Catholics have confession, what do Protestants have if they sin?

[josephback]

There really is nowhere to go for the Protestant who realizes they have committed a serious sin, at least nowhere with assurance. That’s what confession to a priest can do that private confession cannot. Because Jesus gave his apostles the authority to forgive sins we can know we’re forgiven. There is no such assurance with private prayer.

In my experience where most of the more modern evangelical religions go is back to the altar. They pray a “sinner’s prayer” to be saved, and then because such an emotion based thing creates insecurity, they pray it again. And again. And again. I myself prayed it something like six times - but that’s another thread.

 

[TrueLight]

There really is nowhere to go for the Protestant who realizes they have committed a serious sin, at least nowhere with assurance. That’s what confession to a priest can do that private confession cannot. Because Jesus gave his apostles the authority to forgive sins we can know we’re forgiven. There is no such assurance with private prayer.

In my experience where most of the more modern evangelical religions go is back to the altar. They pray a “sinner’s prayer” to be saved, and then because such an emotion based thing creates insecurity, they pray it again. And again. And again. I myself prayed it something like six times - but that’s another thread.

Out of curiosity, what is your background and how long did you practice your faith?

From what I’ve seen on these boards, some people confess to a priest and still don’t believe they are forgiven. If you are scrupulous as a Protestant, you will be scrupulous as a Catholic.

 

[Cat]

Venial sins do not require confession to a priest for forgiveness. Only mortal sins require confession to a priest.

That being said, it is good to confess venial sins to a priest. But it isn’t necessary to receive forgiveness.

So it is logical for a Christian can trust God to forgive them their sins without having to confess.

Keep in mind that in evangelical Protestant tradition, there is no distinction between mortal and venial sins. To the evangelical Protestant, the same God who forgives, without need for confession to a priest, a small child for taking a piece of candy away from his sibling also forgives a murderer or a thief.

 

[Carlan]

I frequent the sacrament of confession on a regular basis yet being formally a baptist, I also still find myself praying to God directly when I sin-with the intention of seeking confession at my earliest opportunity. I tend to cover all bases, so to speak. I know the baptist church I used to attend once had a couple who was marrying in a few wks confess in front of the whole congregation of having relations before marriage, resulting in a pregnancy. It seemed awkward to me being that I would never have been able to go up in front of everyone to confess. I would faint! I feel much better going to a priest-it is just you, the priest, and Jesus and having mild aspergers, this sure is a big comfort to me. :harp:

Goodness, Laura, sounds like that old Baptist minister was going way back to the early days. Peace, Carlan

 

[mark_a]

Lutherans can have private confession and receive Absolution from their pastor if they desire. Otherwise, we use corporate confession and receive Absolution at the beginning of the Divine Service. For Lutherans this is a Sacrament of Absolution.

A completely voluntary system must be a tough sell.

Just curious, does a Lutheran get a from the minister during absolution?

 

[lauraabarlow]

Hi-in the baptist church, it was all voluntary. They met with the pastor before-hand and wanted to confess their sin/s to the congregation. This shocked me immensely being that I was raised catholic as a child and attended catholic schools although I was baptized lutheran and raised lutheran the first six yrs of my life. When I went into the air force (yes-I went into the air force before learning that I have mild aspergers-lol! I left and became baptist, just to revert back in 2005. I had no idea that the lutherans also confessed to their pastor although not required. My God Mother (lutheran aunt) never mentioned that before-we were sharing similarities of both faiths a few years ago and how some are similar. I had no idea that there were protestants who also went to their pastors for confession. Okay-I heard it all-I have heard that anglican catholics also offer confession to their church members.

 

[Stepson]

A completely voluntary system must be a tough sell.

Just curious, does a Lutheran get a from the minister during absolution?

The Church I go to, the pastor stands up in front of the congregation and administers the rite (sacrament) of absolution and confession. In the middle of the rite, the congregation reflects (silent confession to God if you will) on the sins they recall. Then the pastor goes on to say that being an ordained servant of God he now pronounces our sins forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and makes the sign of the cross and some of us make the sign of the cross upon ourselves. And if you have a very troublesome sin to confess, you can ask for an individual confession from the pastor.

 

[WCH]

There really is nowhere to go for the Protestant who realizes they have committed a serious sin, at least nowhere with assurance. That’s what confession to a priest can do that private confession cannot. Because Jesus gave his apostles the authority to forgive sins we can know we’re forgiven. There is no such assurance with private prayer.

I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I did not hide;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”;
And You forgave the guilt of my sin.…Ps 32:5.That’s Biblical assurance. Do Catholics really think Biblical assurance is nothing?

 

[ajpirc]

I am speculating that, because of what has been called “invincible ignorance,” Protestants will not go to Hell if they have sincerely repented of their sins.

I don’t think it would be invincible ignorance because either they have a Catholic friend that revealed Confession to them or because they have accepted everything that has been revealed in the Bible which includes Confession.

 

[Gonzo4Christ]

josephback:
There really is nowhere to go for the Protestant who realizes they have committed a serious sin, at least nowhere with assurance. That’s what confession to a priest can do that private confession cannot. Because Jesus gave his apostles the authority to forgive sins we can know we’re forgiven. There is no such assurance with private prayer.

In my experience where most of the more modern evangelical religions go is back to the altar. They pray a “sinner’s prayer” to be saved, and then because such an emotion based thing creates insecurity, they pray it again. And again. And again. I myself prayed it something like six times - but that’s another thread.

To answer the original question, we must answer biblically. The answer is CHRIST! The apostle John writing to Christians say’s this in 1 Jn 1:8 - 1 Jn 2:3 - This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that(O) God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6(P) If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and(Q) do not practice the truth. 7But(R) if we walk in the light,(S) as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and(T) the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8(U) If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and(V) the truth is not in us. 9(W) If we confess our sins, he is(X) faithful and just to forgive us our sins and(Y) to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10If we say we have not sinned,(Z) we make him a liar, and(AA) his word is not in us. 1My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin,(A) we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2(B) He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but(C) also for the sins of the whole world. 3And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we(D) keep his commandments.

The answer is CHRIST! We cannot depend on sinful man to pronounce us clean. The blood of Christ is what cleanses us from all unrighteousness. We confess to God who alone has the power to forgive sin. Our advocate before God the father is Christ alone. He is the great High Priest, as the book of Hebrews says. We also have one mediator between man and God. 1 Timothy says " 5For(H) there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man[a] Christ Jesus, 6(I) who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is(J) the testimony given(K) at the proper time. "

Repent! Trust in Christ alone for the forgiveness of you sins. Salvation is by faith alone in Jesus Christ. It is also by God’s grace alone that he saves, not by works lest anyone should boast. For the glory of God alone!

 

[hn160]

A completely voluntary system must be a tough sell.

Just curious, does a Lutheran get a from the minister during absolution?

My answer would be the same as Stepson. Our pastors are always willing to hear private confession. It was the norm to hear private confession until recently.

 

[TrueLight]

I don’t think it would be invincible ignorance because either they have a Catholic friend that revealed Confession to them or because they have accepted everything that has been revealed in the Bible which includes Confession.

It is ignorance because that is not their understanding of scripture.

The Bible does not say, “Apostles, I want you to pardon sins. I don’t want anyone coming to me. Furthermore, when you die, I want the people you appoint to your positions to continue to do the same. Again, I repeat, no one is to come to me for forgiveness directly.”

So their interpretation is not that we should confess to priests.

I’m not sure why people, not just you, cannot understand the idea that if people are raised to believe certain things, it colors the way they interpret the Bible.

That is what evangelization is about.

You “open up” the scriptures in a different way in the hope that the other party says, “Wow. I never read this verse with that understanding. You may be right.” In the case of Catholics you show scripture and tradition.

 

[Bluegoat]

Why wouldn’t Protestants feel assured of God’s forgiveness? In our Eucharistic service we have a general confession. After the priest pronounces the absolution, we hear the Comfortable Words:

COME unto me all that labour and are heavy laden, and 1 will refresh you.
St Matthew 11. 28.
God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, to the end that all that believe in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
St John 3. 16.

This is a true saying, and worthy of all men to be received, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
1 Timothy 1. 15.

If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins.
1 St John 2. 1, 2.

The point is, if we make a good confession, we can feel confident in God’s forgiveness.

Which isn’t to say confessing to another, or a pastor or priest, is a bad thing - there is a lot to say for it. The earliest practice was not confession to the priest, but to the whole congregation, but that is a bit harsh and can also cause problems.

But one of that means that we can only be forgiven it we confess publicly. The text saying thay the Apostles could forgive sins doesn’t say that either.

 

[ajpirc]

It is ignorance because that is not their understanding of scripture.

The Bible does not say, “Apostles, I want you to pardon sins. I don’t want anyone coming to me. Furthermore, when you die, I want the people you appoint to your positions to continue to do the same. Again, I repeat, no one is to come to me for forgiveness directly.”

So why do Christ and the Church tell us to go to Confession if we can choose between it and going directly to Christ?

 

[dharmasister]

The explanation can obviously be something to the effect that Jesus gave the APOSTLES that authority. Not their successors many generations later, as there is no belief in apostolic succession. Sure other bishops came after and spread the word, but it doesn’t mean each one had the same “powers” so to speak.

This is what I just don’t get about the Protestant line of thinking. I know a lot of Protestants believe that the authority that Christ gave ended with the apostles, but what would have been the point? I mean, why would he bother giving anyone the authority if it was supposed to end? Did only the first generation of Christians deserve or need them? Why would he orphan his children? With all his omnipotent power, couldn’t he see his Church lasting thousands of years? Does he not think we Christians in the year 2011 are as in need of these gifts as the early Church?

By the way, TrueLight, I think it’s wonderful that you are investigating the Church. It’s been 21 years since I converted and I still have soooo much to learn. I am always amazed by the richness of the Catholic faith.

 

[dharmasister]

(Edited)
Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters (priests) of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint [him] with oil in the name of the Lord and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful. James 5:14-16

Sounds like he is saying that the sins of the sick are forgiven in the sacrament of anointing. He specifies that the priests must be called. They obviously had a power that ordinary Christians did not: the power to forgive sins. Otherwise, why not just ask an ordinary, fellow Christian to pray over the sick as is the case in numerous other passages.

Oh, and check out 2 Corinthians 5: 17-20

*So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come. And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So **we are ambassadors *for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

Sounds pretty clear to me. St. Paul is explaining how the Apostles are ambassadors of Christ’s work of reconciliation and that they share in the ministry of Christ and forgive sins in His name!!

 

[TrueLight]

This is what I just don’t get about the Protestant line of thinking. I know a lot of Protestants believe that the authority that Christ gave ended with the apostles, but what would have been the point? I mean, why would he bother giving anyone the authority if it was supposed to end?

As a sign that they were sent by him?

By the way, TrueLight, I think it’s wonderful that you are investigating the Church. It’s been 21 years since I converted and I still have soooo much to learn. I am always amazed by the richness of the Catholic faith.

I hope after 21 years, I’ll feel the same.

 

[DElias]

Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters (priests) of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint [him] with oil in the name of the Lord and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful. James 5:14-16

Wouldn’t that mean as well that you could confess your sins to, say, me?

 

[TrueLight]

Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters (priests) of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint [him] with oil in the name of the Lord and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven

This is a good verse, and I’ve seen it used before in that way.

Iif someone needs to be healed, you should bring those that are prayer warriors or most spiritually sound. So of course you would call the presbyters.

Does that mean no one else is able to pray for anyone? A faithful Christian could not pray for a sick person?

This part muddles things up a bit:

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. James 5:14-16

 

[ajpirc]

Dharmasister, where did you get that quote from your last post? I think I hear Protestants use it a lot. If it is from the Bible, I think it’s been changed because the only place in the Bible where the two words ‘faith’ and ‘alone’ are in the same sentence is James 2:24:

“See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.”