Confession and the Unrepentant

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Christus_Rex

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My Protestant friend has asked me some questions about Confession. I have gathered Bible verses, and several apologetic tracts off this site and others.

However, one question still troubles him - doesn’t Confession mean that people who aren’t sorry can be forgiven?

He thinks this is awful… please help me to give a good response.
 
My Protestant friend has asked me some questions about Confession. I have gathered Bible verses, and several apologetic tracts off this site and others.

However, one question still troubles him - doesn’t Confession mean that people who aren’t sorry can be forgiven?

He thinks this is awful… please help me to give a good response.
 
Christus Rex:
However, one question still troubles him - doesn’t Confession mean that people who aren’t sorry can be forgiven?
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Nope. A valid confession requires true contrition, which includes being sorry for sinning against God and a firm commitment not to sin again.
 
So, if a person goes to Confession, but isnt sorry, even if the priest speaks the words of absolution, it is not valid?

EDIT: Also, I have been told that making a private Act of Perfect Contrition to God will also absolve you of your sin - but if you need true contrition for Confession, wouldn’t everyone just make Acts of Perfect Contrition? :confused:
 
Christus Rex:
My Protestant friend has asked me some questions about Confession. I have gathered Bible verses, and several apologetic tracts off this site and others.

However, one question still troubles him - doesn’t Confession mean that people who aren’t sorry can be forgiven?

He thinks this is awful… please help me to give a good response.
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CCC 1864 "Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven."136 There are no limits to the mercy of God, but anyone who deliberately refuses to accept his mercy by repenting, rejects the forgiveness of his sins and the salvation offered by the Holy Spirit.137 Such hardness of heart can lead to final impenitence and eternal loss.
 
Christus Rex:
So, if a person goes to Confession, but isnt sorry, even if the priest speaks the words of absolution, it is not valid?
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I find it hard to believe that you would do all this research and never open up the Catechism.

The words of abosultion are not some magic spell that forgives sin. In fact the priest doesn’t even forgive sin–only God can (CCC 1441).

But God gives the power of binding and loosing to the Church (CCC 1444), and it is therefore in the Church’s authority to decide (within the will of God) the form by which it will loose.

Using that authority, the Church teaches that “Penance requires . . . the sinner to endure all things willingly, be contrite of heart, confess with the lips, and practice complete humility and fruitful satisfaction” (CCC 1450) and that “among the penitent’s acts contrition occupies first place.” (CCC 1451)
 
Christus Rex:
Also, I have been told that making a private Act of Perfect Contrition to God will also absolve you of your sin - but if you need true contrition for Confession, wouldn’t everyone just make Acts of Perfect Contrition?
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You really, really, need to read the catechism:

When it arises from a love by which God is loved above all else, contrition is called “perfect” (contrition of charity). Such contrition remits venial sins; it also obtains forgiveness of mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible (CCC 1452).

As you can see such a perfect act still requires sacramental confession if possible, and it’s pretty impossible for one to be “perfectly” contrite through an act of will.

Edit: Just to clarify, not all “true” contrition is not “perfect” contrition. The difference motivation. You can be truly contrite because you fear just punishment or you can be truly contrite only because of your love for God. Only the latter is “Perfect” contrition. For most people most the time, their contrition is a mixture of both. It’s hard (if not impossible) to control the reason why you’re so sorry.
 
Christus, lets start by defining some terminology. There are two types of repentance. The Church terms these as “perfect contrition” and “imperfect contrition”. Perfect contrition is sorrow for having sinned on the sole merit of having offended the greatness of God, because we have separated ourselves from him through our actions. It is repentance based solely on the fact that we have separated ourselves from a God who loves us so much, in such a perfect way, that we cannot comprehend his love and mercy in human terms.

Imperfect contrition is sorrow for sin resulting in a fear of Gods punishment and the temporal consequences of our transgressions. We respect Gods greatness, his infinite and perfect wisdom and sense of justice, and fear his judgement.

With that clear…
 
Christus Rex:
My Protestant friend has asked me some questions about Confession. I have gathered Bible verses, and several apologetic tracts off this site and others.

However, one question still troubles him - doesn’t Confession mean that people who aren’t sorry can be forgiven?

He thinks this is awful… please help me to give a good response.
Click to expand...
Think of it this way. Christ died for all sins, even those of the unrepentent sinner. His sacrifice opens the door to salvation, but a person still has to take the intiative to walk through that door. An unrepentent sinner is unlikely to take that initiative.

Confession isn’t some magical sacrament that heals the unrepented. If there is no repentence, then the grace of the sacrament isn’t imparted. In fact, an even greater sin may be commited as the unrepented person confessing is bringing sacrilege to the sacrament.
 
The Church tells us that for forgiveness to take place, several elements have to be in place. First, contrition must be present. If we are not sorry, then absolution (even within the confessional) does not occur on any level, because we can not be forgiven if we are not sorry, and we can not fool God. Secondly, we must be intent on not commiting the sin again. This doesn’t mean we won’t do it again, just that we do not INTEND to do it again. If you intend on sinning again, then you do not obtain absolution. (bear in mind I use the term “absolution” in the sense of God’s forgiveness, as sacramental absolution from a priest is one and the same as absolution from God). Finally, you must complete your pennance. This is the outward showing that you acknowledge the fault of your action and are willing to make restitution. (YES I KNOW WE CANNOT SAVE OURSELVES as your Protestant friend will probably point out if you tell them that, but penance is an excercise in humility, and merely a temporal recognition that we have done something wrong). If you do not complete your pennance, then I believe you are basically sending a signal that you dont see the need to correct anything.

In specific regard to the sacrament of Confession, if you go “directly to God” in the state of perfect contrition, then you are indeed forgiven and obtain absolution outside of the confessional. But, imperfect contrition outside of the sacrament is not sufficient for absolution. Only within the confessional can your sin be absolved if your contrition is imperfect.
 
The next logical question would be “who is the priest to say if your contrition is perfect or imperfect ?” The answer to that is “he can’t”. The state of our heart is known only to us and God, and I would argue only to God, because I think we fool ourselves all to often (but thats neither here nor there). The important thing is that, we know whether or not we meet the basic requirements for absolution (contrition, either perfect OR imperfect, resolve not to sin again, and the resolve to complete our pennance), and through the Sacrament of Confession, we have a GUARANTEE that our sins are forgiven as long as the basic requirements are met.

That may have been a little more information than you wanted, but I feel a thorough knowledge of the sacraments (especially this one) is important. Give me some feedback as to whether or not I was helpful please and God bless you.
 
Thanks Timidity, I also posted this in Apologetics and got some useful things there too…

btw I haven’t got a Catechism :o
 
That’s great Joshua, I understand now! I haven’t got a Catechism but another poster on Liturgy and Sacraments has gven me some stuff from it. I should be able to give my friend a good answer now, and I hope he understands too. Thanks very much!
 
Christus Rex:
Thanks Timidity, I also posted this in Apologetics and got some useful things there too…

btw I haven’t got a Catechism :o
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How about reading it online… it’s easier for you to do a search, too.

Here or Here

:: ~Edward~ :: :bible1:
 
Christus Rex:
Also, I have been told that making a private Act of Perfect Contrition to God will also absolve you of your sin - but if you need true contrition for Confession, wouldn’t everyone just make Acts of Perfect Contrition? :confused:
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You need TRUE contrition to have your sins forgiven during confession and you need PERFECT contrition to have your sins forgiven without confession. Perfect contrition is almost impossible to obtain for most of us to obtain and therefore, the sins would remain unforgiven.
 
Christus Rex:
Thanks Timidity, I also posted this in Apologetics and got some useful things there too…

btw I haven’t got a Catechism :o
Click to expand...
While reading spiritual books is not mandatory they are highly encouraged. However the two books all Catholics are supposed to read are the Bible and the Catechism. You should get one.
 
Yeah I have tried but I don’t know of any Catholic bookshops and my parents don’t like to use Amazon often 😦
 
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