Do Catholic priests have the authority to forgive sins on earth?

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I thought I might ad my two cents to this.
I was baptized Catholic in Utah 12 years ago

Confession is where I have found the most joy in this world. Wait…not so, receiving Christ at Holy Communion after my Confession, this is where I find the most joy.

I have never felt like the priest is forgiving me, I have always felt that it is Christ Himself. After 12 years I know it is Him. Because I can look back, before I came to Christ while living in the present. I am a different person, made more whole by Him. Still a sinner in transition. Loving every minute of it!
The good and the bad combined.

God Bless
Rich
www.utahmission.com
 
rev_kevin said:
No only God can forgive sins.
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JL: Well at lest that’s what the Pharisees and scribes said.

Lk5: 20 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? **Who can forgive sins, but God alone?**Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk? 24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth/b to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.
 
[Jn20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: AS MY FATHER HATH SENT ME, even SO SEND I YOU. 22 And when he had said this, **he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: 23 WHOSE SOEVER sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and WHOSE SOEVER sins ye retain, they are retained.] Didn’t the Father SEND Christ to forgive sins, so Christ SENT His apostles to forgive or retain sin. Which is easier to say your sins are forgiven or to walk on water, or raise a dead person, men did all these things thru the action of the Holy Spirit. God breathed life into Adam’s body and Christ breathed the gift of the Holy Spirit on the apostles to give life to spiritual dead souls after baptism.
 
Just a thought -

Many here has said only God can forgive sins.

Jesus taught us to pray, ‘forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.’

Do we not all forgive sins?

Therefore, what sins does God alone forgive?

I would say only God can confer full forgiveness as only God can remove the effects of sin. No human can do that, which is why absolution is different as it involves the working of the Holy Spirit.

At the end of the day, you either believe in sacraments or you don’t.
 
catholic-rcia said:
I thought I might ad my two cents to this.
I was baptized Catholic in Utah 12 years ago

Confession is where I have found the most joy in this world. Wait…not so, receiving Christ at Holy Communion after my Confession, this is where I find the most joy.

I have never felt like the priest is forgiving me, I have always felt that it is Christ Himself. After 12 years I know it is Him. Because I can look back, before I came to Christ while living in the present. I am a different person, made more whole by Him. Still a sinner in transition. Loving every minute of it!
The good and the bad combined.

God Bless
Rich
www.utahmission.com
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Thank you for sharing this Rich. This is one of the most overlooked aspects of the Sacrament. People get so caught up in bickering about whether or not Jesus really gave the Apostles the authority to forgive sins in HIs name that the healing aspects of it get lost. God knows that sin causes guilt and shame in His creatures, and He has provided the best way to heal these, and to impart the grace needed to move us into greater sanctity.
 
david_ruiz said:
Even the final wall , the most sacred wall of all ,the veil wall where only the high priest could go in , was torn at His death, “And behold , the veil of the temple was rent in two , from the top to the bottom, and there was a great earthquake” - Matt 27:51. And so now ,we are the temple of God ,The Holy Spirit. We are priests to the world and to God .The temple typology is now us , with all walls down. Why do you put Christ back in behind the veil , bringing Him out only by a priest, just like in the old days (though slightly better, for the priest offers Jesus to us) ?
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JL: I have no idea what you mean. You will have to explain how we put Christ back in behind the veil? I will post what I have posted before and you have quoted in one of your posts.

[Originally posted by jlhargus: “Through the one mediatorship of Jesus, we COME united in worship or thru **individual prayer. The veil of the temple has been removed we have access to the Holy of Holies and ALL who are there.”] I added the bold print this time.

[Hb12:22 **But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and TO an innumerable company of ANGELS, 23 TO the general assembly and CHURCH OF THE FIRSTBORN, which are written in heaven, and TO GOD the Judge of all, and TO the SPIRITS OF JUST MEN made perfect, 24 And TO JESUS the mediator of the new covenant, and TO THE BLOOD of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.] The Church puts no one behind the veil, I may come boldly to any of those in heaven thru the mediatorship of Jesus. It is you who keep a veil over your eyes keeping the saints and angels behind a veil in fear of entering boldly into the Holy of Holies. Scripture tells us we COME TO ALL in the city of the living God.
 
david_ruiz said:
Again, this separation did not take place in the earliest church.Hopefully you see that in scripture, that we are His temple. Yes, things must be done in order , as with any church gathering and function .There is a difference between a “president”-one presiding over a "service or “mass” and one “effectuating”, or the “go between” Christ and fellow believers. We are a kingdom of priests.
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JL: Yes indeed the Church is the temple, which Christ is building with living stones. Those living stones reach from earth to heaven. There is no DIVIDING WALL, or veil, in the Temple Christ is building, thru Christ we have access to ALL. Yes the president of the assembly in the earliest Church is succeeded by the president of the assembly today, who offers the same sacrifice of the mass in the ONE VISIBLE CHURCH OF GOD today, and will till the end.

[1Pet 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation a royal priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light ]

[Ex 19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.]
Israel also had a ministerial priesthood beside the general priesthood of all.

Your total remarks remind me of the story of Korah, who rebeled against Moses, in the OT.
[Nb 16:1 Now **Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men: 2 And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: 3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, YE TAKE TOO MUCH UPON YOU, seeing ALL THE CONGREGATION ARE HOLY, every one of them, and the LORD IS AMONG THEM: WHEREFORE THEN LIFT YE UP YOURSELVES ABOVE THE CONGREGATION of the LORD? Nb 16:8 And MOSES SAID unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi: Nb 16:10 And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and SEEK YE THE PRIESTHOOD ALSO? Nb 16:12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: WHICH SAID, We will not come up: 13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except THOU MAKE THYSELF altogether A PRINCE OVER US? Nb 16:28 And MOSES SAID, HEREBY YE SHALL KNOW that THE LORD HATH SENT ME to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind. Nb 16:31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: 32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. NB16-50]

We hear the same old story today, all God’s people are a holy priesthood we don’t need a pope, bishops or priests. Who put them as princes over the congregation? None other than the Lord God Almighty who made heaven and earth and has SENT his Holy Apostolic Fellowship which he promised to be with till the end of time. How? Through successors by laying on of hands from bishop to bishop till the end of the age through the One Holy Catholic Apostolic Church the pillar and ground of truth, 1Tm3:15, to which Christ promised the Spirit of Truth and the gates of hell will never prevail against that body of Christ, his bride to whom he is joined as one flesh. The mother who gives birth to her children by water and Spirit=baptism by the power of God. the brothers and sisters of Christ It is a mystery as St Paul says in Eph 5::30For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31: For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be ONE flesh. 32: This is A GREAT MYSTERY: but I SPEAK CONCERNING CHRIST AND THE CHURCH.
 
JL: [Originally Posted by jlhargus: Through the one mediatorship of Jesus, we COME united in worship or thru individual prayer. The veil of the temple has been removed we have access to the Holy of Holies and ALL who are there.]
david_ruiz said:
You gave a lot . May I focus momentarily on the best -which is above.This is how it should be .I just feel in practice you also have too much separation between priests and laity etc.
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JL: Judging by your lack of knowledge of the Catholic faith I’m not supprised by your erroneous feelings. I see no more separation than a natural father to his family, your problem seems to be with any type of authority.
david_ruiz said:
Why do you put Christ in a monstrance
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JL: Here you show, as MOST all Catholics who leave the Church, you had absolutely no knowledge or understanding of the faith. Tell me what do you think a monstrance is? Christ is put in a monstrance so we may see and spend time in contemplation and adoration, of our Eucharistic Lord and God, visible under the appearance of bread.
david_ruiz said:
or behind the veil up there on the altar, for only the priest to fetch. bring out,
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JL: Our Eucharistic Lord and God is resereved behind that veil, in a tabernacle for the sick, homebound or for one who might be in danger of death and in need of the sacrament of the anointing of the sick. The Priest is the ordinary minister but there are lay people, me included, who are commissioned to take communion to the sick and homebound. I can go to the tabernacle and get the Host. Why would you think it would be respectful or even helpful for every member of the congragation to have access. Tell me do you and all members of your congragation even have keys to the door of your building?
david_ruiz said:
or ,transubstantiate?
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JL: At the last supper Christ reclined or sat at table with the twelve, [Lk22:13 And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. 14 **And when the hour was come, HE SAT DOWN, AND THE TWELVE APOSTLES WITH HIM. 15 And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: Lk22:19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: THIS DO in remembrance of me. 20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.] Christ appointed or ordained the apolstles, whom He chose, to DO as he just did, which was transubstantiate the substance of bread and wine into the His body and blood.
david_ruiz said:
Don’t get it, when we are to be the monstrance, his Temple. You should be able to go up to that altar, and reach for the Lord, thru that veil, and “bring Him out” for He is within you.
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JL: It’s certainly clear, by your remarks, you don’t get it. Catholic’s can and do go up to the altar and reach for our Lord and God, there is no veil, but a Priest or Eucharistic Minister who hands him to us at mass, under the appearance of bread and wine. We can do this every day of the week at daily mass.

Yes, Christ is within us, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, given in baptism, Christ is in us spiritually. There are different types of presents. When a young couple fall in love, and are apart, they are spiritually present to each other in their hearts, when they walk holding hands they are in a closer and deeper presents. When they marry and come together in the marriage bed they are in the most intimate form of presents, one flesh, they can expirence. Receiving Christ’s body and blood is the most intimate form of presents and ONE FLESH man can expirence and know this side of heaven. We become one flesh with Christ, God become flesh. Eph 5::30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31: For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be ONE flesh. 32: This is A GREAT MYSTERY: but I SPEAK CONCERNING CHRIST AND THE CHURCH.

The following links are my scriptural view of the Church.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=6895842&postcount=253
forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=6895869&postcount=254
forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=6895890&postcount=256
forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=6895878&postcount=255
 
If you see things from a catholic perspective, and consider the position of the apostles and think about what Jesus said to Peter, than perhaps.

If you think that only God/Jesus can forgive sins, then obviously not.

The choice is yours to decide. It really depends on what you feel or not. If you don’t think priests have the power to forgive sins, don’t bother repenting to a priest. Its about what you feel is right. There is nothing wrong with just repenting to Jesus if you don’t want to to a priest.
 
What are the ‘powers’ you speak of?

Did i mention any powers? No.

But from what I know about the Catholic church, they believe the priest is a mediator between the person and God.
 
BlueShadow123 said:
Yeah whats your point?
I already know what Mary thinks about her savior. 👍
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Besides telling you not to steal or murder, the Bible also requires:
  1. Confess your sins to just men
  2. Call Mary blessed
Please reconcile these with your statements that confession to men is not required and the correlate that all men and women are equal before God.
 
Cat_Herder said:
Besides telling you not to steal or murder, the Bible also requires:
  1. Confess your sins to just men
  2. Call Mary blessed
Please reconcile these with your statements that confession to men is not required and the correlate that all men and women are equal before God.
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Sorry but I’d rather confess my sins to God/Jesus ALONG with others.
 
Zenas said:
How do you explain John 20:21-23? Also Matthew 9:2-8?
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John 20:21-23 is inconclusive, and in Matthew 9:2-8, Jesus speaks of Himself forgiving sins(He says the Son of Man). James 5:16 says, "Confess your sins, one to another…not necessarily to a priest!:cool:
 
Cat_Herder said:
Besides telling you not to steal or murder, the Bible also requires:
  1. Confess your sins to just men
  2. Call Mary blessed
Please reconcile these with your statements that confession to men is not required and the correlate that all men and women are equal before God.
Click to expand...
We ALL know that Mary was blessed, but which verse tells us to call her such?:confused:
 
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