conrad01:
Only God can forgive sins. All of the verse quoting above is wrong and most are out of context.
The apostles forgive on the basis of God’s authority (what is bound/loosed in heaven), they can state forgiveness based on what God says in heaven.
It is not what priests do, as there is no N.T. priesthood.
John 20:21-23
Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” After saying this, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
The explanation of this above is VERY good. N-Cs , lemme ask you this then. If this was not meant to be a commission to the apostles as well as the whole church (just as you all teach the “great commission”), then why the dichotomy so far as your interpretation of these 2 passages?
Matthew 28:19-20 Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.
Both are to the same guys and both tell them that they are sent into the world to do something, yet you tell us that one says that all Christians are to share the gospel and then tell us that none are to forgive sins (the word actually means “absolve” sins). Now this just confuses the issue.
But look at what St. James tells us in his letter.
Chapter 5:16 Confess therefore your sins one to another: and pray one for another, that you may be saved. For the continual prayer of a just man availeth much.
Some n-Cs have told me that that means literally “to each other”, but that doesn’t make good sense in the context of John 20:21-23. Why would Jesus give such a commission and then get all general on it…especially when St. James plainly says 14 Is any man sick among you?** Let him bring in the priests of the church,** and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick man: and the Lord shall raise him up: and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him. (emphasis mine) This plainly says that by confessing his sins to the priests (elders) of the church that his sins will be forgiven him. Considering the whole context of all these passages just makes the case for confession all the stronger IMO.
The idea that there is no NT priesthood just plain doesn’t hold water at all, since with one breath some preach the priesthood of all believers (which is true) and then deny the positions of bishops and elders and deacons that the NT
and the writings of the ECF plainly support. (as Lazerlike 42’s post shows, as well as the letter of Ignatius of Antioch to the Smyrneans) This is a guy who not only shows us that the early church called itself Catholic, but that was discipled by St. John himself and then was martryed for his faith.
Confession goes way back into the OT as well so I don’t see what the big whoop is from n-Cs about it. So far as we Catholics are concerned, it’s a matter of obeying what Christ commanded just like the great commission is for n-Cs. I have yet to ever hear a convincing argument from n-Cs about this issue, and believe me, in over 34 years among them and then since my “re-version”, I have seen and read just about every one that has come down the pike.
Pax vobiscum,
So! Maybe its just because this is posting, and no one can tell the tone, but how about we refrain from bickering. Maybe this was already your intent, but I like negotiating.We are just trying to find the answer. There’s no reason to bring in the whole “Catholicsm vs. Protestants” thing. Unless this is what this is about. But thats beside the point. I just wanted to air it out in here, its kinda stuffy.
So here is what I think you’re saying: Only Jesus can wipe our slate clean, but the Apostles and everyone else have the ability of forgiving each other…Am I close to home? Well thanks for your time and posting. It’s been fun. :tiphat:
