Protestants, can a Catholic Priest forgive sins?

[excaliber]

We all agree on this. The lens of interpretation that differs is the picture of The Church. For Orthodox, the true church is composed of those believers in Christ who submit to the authority of Orthodox bishops. For Catholics, it is composed of believers who submit to the authority of the bishop of Rome. For some Protestants, it is those who confess their particular creed, whatever their location, denominational affiliation, or historical time period. For many other Protestants, including me, the True Church is composed of everyone who trusts Jesus to save them from sin, again notwithstanding geography, denomination, history, or other credal differences.

Each system has different requirements for its continuance.

The gaps I was talking about are questions Scripture does not answer.

To you, yes, it’s not only important but critical. How can the True Church continue without Tradition? For me, it’s informative but not critical. If I was the last Christian on earth, I could still continue The True Church without interruption. No need for special continuous offices. Both Orthodox and Catholics need at least three surviving Christians, and at least three have to be bishops. Otherwise, it all ends.

One bishop lays hands on another
continually…so what? Why do we find fault with the Church?

Protestant preachers exercise athority over there flocks do they not? I hear them preaching about paying 10 percent to there churches.

You canot avoid athority.
Someone has to be the interpreter
of scripture.

Obviosly if one dose not think God started an organized group, when judaism failed…then you have not read the bible, because there are church councels recorded there.

Yes the bishops of Orthodoxy and The Pope of Rome exercise athority. Who else qualifies?
Tell me who is more qualified?

 

[celticcrusader]

Confession is definitely beneficial and good for the soul:

I have confessed and apologized for the wrongs done to others face to face. Sometimes it brings immediate reconciliation with my Christian brother and sometimes scorn. It can be difficult but it is a blessing regardless of the other person’s reaction.

I have been moved to confessed past sins that were already forgiven for the edification of others. It is a blessing that helps others to seek forgiveness and reconciliation and also helps them repent and grow spiritually.

James 5:16 Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

This doesn’t say confess your sins to a priest. It says confess to one another - like I described above. That’s how Protestants do it. That’s how the Scriptures tell us to do it.

Show me one instance where Christians went to an Apostle to confess rather than going directly to the injured party?

One instance where an Apostle said he was coming to a church to hear confessions?

Confessing to a priest is not a bad thing, but it is lacking in the the blessings that come when we go to our brother to make amends. It lacks the humbling that goes along with a face to face encounter with the person you have wronged. etc.

All the years I was Catholic, I never once was told to go to the person effected by my transgression and make amends.

“Confessing to one another” opens a door for God to do wonderful things thru us, for us and for the listeners. It really is a beautiful gift.

so what I am hearing you say is that the RCC was wrong in Her thinking for the first 1500 years?

 

[celticcrusader]

Only God can forgive sins through a Catholic priest. And yes, God IS IN THE CONFESSIONAL BECAUSE HE IS EVERYWHERE.

**Jesus gave his Apostle’s power and authority to reconcile us to the Father. They received Jesus’ own power to forgive sins when he breathed on them and said, “RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT. WHOSE SINS YOU FORGIVE ARE FORGIVEN THEM, WHOSE SINS YOU RETAIN ARE RETAINED”. (John 20:22-23).

Paul notes that “all this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation…So, we are ambassador’s for Christ, as if God were appealing through us” (2 Cor 5:18-20). Through confession through a priest, God’s minister, we have our sins forgiven, and we receive grace to help us resist future temptations.**

??? isn’t that what I said?

 

[Highwayhound]

We all agree on this. The lens of interpretation that differs is the picture of The Church. For Orthodox, the true church is composed of those believers in Christ who submit to the authority of Orthodox bishops. For Catholics, it is composed of believers who submit to the authority of the bishop of Rome. For some Protestants, it is those who confess their particular creed, whatever their location, denominational affiliation, or historical time period. For many other Protestants, including me, the True Church is composed of everyone who trusts Jesus to save them from sin, again notwithstanding geography, denomination, history, or other credal differences.

If this last thought should come to pass can you assure me that Jesus would be leaving the job in capable hands??

 

[Ginger2]

There are some facts that should be understood first about Catholic’ confesssion.

1. The priest cannot see into a person’s heart. True.

Thus even though you may have gone through confession, it is not necessarily your sins will be forgiven if you are not sincere in confessing it. Confession is not an unscrupulous passport for forgiveness for the unrepentant.

But if you are truly sincere and follow those steps required for a good confession, then you know that your sin is forgiven.

To this point we are on the same page. A priest cannot forgive your sins, but sins are forgiven those who are truly repentant when they ask.

I would adjust the steps as shown below:

1. The steps during confession
   a. regret/sorry for commiting the sin
   b. confessing it (to the injured party, God and anyone one else effected by the sin)
   c. repenting (turning from those behaviors so as not to repeat them)
   d. restitution (make good to the wronged party)

Of course, I think the question for those who don’t believe in confessing to a priest, is why go to a priest; and not that the process of confession is bad for the remorse of sins.

agreed

Note:
For those Christians without the Sacrament of Confession - how do you ‘confess’ your sins. What are the steps you must do to ensure that your sins are forgiven? (see above) If there are such steps, is it consistent and applies to everybody? the steps are outlined in Scriptures, therefore they are consistent and apply to everyone Are you sure that your sins are forgiven? Yes. The Bible tells us how we can be forgiven. God is always true to His word, so if we do what God says we must do to be forgiven and are sincerely sorry, then we know we are forgiven.

How does a Catholic know he is forgiven, since we have established the priest cannot remove sins from an insincere confessor?

 

[Reuben_J]

How does a Catholic know he is forgiven, since we have established the priest cannot remove sins from an insincere confessor?

It boils down to this really.

A Catholic knows and confident he is forgiven if he has made a good confession. He knows because he has followed the steps required of him and he knows the authority given to the priest to be a minister in this process.

He knows his sin is not forgiven unless and until he is sincere enough on being truly sorry for it; and this involved going through the necessary steps as mentioned.

It is a misconception to say that a priest removes sin per se. The Sacrament of Confession (Penance) must be looked as whole, which can only be ministered to by a priest - an apostolic successor.

The ingredient of a good confession is sincerity of heart, a basic principle in any process of repentance. However, the expiation of sin can only go through a process of confession in a Sacrament administered by a priest.

I hope this helps.

He knows his sin is forgiven if he is sincere in his repentance during the confession. His sin will not be forgiven even if he undergoes confession if he is not sincere, not honest about it and does not believe in it. However, the grace of confession more often than not will lead the person to sincerely remorse of his sin in due time

 

[benedictus2]

“Receive ye the Holy Ghost. 23 Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.”

The person is not the receiver of the power to forgive but it is the Holy Spirit whom this statement is directed toward.

LOL! Hellooo! ** Why would Christ be commanding the Holy Spirit to forgive sins?** This would have to be the most ridiculous explanation I have heard of this passage.

Who is Christ addressing here? Who is recieving the Holy Spirit? Who is the YOU?

The YOU here are the disciples.

See what happens when you are so stuck to a wrong doctrine you begin to start twisting the words of Scriptutre to make it suit your doctrine?

 

[benedictus2]

To this point we are on the same page. A priest cannot forgive your sins, but sins are forgiven those who are truly repentant when they ask.

Sorry to disabuse you of that protestant myth. The priest can forgive sins because CHRIST GAVE THEM THE POWER TO DO SO.

But it is not their own forgiveness that they are giving, it is God’s forgiveness.

 

[benedictus2]

“Receive ye the Holy Ghost. 23 Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.”

The person is not the receiver of the power to forgive but it is the Holy Spirit whom this statement is directed toward. Therefore a person is not able to forgive sins, only God is, through the communication of the Holy Spirit to Christ who intercedes on our behalf. Therefore a Catholic Priest is not the only person necessary for confession but anyone who is in the Holy Priesthood…namely, those believers who know Jesus as Saviour and have thus “received” the Holy Spirit from God.

Only God can forgive sins that is true. But He decided to give that right to his disciples. It is His choice to give this power to his disciples. If you have an issue with this then **it is really with Christ that you have an issue with. **

I think if you could wipe this passage from the Bible you would because it does not sit very well with protestant doctrine.

Instead of allowing the Bible to speak for itself, you are gagging it and forcing it to say something it is not saying.

Here’s an analogy for you.

Every year, around Christmas and sometimes Easter, I would send some money to my country of birth for the poor and needy there. I will give this money to my niece and I will tell her that it is up to her what she does with it. She can use it to feed the street kids, give some to the paraplegics, whatever. It is all at her discretion because I know she will do the right thing.

Although she is the one doing the dispensing, it is still my money that she is giving away

The forigveness that the disciples are giving is God’s forgiveness, not their own

And the reason they are able to do this is becasue before He told them that they can forgive and retain sins, He first gave them the Holy Spriit. It is through the power of the Holy Spirit that they are now able to dispense God’s forgiveness.

Christ is psychologist par excellence. We need to know that we are forgiven that is why in this forum alone, I have heard of people speak of the wonderful graces they have received through confession.

It is a sacrament, a fountain of grace.

You know what is funny, a protestant friend told me once that if there is anything he wished they had at his church is confession.

 

[benedictus2]

It is not the same thing.

Matt 3: 11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. …”

Some may mistakenly think water Baptism washes away our sins, but Scriptures are clear, water Baptism is for repentance which leads to the remission of sins.

Your “priests can forgive sins” doctrine is not Scriptural. **The Bible says only God can forgive sins. Scriptures do not contradict one another. **

But we have shown that it does not. It is still Christs forgiveness that the priests give not their own.

 

[Ginger2]

But we have shown that it does not. It is still Christs forgiveness that the priests give not their own.

But your doctrine does. The priest will tell everyone who confesses they are forgiven. But the truth is some who leave the confessional are not forgiven.

 

[OneTrueCathApos]

But your doctrine does. The priest will tell everyone who confesses they are forgiven. But the truth is some who leave the confessional are not forgiven.

And how are you suppose to know this? Many people come away from the confessional relieved and happy that the weight of sin has left them. You, as Protestant cannot harp on this as you have no idea how people actually feel when they are in the confessional. Why do Protestants always seem to be consumed with Catholic teachings and not their own? Is it really that boring to be Protestant?

 

[Ginger2]

Many people come away from the confessional relieved and happy that the weight of sin has left them.

Of course they do. And some of them come out believing their sins are forgiven when they are not.

And how are you suppose to know this?

**I can say with absolute certainty not every one is forgiven on the basis of the priest saying so. ** Catholics have already acknowledged this.
Do you believe everyone who goes to confession is absolved? Even those who are not truly repentant? (a person can want to be forgiven without being repentant)

Why do Protestants always seem to be consumed with Catholic teachings and not their own?

Why do Catholics ask Protestants questions and then get frustrated when we respond? (ie Protestants can a Catholic Priest forgive sins?)

lol

 

[OneTrueCathApos]

Of course they do. And some of them come out believing their sins are forgiven when they are not.

**I can say with absolute certainty not every one is forgiven on the basis of the priest saying so. ** Catholics have already acknowledged this.
Do you believe everyone who goes to confession is absolved? Even those who are not truly repentant? (a person can want to be forgiven without being repentant)

Why do Catholics ask Protestants questions and then get frustrated when we respond? (ie Protestants can a Catholic Priest forgive sins?)

lol

You Ginger 2 are not a mind reader. What is it to you anyway?
EVERYONE WHO GOES TO CONFESSION, COMES OUT WITH ABSOLUTION, IS FORGIVEN BY JESUS CHRIST. If you have a problem with confession, then you need to take it up with Christ who left us these wonderful Sacraments. Your beef is with Christ. God help you.
Catholics get frustrated with Protestants because no matter how we explain things to you, EVEN IF IT IS SO CLEARLY STATED, you STILL have some sort of gaps to fill. Listen to Christ.

 

[Cinette]

You Ginger 2 are not a mind reader. What is it to you anyway?
EVERYONE WHO GOES TO CONFESSION, COMES OUT WITH ABSOLUTION, IS FORGIVEN BY JESUS CHRIST. If you have a problem with confession, then you need to take it up with Christ who left us these wonderful Sacraments. Your beef is with Christ. God help you.
Catholics get frustrated with Protestants because no matter how we explain things to you, EVEN IF IT IS SO CLEARLY STATED, you STILL have some sort of gaps to fill. Listen to Christ.

Jesus’ teaching regarding Confession is very clear. Yet, Ginger has this preocupation that some people’s sins will not be forgiven. We know that if a Sinner is not repentant and only he and God knows, he will not be forgiven even if he gets absolution. This has been explained by different people to Ginger but he doesn’t get it.

There is something I would like to share about my own experience and Confession. I am a revert after an absence of 27 years. When I came back to the Church it felt wonderful to go to Confession and be relieved of the burden of sin.

Now, when I was about to commit a sin say, tell even a white lie, gossip, whatever… I would think twice. I knew I would have to confess that sin. This stopped me many times to go ahead and commit the sin.

So you see not only does the Sacrament cleanse you but it also serves as a deterrent. That’s great don’t you think?

I am sorry for Ginger that he cannot understand the beauty of Jesus’ sacraments.

I will pray for Ginger.

 

[OneTrueCathApos]

Jesus’ teaching regarding Confession is very clear. Yet, Ginger has this preocupation that some people’s sins will not be forgiven. We know that if a Sinner is not repentant and only he and God knows, he will not be forgiven even if he gets absolution. This has been explained by different people to Ginger but he doesn’t get it.

There is something I would like to share about my own experience and Confession. I am a revert after an absence of 27 years. When I came back to the Church it felt wonderful to go to Confession and be relieved of the burden of sin.

Now, when I was about to commit a sin say, tell even a white lie, gossip, whatever… I would think twice. I knew I would have to confess that sin. This stopped me many times to go ahead and commit the sin.

So you see not only does the Sacrament cleanse you but it also serves as a deterrent. That’s great don’t you think?

I am sorry for Ginger that he cannot understand the beauty of Jesus’ sacraments.

I will pray for Ginger.

 

[Crazy_Diamond]

Why do Catholics ask Protestants questions and then get frustrated when we respond? (ie Protestants can a Catholic Priest forgive sins?)

lol

Here are several sources of the frustration that I can see: the question wasn’t really a question; the question assumed a great deal of tradition that, to defend, would require far more references than just the scripture quoted; words used in many of the answers have quite different meanings attached to them by various people; and neither Catholic nor Protestant respondents have a consistently understood model of how confession and forgiveness work.

Finally, Catholics and Protestants have a very different approach to Scripture. For Catholics, it is one major part of an overall tradition. Just as you believe Scripture can’t contradict itself, they believe Scripture can’t contradict official Catholic teaching or tradition. Protestants view Scripture more as a standard outside of ourselves we fall short of and have to keep trying to attain. Those differences hugely affect the interpretational tools we bring to bear on a passage.

I vote this as the best response to you so far:

You are correct but you are wrong.

 

[brkn1]

One of the biblical proofs that Jesus was God was His statement: “Your sins are forgiven.” All knew what that claim meant, when they correctly said that: “Only God can forgive sins.”

You can play games with the idea that “it is God’s forgiveness” that a priest has the power to dispense, but a man “dispensing” what only God has a right to do, cheapens Jesus’ proof that He was God. A fallible man saying: “You are absolved.” is playing God.

There is only one Mediator for the forgiveness of sins, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ, Whom we can appeal through to God the Father directly, without a “sacrament” of another “mediator” that wants to lord it over us.

 

[OneTrueCathApos]

One of the biblical proofs that Jesus was God was His statement: “Your sins are forgiven.” All knew what that claim meant, when they correctly said that: “Only God can forgive sins.”

You can play games with the idea that “it is God’s forgiveness” that a priest has the power to dispense, but a man “dispensing” what only God has a right to do, cheapens Jesus’ proof that He was God. A fallible man saying: “You are absolved.” is playing God.

There is only one Mediator for the forgiveness of sins, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ, Whom we can appeal through to God the Father directly, without a “sacrament” of another “mediator” that wants to lord it over us.

Wrong…but to explain it to you after there are countless answers here is worthless. So, you go out with your license to kill and you’ll be alright? I don’t think so. Good luck.

 

[benedictus2]

You Ginger 2 are not a mind reader. What is it to you anyway?
EVERYONE WHO GOES TO CONFESSION, COMES OUT WITH ABSOLUTION, IS FORGIVEN BY JESUS CHRIST. If you have a problem with confession, then you need to take it up with Christ who left us these wonderful Sacraments. Your beef is with Christ. God help you.

Exactly what I have been saying. I think if they can, they would like to delete some of Christs words in the Bible because it does not square with their belief.