Question:
Is it not enough to be truely sorry in our hearts, minds, and souls. I am guilty of sins too difficult for me to confess to a mortal sinner like myself. I have reached peace in asking for forgiveness. Is this enough. I just can’t trusts my priest or any priest with my life.
Response:
Any sin affects our relationship both with God and with the Holy Church. In this way we need to reconcile with both these ‘people’. It is the firm tradition of the Roman Catholic Church that Jesus gave his apostles the power to forgive sins, a power passed down through the centuries of apostolic succession. Because of this the Church (and thus the ministers of this) are empowered to forgive sins; Christ mediates through his Church. The Church teaches that the Sacrament of Penance facilitates our reconciliation with others. The Sacrament calls us to think deeply on what we have done, and by bringing it to another we are faced to look at it in the less comfortable surrounds of our own self. This is difficult, challenging yet humbling. I think we must also remember that this is a Sacrament, Christ’s love mediated through the ministers of the Church. The experience of confession is to be one of healing and not condemnation. You are right to say we must be sorry in our hearts, but then we must concretise this in the Sacramental side of the Church which brings both forgiveness and healing with God and the Church. Sin affects more than just ourselves. The Catechism of the Catholic Church has quite a good passage on this. If you have access to one you can read it, the reference is 1455. Others may quote this, but if you don’t have a Catechism I will be happy to post it here. This Sacrament is one of the most difficult yet one of the most rewarding. It is never easy to talk to another about personal things, let alone failings. We must all continue to strive to understand Christ in his Church, yet this can take time. The priest is to be the mediator of Christ, he acts in ‘persona christi’ (that is in ‘the person of Christ’) and as such he must take confession in a loving, healing and confidential way. I hope that most live up to this, yet it is of great detriment to both themselves, the faithful and the Church as a whole when they don’t. God bless 
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Is it not enough to be truely sorry in our hearts, minds, and souls. I am guilty of sins too difficult for me to confess to a mortal sinner like myself. I have reached peace in asking for forgiveness. Is this enough. I just can’t trusts my priest or any priest with my life.
Response:
Is it not enough to be truely sorry in our hearts, minds, and souls. I am guilty of sins too difficult for me to confess to a mortal sinner like myself. I have reached peace in asking for forgiveness. Is this enough. I just can’t trusts my priest or any priest with my life.
To say you can’t trust a priest with your life seems odd. You can go to confession in complete anonymity. The priest need not know who you are. The priest is acting in _persona Christi_, in accordance with Christ’s instruction "those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven". Confession is the normative way for the forgiveness of sins after baptism. It’s not just about finding interior peace or getting some other psychological benefit. Confession is a Sacrament, that is, a visible manifestation of an invisible reality. The visible manisfestation is the priest’s granting absolution. The invisible, but assured reality is that God forgives you becuase Christ gave this extraordinary authority (to be His ministers) to his Apostles, and that has been transmitted down over the centuries to our time. When you leave the confessional you can be absolutely assured that your sins are forgiven becuase you have just heard a minister of Christ tell you that. Aq.
Response:
Is it not enough to be truely sorry in our hearts, minds, and souls. I am guilty of sins too difficult for me to confess to a mortal sinner like myself. I have reached peace in asking for forgiveness. Is this enough. I just can’t trusts my priest or any priest with my life.
Trust Jesus Christ.
Response:
James 5:15 "and the prayer offered in faith will make a sick person well; the lord will raise him up. If he has sinned he will be forgiven". James 5:16 "therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed. As a Presbyterian studying prayer I came across this passage. I believe it is important that we have others to confess our sins to and ask those brothers and sisters to help us get past these sins and hold us accountable. To many times we prots simply confess to God our sins and then go right back and do it again. If you keep the sin inside of you God can’t get to it to heal it. You must open up so he can heal it and forgive you. Ken
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Is it not enough to be truely sorry in our hearts, minds, and souls. I am guilty of sins too difficult for me to confess to a mortal sinner like myself. I have reached peace in asking for forgiveness. Is this enough. I just can’t trusts my priest or any priest with my life.
Response:
James 5:15 "and the prayer offered in faith will make a sick person well; the lord will raise him up. If he has sinned he will be forgiven". James 5:16 "therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed. As a Presbyterian studying prayer I came across this passage. I believe it is important that we have others to confess our sins to and ask those brothers and sisters to help us get past these sins and hold us accountable. To many times we prots simply confess to God our sins and then go right back and do it again. If you keep the sin inside of you God can’t get to it to heal it. You must open up so he can heal it and forgive you. Ken
If I keep the sin inside, then I won’t rot in jail. If I confess to another human, he may be compelled to "turn me in"…. I am so deeply stricken with sorrow and remorse. I am so sorry, I pray for forgivenss. But I will never confess to a mortal.
Response:
WHY IT IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO CONFESS TO GOD ALONE That does not suffice because He does not will it. There is no other reason; but that is well worth any other. The Pharisees wished to go straight to God without passing by Jesus Christ, and Jesus answered them, "No man cometh to the Father but bt Me." Protestants and infidels, in their turn, wish to go to Jesus Christ without passing by the priest; and the priest says to them, in the name of God, "No man cometh to Jesus Christ but by me. It is I whom Jesus Christ has sent to men to instruct, purify, judge and save them; and it is to me that He has said, ‘He who hears you hears Me, and he who despises you despises Me.’" The priest holds the place of Jesus Christ on earth. He is man as Jesus Christ was was man; and though he is not true God as Jesus was, he is nevertheless invested with the divine authority of Jesus Christ to save his brethren. Jesus Christ remains among us in the person of the priest; for this reason we must go to him as to Christ, and to Christ by him. "It suffices to confess to God!" And for what purpose would you confess to God? Must you tell your sins for Him to know them? Does He not know them all? My dear friend, what you say on the subject is silly. Besides, it is not straightforward. It is pharasaical because you have no more desire of confessing to God than to the priest. Put your hand on your heart and say you confess often and humbly to God if you do not wish to confess, like everyone else, to the priest. Pharisees! Whitened sepulchres! Be silent, say no more of your imaginary confessions. For us, we understand it to be through mercy and goodness that God has confided to man the care of forgiving our sins. Without this, we would never be sure of having obtained pardon, and in this certitude what sweetness there is to the repentant sinner who has confessed his sins with simplicity of heart, who has hidden nothing which he was conscious of, and who hears the sentence of the priest, the confessor, "I absolve thee, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; go in peace and sin no more." Msgr. Louis Gaston de Segur 1875
Response:
I CANNOT TELL MY SINS. THEY ARE TOO GREAT! Sooner or later, however, they must be told. Thus, go to work, and the sooner the better. No matter what your sin, I warrant you, without knowing you, that the confessor has heard greater sins than yours. Strange self love to make us always imagine that we are the only one of our kind! that we are first, even in crime! This is the ordinary ruse of the devil. When he wants us to commit crime, he says it is nothing, it is a trifle, you can get rid of it by repentance and confession; but when the evil is committed, the liar changes his tone. "See, he exclaims, "what an abomination! What infamy! What shame! How can you dare to tell that?" Liar! Double liar! He lied before; he lies after. Before, in hiding the heinousness of the evil; after, in exaggerating it beyond measure. Before, in making us forget the holy justice of God; after, in making us forget His infinite tenderness, goodness and mercy. After, as before, we are his dupes. "The wolf", St. Augustine says, "shuts the throat of the lamb he carries off, for fear that its bleating would attract the attention of the shepherd. In like manner, the devil shuts the mouth of thousands of sinners, for fear that they would call to the aid of the pastor of souls." Poor lambs! Bleat, cry, and you shall be saved. (Msgr. Louis Gaston de Segur) BAM
Response:
Greetings, – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – James 5:15 "and the prayer offered in faith will make a sick person well; the lord will raise him up. If he has sinned he will be forgiven". James 5:16 "therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed. As a Presbyterian studying prayer I came across this passage. I believe it is important that we have others to confess our sins to and ask those brothers and sisters to help us get past these sins and hold us accountable. To many times we prots simply confess to God our sins and then go right back and do it again. If you keep the sin inside of you God can’t get to it to heal it. You must open up so he can heal it and forgive you. Ken If I keep the sin inside, then I won’t rot in jail. If I confess to another human, he may be compelled to "turn me in"…. I am so deeply stricken with sorrow and remorse. I am so sorry, I pray for forgivenss. But I will never confess to a mortal.
A priest is required to keep anything he hears in the confessional secret. In most countries this is the law as well. It is called the Seal of Confession. Below is a web link that talks about this and also deals with how this is handled in the law of various countries. http://www.knight.org/advent/cathen/13649b.htm May God lead us to a fuller understanding of His truth and may His peace go with you. [As a courtesy, this was both posted and emailed.] — "With the advent of computer telecommunications and what are known as computer participation systems, the Church is offered further means for fulfilling her mission. Methods of facilitating communication and dialogue among her own members can strengthen the bonds of unity between them. Immediate access to information makes it possible for her to deepen her dialogue with the contemporary world." — Pope John Paul II, World Communications Day, May 27, 1989
Response:
Is it not enough to be truely sorry in our hearts, minds, and souls. I am guilty of sins too difficult for me to confess to a mortal sinner like myself. I have reached peace in asking for forgiveness. Is this enough. I just can’t trusts my priest or any priest with my life.
Well, the confession of one’s sins is a divine ordinance instituted by Jesus. Not to confess one’s sins to his representative would be a grave sin in itself, because it shows a refusal to obey God’s provisions for getting one’s sins forgiven. Because the priest is a sinner like outselves, he knows our faults and is able to understand our weaknesses and to provide spiritual advice and consolation. I know that confessing my sins to a priest, as much as I don’t like to, has given me great consolation. And, I KNOW that I have been forgiven and that my sins are GONE! Besides, if one has sinned mortally, then before he can receive Holy COmmunion, he must confess his sins to a priest. To receive Holy COmmunion without doing so is to deprive the person of the graces of the sacrament, and to incur the additional sin of sacrilege. This is because one has received Holy Communion unworthily and is therefore guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. * * * * * "For my flesh is real food, and my blood real drink." –Ed
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – James 5:15 "and the prayer offered in faith will make a sick person well; the lord will raise him up. If he has sinned he will be forgiven". James 5:16 "therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed. As a Presbyterian studying prayer I came across this passage. I believe it is important that we have others to confess our sins to and ask those brothers and sisters to help us get past these sins and hold us accountable. To many times we prots simply confess to God our sins and then go right back and do it again. If you keep the sin inside of you God can’t get to it to heal it. You must open up so he can heal it and forgive you. Ken If I keep the sin inside, then I won’t rot in jail. If I confess to another human, he may be compelled to "turn me in"…. I am so deeply stricken with sorrow and remorse. I am so sorry, I pray for forgivenss. But I will never confess to a mortal.
Well, that means that you are in disobedience to God’s own word and against his own ordinance. That is also the same problem that Bill Clinton has: he won’t confess to men what he did, he will not admit his sorrow, nor is he repetentant, in that his has not really promised to do it again. No contrition, no confession, no amendment …therefore the people are coming down on him. * * * * * "For my flesh is real food, and my blood real drink." –Ed
Response:
Is it not enough to be truely sorry in our hearts, minds, and souls. I am guilty of sins too difficult for me to confess to a mortal sinner like myself. I have reached peace in asking for forgiveness. Is this enough. I just can’t trusts my priest or any priest with my life.
Hello (simbi), When a person goes before a priest in a confessional, the supposed end result is the forgiveness of his sins. Thus apparently no matter what sins were committed, they are forgiven. (I’ve never heard of a case yet where a priest would not allow forgiveness of the persons’ sins) And "The Catholic Encyclopedia" agrees with this and says, "The Church has always taught that every sin, no matter how serious, can be forgiven." Yet the Bible talks about a sins that are not forgiven. Notice Jesus’ own words at Mt 12:31,32, "On this account I say to YOU, Every sort of sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the spirit will not be forgiven. 32 For example, whoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the holy spirit, it will not be forgiven him, no, not in this system of things nor in that to come." If God has supposely arranged a confessional system to get our sins forgiven, why don’t the priests follow Jesus’ words and refuse forgiveness when they suspect a sin against the Holy Spirit? Even the first words many times recited by a person entering the confessional, is a direct violation of God’s recorded Word. When I used to go to confession I was instructed to say something like the following: "Bless me Father for I have sinned…." Now listen what God’s own Son said about addressing a person with the religious title of "Father". The Catholic Bible reads this way. "As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 Call no one on earth your father, you have but one Father in heaven. 10 Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Messiah." (NAB) Also, for "penance" the priest usually gives the confessor a certain amount of "Our Fathers" and "Hail Marys", etc. Yet again the Bible tells us not to recite a bunch of words over and over again. Again notice Jesus’ words at Mt 6:7 according to the Catholic Bible: "In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words." (NAB) Also, even the "New Catholic Encyclopedia" acknowledges: "There is no scriptural evidence that the Apostles, other than St. Paul, exercised the power of forgiving sins." And they admit that the practice can be traced back to the 4th century, not the 1st century. From "The Catholic Encyclopedia" it states, "Since the fourth century auricular confession has been the accepted method." But was this instance involving Paul a case of an apostle or priest hearing a confession and granting absolution? No. Rather, the case was about a congregation’s expelling and later reinstating a man who had sinned. Writing from Ephesus, Paul advised the congregation of Corinth in Europe to expel or disfellowship a man practicing immorality. This case is an illustration of the application of Jesus’ words at John 20:23. How so? Well, it was clear that the sins of that Corinthian man had to be viewed as "retained." The congregation could not look upon his sins as "forgiven," for the Bible made it plain that God would not forgive an unrepentant sinner. (1 Cor. 5:1, 9-13; Isa. 1:16-18; 55:7) However, later, evidently after the man repented, Paul wrote again and urged the congregation to "turn to forgive and comfort him." (2 Cor. 2:7, CB) We see in this case, too, there is no mention of any auricular confession to a priest or an apostle. When a person sins a against God, Jesus told him at Mt 6:6-12, "You, however, when you pray, go into your private room and, after shutting your door, pray to your Father who is in secret; then your Father who looks on in secret will repay you. 7 But when praying, do not say the same things over and over again, just as the people of the nations do, for they imagine they will get a hearing for their use of many words. 8 So, do not make yourselves like them, for God YOUR Father knows what things YOU are needing before ever YOU ask him. 9 "YOU must pray, then, this way: "’Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified. 10 Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth. 11 Give us today our bread for this day; 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors."" Sincerely, James Have Jehovah’s Witnesses questions? Go to the only authorized source: http://www.watchtower.org
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Is it not enough to be truely sorry in our hearts, minds, and souls. I am guilty of sins too difficult for me to confess to a mortal sinner like myself. I have reached peace in asking for forgiveness. Is this enough. I just can’t trusts my priest or any priest with my life. Hello (simbi), When a person goes before a priest in a confessional, the supposed end result is the forgiveness of his sins. Thus apparently no matter what sins were committed, they are forgiven. (I’ve never heard of a case yet where a priest would not allow forgiveness of the persons’ sins) And "The Catholic Encyclopedia" agrees with this and says, "The Church has always taught that every sin, no matter how serious, can be forgiven." Yet the Bible talks about a sins that are not forgiven. Notice Jesus’ own words at Mt 12:31,32, "On this account I say to YOU, Every sort of sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the spirit will not be forgiven. 32 For example, whoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the holy spirit, it will not be forgiven him, no, not in this system of things nor in that to come." If God has supposely arranged a confessional system to get our sins forgiven, why don’t the priests follow Jesus’ words and refuse forgiveness when they suspect a sin against the Holy Spirit?
Well, 1st you have to define what constitutes sin against the Holy Spirit. Even the first words many times recited by a person entering the confessional, is a direct violation of God’s recorded Word. When I used to go to confession I was instructed to say something like the following: "Bless me Father for I have sinned…." Now listen what God’s own Son said about addressing a person with the religious title of "Father". The Catholic Bible reads this way.
Well, Paul calls Timothy his child. Ergo, Timothy can call Paul, father. "As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 Call no one on earth your father, you have but one Father in heaven. 10 Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Messiah." (NAB) Also, for "penance" the priest usually gives the confessor a certain amount of "Our Fathers" and "Hail Marys", etc. Yet again the Bible tells us not to recite a bunch of words over and over again. Again notice Jesus’ words at Mt 6:7 according to the Catholic Bible: "In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words." (NAB)
So, you have said the Our Father only once in your life? And you have said, "Praise the Lord" only once in your life? Also, even the "New Catholic Encyclopedia" acknowledges: "There is no scriptural evidence that the Apostles, other than St. Paul, exercised the power of forgiving sins." And they admit that the practice can be traced back to the 4th century, not the 1st century. From "The Catholic Encyclopedia" it states, "Since the fourth century auricular confession has been the accepted method."
I think that you are guilty of selective citation here, just like Clinton’s lawyers. Early confession was public. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -But was this instance involving Paul a case of an apostle or priest hearing a confession and granting absolution? No. Rather, the case was about a congregation’s expelling and later reinstating a man who had sinned. Writing from Ephesus, Paul advised the congregation of Corinth in Europe to expel or disfellowship a man practicing immorality. This case is an illustration of the application of Jesus’ words at John 20:23. How so? Well, it was clear that the sins of that Corinthian man had to be viewed as "retained." The congregation could not look upon his sins as "forgiven," for the Bible made it plain that God would not forgive an unrepentant sinner. (1 Cor. 5:1, 9-13; Isa. 1:16-18; 55:7) However, later, evidently after the man repented, Paul wrote again and urged the congregation to "turn to forgive and comfort him." (2 Cor. 2:7, CB) We see in this case, too, there is no mention of any auricular confession to a priest or an apostle.
Well, this person’s sins must have been notorious and he must have confessed, either orally to a priest, or before the priest to the congregation. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -When a person sins a against God, Jesus told him at Mt 6:6-12, "You, however, when you pray, go into your private room and, after shutting your door, pray to your Father who is in secret; then your Father who looks on in secret will repay you. 7 But when praying, do not say the same things over and over again, just as the people of the nations do, for they imagine they will get a hearing for their use of many words. 8 So, do not make yourselves like them, for God YOUR Father knows what things YOU are needing before ever YOU ask him. 9 "YOU must pray, then, this way: "’Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified. 10 Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth. 11 Give us today our bread for this day; 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.""
* * * * * "Sacrifice or oblation you wish not, but ears open to obedience you gave me" –Ed – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Sincerely, James Have Jehovah’s Witnesses questions? Go to the only authorized source: http://www.watchtower.org
Response:
Is it not enough to be truely sorry in our hearts, minds, and souls. I am guilty of sins too difficult for me to confess to a mortal sinner like myself.
I have the same problem, Simbi! There are things in my life I would not have the courage to tell anyone but God. I believe as you say, it is enough to be truly sorry for our sins. 1st John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." A beautiful, and hope filled verse that I love. Yet, I think there are people out there as well who find comfort in confessing to another person. I think the priest provides that comfort in many cases. It is not the priest who forgives the sin, but God! The priest is just there as a mediator and someone who can be trusted with such personal information. I wouldn’t want to take that away from the many people who find such comfort in this! Bill
Response:
Because of this the Church (and thus the ministers of this) are empowered to forgive sins;
Sly, I never saw it this way. Is it true that the Catholic Church believes the priest can ‘forgive sins’! I’m not attacking, just asking. I would have to disagree with the idea if it were true, though. Bill
Response:
Trust Jesus Christ.
Now that is what I would agree with. Bill
Response:
The visible manisfestation is the priest’s granting absolution.
Aq. I have a problem with the visible manifestation thing. Christ told us that we are better off to believe without seeing than to believe because we saw. John 20:29 "Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed, blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’" I grant that having a priest is a comfort for many and I don’t see anything wrong with that, but thinking that a priest is able to forgive sins other than those committed against himself takes me further than I am ready to go. On these points, I have to agree with the fundamentalists. It really does leave opening for argument. Bill
Response:
I believe it is important that we have others to confess our sins to and ask those brothers and sisters to help us get past these sins and hold us accountable.
That is good. But in the case of a priest forgiving sins, he is in most cases annonomous and he does not know who’s sins he is talking about. So, something is lost when it comes to helping us get past, and holding us accountable. It would be better in light of this passage to confess to a trusted Christian friend. I like these thoughts, Ken, Thanks! Bill
Response:
. I am so deeply stricken with sorrow and remorse. I am so sorry, I pray for forgivenss. But I will never confess to a mortal.
Simbi, I know that feeling well, too darn well! I once talked to a man who was going through Alcoholics Annonomous. He was talking about the 12 step program. One part of it is confessing your wrongs, every one that you can think of, to a trusted friend going through the program with you. When I heard that I cringed. I can only pray and hope that God will be merciful and accept my private confessions to him. When it comes right down to it, God is ‘THE ONLY’ one we can ‘REALLY’ trust. I don’t want to attack anyone. But, we all know that people we’ve trusted in the past, people in respected positions, have let us down before. It’s human. It happens to Politicians, Popes, Priests, Ministers etc. . . We are all human and none of us can ever know the mind of another beyond a shadow of a doubt. It’s the human syndrome! God Bless you, Simbi I honestly believe we can trust him! Bill
Response:
I CANNOT TELL MY SINS. THEY ARE TOO GREAT! Sooner or later, however, they must be told. Thus, go to work, and the sooner the better. No matter what your sin, I warrant you, without knowing you, that the confessor has heard greater sins than yours. Strange self love to make us always imagine that we are the only one of our kind! that we are first, even in crime! This is the ordinary ruse of the devil. When he wants us to commit crime, he says it is nothing, it is a trifle, you can get rid of it by repentance and confession; but when the evil is committed, the liar changes his tone. "See, he exclaims, "what an abomination! What infamy! What shame! How can you dare to tell that?" Liar! Double liar! He lied before; he lies after. Before, in hiding the heinousness of the evil; after, in exaggerating it beyond measure. Before, in making us forget the holy justice of God; after, in making us forget His infinite tenderness, goodness and mercy. After, as before, we are his dupes. "The wolf", St. Augustine says, "shuts the throat of the lamb he carries off, for fear that its bleating would attract the attention of the shepherd. In like manner, the devil shuts the mouth of thousands of sinners, for fear that they would call to the aid of the pastor of souls." Poor lambs! Bleat, cry, and you shall be saved. (Msgr. Louis Gaston de Segur)
Response:
Sly, I never saw it this way. Is it true that the Catholic Church believes the priest can ‘forgive sins’! I’m not attacking, just asking. I would have to disagree with the idea if it were true, though.
"Whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven"??? Do you think that gift died with the Apostles? The Catholic church takes a 100% Biblical stance on the forgiveness of sins. Bill
KJ
Response:
I really can’t say, KJ, whether it died with the apostles or not. I only know that in 1st John 1:9 it says If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins, and purify us from all unrighteousness. Don’t get me wrong, but how can I trust priests any more than other humans? There are too many instances where priests have shown themselves to be just as human as I am. I’m not putting them down. I’m far too imperfect myself to put anyone down. I’m just saying that I like being able to confess my sins to God, between me and God. There are people in my life whom I confess sins too, but none of them happen to be priests. By the same token, I’ve known priests in the past whom I would have trusted my confessions with. I’m just saying it doesn’t have to be a priest, or even another human. The idea is to realize I am a sinner and repent. If a priest works for you fine. But does it have to be that way for everyone? I don’t think so. If this comes across as an attack on your view, please don’t take it as such. Sometimes my writing does. I mean only to state my view on the subject. God Bless, Bill
Response:
Because of this the Church (and thus the ministers of this) are empowered to forgive sins; Sly, I never saw it this way. Is it true that the Catholic Church believes the priest can ‘forgive sins’! I’m not attacking, just asking. I would have to disagree with the idea if it were true, though. Bill
God forgives one’s sins through Holy Church, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and the priest…in that order.
Response:
I can’t buy this. The Pharisees wished to go straight to God without passing by Jesus Christ, and Jesus answered them, "No man cometh to the Father but bt Me."
Up to here, I accept the argument. Protestants and infidels, in their turn, wish to go to Jesus Christ without passing by the priest; and the priest says to them, in the name of God, "No man cometh to Jesus Christ but by me.
It is at this point that I have a problem. If God actually meant this, then why did he not specify it in no uncertain terms as he did in Jesus’ case. i.e. he came right out and said " No man can come to the Father except through the Son." he is nevertheless invested with the divine authority of Jesus Christ to save his brethren.
It was things like this that Martin Luther was pointing out in his thesis on the chapel door. I think we would do well to question whether this is true or not. ‘He who hears you hears Me, and he who despises you despises Me.’"
We all know there are several schools of thought on this verse. Therefore no one can say with a certainty that it gives the power to priests. I believe Jesus was talking to all believers in this verse. Still, I don’t pretend to have the end all knowledge of the real meaning. I’m not trying to start something here other than some independant thought. If we believe everything a priest says without question, then we place ourselves in the dangerous position of possible manipulation. Jesus Christ is God. He has no need of someone to take his place here on Earth. He’s here all the time. Bill
If you like this post and would like to receive updates from this blog, please subscribe our feed.