You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
If a Catholic can go confess his sins and be forgiven, what about the rest of the...
- Thread starter Anne F
- Start date
cristoiglesia
New member
It is every Christians free choice to reject the grace that our Lord gives us through the Sacraments. Christ instituted the sacraments purposefully. The sacrament called reconciliation or penance is what we call our actions when we go to confession. Going to confession and confessing to a priest is the normative way of reconciling oneself back into God's family when we have committed a mortal sin. It is the biblical way corresponding to Jesus' teaching as recorded by the apostle John in John 20: 22-23. What we learn from John is the authority given to the priests is not only to forgive sins but also to retain sins. Jesus commanded the authority to be used. It is the duty given by Jesus for the priest to measure the contrition of the penitent and act accordingly.
However, one must repent and pray sincerely to God as an act of contrition before one enters the confessional. The priest represents Jesus by acting in persona Christi and for the entire family of God represented by the Church militant who is harmed by the sin of another. No sin is private but all sin affects others. Jesus described this relationship as a vine with Him as the vine and we as the branches (John 15:5). If one member of the branch is sick then all
the branches are affected and suffer as a result. Because of our familial relationship with each other Jesus created a means of confession so that all those affected in His family are represented by the priest as is God. The acts of sin and forgiveness are not private matters. God bless!
In Christ
Fr. Joseph
However, one must repent and pray sincerely to God as an act of contrition before one enters the confessional. The priest represents Jesus by acting in persona Christi and for the entire family of God represented by the Church militant who is harmed by the sin of another. No sin is private but all sin affects others. Jesus described this relationship as a vine with Him as the vine and we as the branches (John 15:5). If one member of the branch is sick then all
the branches are affected and suffer as a result. Because of our familial relationship with each other Jesus created a means of confession so that all those affected in His family are represented by the priest as is God. The acts of sin and forgiveness are not private matters. God bless!
In Christ
Fr. Joseph
Edward the Less
New member
Anne, I know this will come as a shock, but other than Catholicism, no other groups have priests (I know, shocking). The reason is that we have ONE priest (Christ Jesus the Lord) and therefore, according to scripture, we are to confess our sins to ONE ANOTHER. (No priest required.)
Edward the Less
New member
Anne, I know this will come as a shock, but other than Catholicism, no other groups have priests (I know, shocking). The reason is that we have ONE priest (Christ Jesus the Lord) and therefore, according to scripture, we are to confess our sins to ONE ANOTHER. (No priest required.)
Seeker Person
New member
Confession as a ritual of forgiveness did not look like its modern form in Apostolic times. Non-Catholic Christians, especially those who do not trust and avoid any "claimed" teaching of Jesus and the Apostles outside scripture do not accept the modern Catholic ritual confession.
It began in the days of persecution of Christians, pagan Romans killing and torturing them if they refused to recant Christianity or if the refused to honor the civil gods.
Some people who recanted immediately regretted it and though excluded from the sacraments wished to be part of the Church again. Some thought their recanting was an unforgivable sin. Other thought they could only receive Eucharist again on their deathbed.
Some forgave. Heretics formed their own Church with its own Bishops teaching that it could not be forgiven.
The Church Bishops met and argued what the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles were, how they conflicted and how they should be applied for this case and similar cases.
A public confession and a period of public penance would be followed by formally allowing the sinner to receive the Eucharist.
Catholics believe other Christians are saved if the obey the commandments and follow the instructions of their pastors, living a Christian life. That God forgives their sins is not doubted by Catholics who pray in daily Masses directly to God for their sins to be forgiven. Formal confession in the sacrament of Reconciliation is required only of Catholics and only for mortal sins.
Catholics consider it a pious practice to confess regularly even smaller sins. All good Christians regret their sins and pray for forgiveness. God denies no one mercy because of his nature. He is comparably to the prophet in the OT who married a prostitute who was always leaving him and then returning.
It began in the days of persecution of Christians, pagan Romans killing and torturing them if they refused to recant Christianity or if the refused to honor the civil gods.
Some people who recanted immediately regretted it and though excluded from the sacraments wished to be part of the Church again. Some thought their recanting was an unforgivable sin. Other thought they could only receive Eucharist again on their deathbed.
Some forgave. Heretics formed their own Church with its own Bishops teaching that it could not be forgiven.
The Church Bishops met and argued what the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles were, how they conflicted and how they should be applied for this case and similar cases.
A public confession and a period of public penance would be followed by formally allowing the sinner to receive the Eucharist.
Catholics believe other Christians are saved if the obey the commandments and follow the instructions of their pastors, living a Christian life. That God forgives their sins is not doubted by Catholics who pray in daily Masses directly to God for their sins to be forgiven. Formal confession in the sacrament of Reconciliation is required only of Catholics and only for mortal sins.
Catholics consider it a pious practice to confess regularly even smaller sins. All good Christians regret their sins and pray for forgiveness. God denies no one mercy because of his nature. He is comparably to the prophet in the OT who married a prostitute who was always leaving him and then returning.
Edward the Less
New member
Anne, I know this will come as a shock, but other than Catholicism, no other groups have priests (I know, shocking). The reason is that we have ONE priest (Christ Jesus the Lord) and therefore, according to scripture, we are to confess our sins to ONE ANOTHER. (No priest required.)