Confession

[StCsDavid]

Hey StCsDavid,

Thank you for your reply and your question.

I’ll give you a simple answer and then if you want we can take a closer look at Scripture.

Simple Answer.

It is my own personal belief that the “Works” that God through James or James inspired by the Holy Spirit is talking about here is different then Works of the Law.

In other words, I believe that the word Works or Ergon in Greek means simply to work at something.

So we also find this same word “Ergon” in Galatians.

16nevertheless knowing that (A)a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by (B)faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since (C)by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified. Galatians 2:16 NASB.

We see here in Galatians that it is the Works of the Law that won’t justify us. In other words, we can not just simply obey God moral Law for our own justification. We are fallen and we will transgress Gods holy law and thereby place ourselves out of His covenant promise of eternal salvation. That is why we need to be cloaked in Jesus’ righteousness.

Anyway, I see the same word “Ergon” in James being not “Works of the Law” but simply “Good Works of the Spirit” If we have been born again, renewed, having the Spirit of Christ residing in us, then we will be guided and goaded to preform “Good Works.”

What is the difference? We are not talking about obeying the Law. i.e., not stealing, not cussing, not lusting, not fornicating, not idolatering, not murdering, not coveting etc… we are talking about Works of the Spirit; i.e., being kind, patient, loving, caring, generous, giving, forgiving, understanding, evangelistic, sharing, etc…

Anyway, this is kinda how I see the difference between James and the other Epistles in regards to Works. But of course, I am a fallible sinner and I don’t know Holy Scripture very well. So I could very much be wrong.

I hope this is well received and I won’t everyone to understand that I’m not being argumentative, I’m just searching for the truth is all.

At the risk of getting off the thread…I’m not a Greek scholar so let’s just assume that you’re correct in your interpretation of the word Ergon. So faith without working at something is dead…so one is not saved by faith alone. Additionally, taking that approach in context with the Gospel seems to contradict the teachings of Christ who commanded on more than one occasion that we be perfect. (Mt 5:48, Mt 19:21.) Even James calls for perfection in Jas 1:4. Perfection isn’t achieved by faith alone. It takes work. Paul, while not talking about justification at the time stated in 1Cor:13 …“faith, hope, and love abide in these, but the greatest of these is love.” Since salvation is the ultimate thing we strive for, does it not make sense that if we were saved by faith alone, Paul would have stated that faith would be the greatest?

Perhaps we can start a new thread if you want to discuss this further, or simply PM me.

 

[Proletarian]

I might be wrong, but I was under the understanding that there are a lot of Catholic Churches now that don’t practice the act of Confession anymore. Is this true?

And if so, how does one confess their sins? Privately?

There may be instances in which a priest is not available to hear confession every week. For example, in my hometown (in rural Australia) one priest services a dozen or so communities; therefore reconciliation is only available every month or so. This does not mean that one can obtain forgiveness by subverting the Church and merely confessing “privately”. However if one was to die in a state of mortal sin but had steadfastly resolved to make a sincere confession as soon as possible, the Church believes that God will have pity on them, and they may indeed obtain salvation.

One cannot overestimate the abundance of Gods mercy.

 

[AndyF]

Pilgrimbygrace:

Any parish will hear confessions. The timing may be inappropriate, but they will all do it if they can. I have on occasion dropped by a few Churches until I found a priest who wasn’t busy. A priest will hear the confession of any baptized Christian.

AndyF