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

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No, catholic priests do not have the authority to forgive sins on earth! That’s why I’m not catholic, then I would have to believe it!😉
 
1beleevr said:
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:
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James goes on to say “for the prayer of a just man avails much.” What makes a man just? Is any man really just? If just-ness can come only from God, then shouldn’t every “born again Christian” be equally just? Then why does James say that only certain men are just? Does he mean that not everyone with a Bible or a theology degree is “just?”

And on and on…
 
1beleevr said:
No, catholic priests do not have the authority to forgive sins on earth! That’s why I’m not catholic, then I would have to believe it!😉
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Are you not Catholic because you don’t accept the priesthood, or do you not accept the priesthood because you are not Catholic?
 
Cat_Herder said:
Luke 1:48.
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This verse is Mary proclaiming that all who meet her will say that she is blessed to have been chosen to bear the Christ child. It is not a command or a directive for us to call her ‘blessed’🙂
 
Cat_Herder said:
Are you not Catholic because you don’t accept the priesthood, or do you not accept the priesthood because you are not Catholic?
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Not catholic because: Do not believe in confessing to mortal men, calling the pope “holy father”, Mary was a perpetual virgin. Do not believe in transsubstantiation either!😉
 
Cat_Herder said:
James goes on to say “for the prayer of a just man avails much.” What makes a man just? Is any man really just? If just-ness can come only from God, then shouldn’t every “born again Christian” be equally just? Then why does James say that only certain men are just? Does he mean that not everyone with a Bible or a theology degree is “just?”

And on and on…
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This is one of those verses that can be interpreted so many different ways. Some Bibles say," For the prayers of a righteous man availeth much." Who is righteous? And does …your sins to one another," mean a priest, or to fellow Christians?:cool:
 
1beleevr said:
This is one of those verses that can be interpreted so many different ways. Some Bibles say," For the prayers of a righteous man availeth much." Who is righteous?
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That’s what I’m asking you. Who is righteous? How does one become righteous? Does one become perfectly righteous when “born again?” If not, does that diminish Christ’s work on the cross?If so, then why does James limit his appeal to the righteous and to the “elders of the church” in the previous couple of verses? Who are the elders? Why isn’t everyone with a Bible an elder? How does one become an elder?

Do you want the truth, or more questions? :cool:
 
Howdy JC.Words are fascinating ,as are those between you and BS ( oops, Blue Shadow). Just what is the dilemma then ,between Catholics and folks like Blue Shadow ? He certainly does not think Catholics think priests have power inherent only to God. As a Christian BS may see it that way ,that forgiveness is by God only ,but I took him to properly imply that Catholic interpretation of scripture(s) (e.g. Peter) lend to dogma where Jesus THRU the priest forgives sins. Nowhere did he imply "inherent "power to the priest FROM THE CATHOLIC PERSPECTIVE. Can you not agree with dilemma now, if not , where in lies the dilemma ? It is at least scriptural interpretation differences ,as BS states.(One could add traditional ,historical and experiential differences).
 
Cat_Herder said:
That’s what I’m asking you. Who is righteous? How does one become righteous? Does one become perfectly righteous when “born again?” If not, does that diminish Christ’s work on the cross?If so, then why does James limit his appeal to the righteous and to the “elders of the church” in the previous couple of verses? Who are the elders? Why isn’t everyone with a Bible an elder? How does one become an elder?

Do you want the truth, or more questions? :cool:
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Who are the elders? Were the early church fathers the authority for what we believe today? Do non-catholic elders have the same God given authority as catholic elders? Am I righteous because of Christ’s work on the Cross? Are you? Can Protestant pastors forgive sins? I don’t believe that anyone can glean from James 5:14-17, that we are to go to a priest for confession; sorry!😉
 
Cat_Herder said:
[BIBLEDRB]James 5:16[/BIBLEDRB]
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The proper Greek is not “sins” but “faults” , "Confess your faults one to another " .It does not say confess to a priest , but I suppose it could include him also .Again , there is no instance in scripture of an officer/priest being confessor (Paul does forgive a personal offence).There is historical evidence that James 5:16 was followed more closely in the early church than today’s Catholic practice of the confessional.
 
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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Again ,says confess your FAULTS to men(ANY brother or sister in Christ) Mary is blessed AMONGST women ,NOT above women. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, blessed is he who thirsts for righteousness sake etc.etc. etc.etc.We may be wrong if we exaggerate and say you worship Mary as you exaggerate and say we do not call her blessed, and revered etc.
 
david_ruiz said:
It is faults ,not sins,we confess one to another.
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Faults and sins are the same.

I have sinned through my own fault. Mea culpa. Mea culpa. Mea maxima culpa.

That’s why we say felix culpa (O happy** fault**) regarding the "sin" of Adam. Culpability means fault. Or sin.
 
david_ruiz said:
Again ,says confess your FAULTS to men(ANY brother or sister in Christ) Mary is blessed AMONGST women ,NOT above women. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, blessed is he who thirsts for righteousness sake etc.etc. etc.etc.We may be wrong if we exaggerate and say you worship Mary as you exaggerate and say we do not call her blessed, and revered etc.
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We do not worship Mary as if She were Her Son. Thou shalt not bear false witness.
 
david_ruiz said:
The proper Greek is not “sins” but “faults” , "Confess your faults one to another " .It does not say confess to a priest , but I suppose it could include him also .Again , there is no instance in scripture of an officer/priest being confessor (Paul does forgive a personal offence).There is historical evidence that James 5:16 was followed more closely in the early church than today’s Catholic practice of the confessional.
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Why did James say to call for the “elders of the church”? Who are these elders? How does one become an elder?
 
Cat_Herder said:
James goes on to say “for the prayer of a just man avails much.” What makes a man just? Is any man really just? If just-ness can come only from God, then shouldn’t every “born again Christian” be equally just? Then why does James say that only certain men are just? Does he mean that not everyone with a Bible or a theology degree is “just?”

And on and on…
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Again ,your weak translation left out the word "fervent’ , “the fervent prayer of a just man availeth much”.The context I believe is the fervency-(I am thinking Elijah and the dead lad-the ritualistic prayer did nothing , but when the prophet laid on the boy weeping three times was the prayer heard -both men who prayed were “just” , one more fervent however). I am not sure James here is saying only certain men are just, as he does elsewhere.
 
david_ruiz said:
Again ,your weak translation left out the word "fervent’ , “the fervent prayer of a just man availeth much”.The context I believe is the fervency-(I am thinking Elijah and the dead lad-the ritualistic prayer did nothing , but when the prophet laid on the boy weeping three times was the prayer heard -both men who prayed were just ,one more fervent however).I am not sure James here is saying only certain men are just,as he does elsewhere.
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He did say that certain men are elders and the context may well indicate that the elders are the just men. That’s the issue.
 
Cat_Herder said:
He did say that certain men are elders and the context may well indicate that the elders are the just men. That’s the issue.
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That’s it in a nutshell; who are the elders, and how do you become an elder? In most Protestant churches, this happens by way of appointment or election. But can elders forgive sins is the question?😉
 
Cat_Herder said:
He did say that certain men are elders and the context may well indicate that the elders are the just men. That’s the issue.
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They are suppose to be just men ,that is the exhortation.The Church recognizes it is no guarantee, and even amongst the ordained it is with variation.That is why the Church offers a mass ,not just the priest ,for the Church is perfect, not the priest. The context of elders is not found in “one for another”(he earlier says not to be a respecter of persons). NO, the following verses give the context,17 " Elias prayed earnestly,…and he prayed again " This is beautiful ,for he does mention elders in verse 14,but I think it is "laity "in our verse 16 .This is the balance of our universal priesthood but with teachers and elders also.But thank-you for honest and gentle “may well indicate”.
 
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