a relationship with God the Father through Christ his son.Jesus died for the sins of mankind and then went to Heaven to sit at the right hand of God the Father.God the Father not Priest the father

Answer 6

Since you've never confessed to another person the way Catholics do, you wouldn't understand how cleansing it can be. It is very difficult to actually say out loud to another person one's sins. Your question sounds like a thinly veiled criticism of the Catholic practice of confession.

Answer 7

Yes, we confess to Jesus through the priest but, they dont realize that. Oh they can go through Jesus directly they say---well, why did he leave men in charge of his Church at all then? We could have all just went through Jesus and we didn't need the Apostles at all did we? Another geesh award to them!!

Answer 8

God already knows. He wants you to feel the shame and humiliation of having the priest know it too. That'll make you think twice before you have impure thoughts.

Answer 9

I don't know why they do, but as to why they shouldn't?

The whole point of Jesus' sacrifice was to pay off the debt of our sins. It means that we no longer need an earthly intermediary (ie. priests/popes) between us and God for He (Jesus Christ) is our intermediary.

Answer 10

Something about no being worthy of speaking to God or something like that.