Protestants: "If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven, if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

[mesl4]

What are your thoughts on the possibility that Jesus was giving this authority to all believers, not just bishops/priests.? Even if we are to say that Catholics are the true believers, why wouldn’t any confirmed Catholic have the authority to forgive/retain sins? How is the Holy Spirit working in each individual if everyone is dependent on the Pope/bishops/priests? It seems so Old Testament.

 

[scottywolf777]

What are your thoughts on the possibility that Jesus was giving this authority to all believers, not just bishops/priests.? Even if we are to say that Catholics are the true believers, why wouldn’t any confirmed Catholic have the authority to forgive/retain sins? How is the Holy Spirit working in each individual if everyone is dependent on the Pope/bishops/priests? It seems so Old Testament.

Do/would you really want that responsability sans the grace of ordination? What, if lacking judgement, you lightly absolve somebody who hasn’t even the faintest compunction for their sins? Would you not be adding that to your final judgement? Also there’s an aspect of confessional seal which would enter into your life which would be a very serious business. This is big time mortal sin territory and will most likely lead to excommunication.:bigyikes: Unless one is a doctor counselor or priest one isn’t covered and would have to report a crime to authorities legally thus violating confidentiality.
There’s a really good old Hitchcock movie called “I Confess” where a criminal unrepentently confesses a murder to a priest and proceeds to try and frame him for the crime.
A convert friend of mine found an old formula for lay absolution which probably would never be used in this day and age except in extreme emergency: Ego te absolvo te ad per lex Christi licit. I absolve you as far as the law of Christ allows. I have no idea where he found it by the way.

 

[Gabriel_of_12]

We should constantly be looking at our life and behaviors and trying to make them more like Jesus while not worrying about our salvation constantly. This is my impression of what he was saying at least. I get that.

Philippians 2:12
10 11 So then, my beloved, obedient as you have always been, not only when I am present but all the more now when I am absent, work out your salvation with fear and trembling. 12

The above scripture is a Catholic teaching, “confession” falls under this catergory of “work out your salvation with fear and trembling”, " for nothing unclean shall enter before God". Catholics cannot receive holy Communion with the Father in heaven if our souls are soiled in mortal sin, these have to be removed (confessed) by the washing with the blood of Jesus in the ministry of reconciliation (Confession), before a Catholic can receive communion with the living God and the body of Jesus Christ in the Holy Catholic Apostolic church.

1Cor.11:26
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.
27
Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. 12
28
A person should examine himself, 13 and so eat the bread and drink the cup.
29
For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment 14 on himself.

Verse 28 follows Apostolic Oral and written Tradition, when every Catholic who before he/she goes to the sacrament of Confession, does an examination of concious (himself) before he/she can recieve the body and blood of Jesus Christ, so that the Catholic parishoner, when given the “Body of Christ” in his/her “Amen” discerns the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

Confession remember is for the believer who is working out his/her salvation with fear and trembling. Baptism is for the unbeliever which no confession of sins is needed just the baptism confession to reject the evil one and all his works etc. Here is where the difference between Catholics and non catholic christians. What does a redeemed Christian do when he/she falls into mortal sin, he/she cannot be rebaptised? "Confession in the Apostolic ministry of reconciliation is what the redeemed Christian needs to be reconciled to God.

2Cor.5:18
12 **And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation, **19
namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
20
**So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.**Peace be with you