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teentruthseeker
Guest
If you can confess to God, then to the person you sinned against, what’s the point of confession if all you get is sanctifying grace?
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SwizzleStick
Guest
You also get absolution if you show that you are repentant. And sanctifying grace is nothing to sneeze at either.
ewtn.com/expert/expertfaqframe.asp?source=/vexperts/conference.htm
Okay, for some reason, the link does not work directly. So click on the link above, then click on “Catholic Doctrine and Catechetics” from the list. Then click on “Confession of Sins to a Priest”
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NotWorthy
Guest
What do you mean “all you get is sanctifying grace”? Sanctifying Grace is the “Eternal Life” that Jesus promises in the Bread of Life Discourse. It is God dwelling within our souls!
What more could you ask for in this life?
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allhers
Guest
What do you mean “all you get is sanctifying grace”? Sanctifying Grace is the “Eternal Life” that Jesus promises in the Bread of Life Discourse. It is God dwelling within our souls!
What more could you ask for in this life?
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JimG
Guest
Exactly. Sanctifying grace is a created share in the very life of the Trinity. It is what enables us to to live in heaven, and enables us to be holy on earth.What do you mean “all you get is sanctifying grace”? Sanctifying Grace is the “Eternal Life” that Jesus promises in the Bread of Life Discourse. It is God dwelling within our souls!
What more could you ask for in this life?
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Justin_A
Guest
The thing to remember is that christ instatuted all the sacraments.
If Jesus Christ (GOD) was the one who created and comissiond it, I think it is the way to go. And althoe I dont know which particular passage in the bible recognises confeshion, I know it can be found with a little research.
If Jesus Christ (GOD) was the one who created and comissiond it, I think it is the way to go. And althoe I dont know which particular passage in the bible recognises confeshion, I know it can be found with a little research.
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NotWorthy
Guest
John 20:20-22
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teentruthseeker
Guest
are you saying that if you are not catholic and dont go to confession you wont have eternal life with God in heaven?? even if you confessed to God and the person that you sinned against?
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Justin_A
Guest
I dont get were you got that, but no, i dont think anyone is saying that.
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GJx86
Guest
This is a complicated question.
The Church acknowledges that salvation is possible for non-Catholics, because while God distributes grace through the sacraments, he isn’t bound by his own rules – so one could theoretically cooperate with God and partake in his divine life without entering into the Church, if God decided to will it.
However, there are limitations. Salvation is certainly easier for Catholics to attain, because God normally provides his grace through the sacraments, which are only accessible to Catholics (and Orthodox). And one cannot know for sure that the Catholic Church is Christ’s Church but deliberately remain outside of it – to do so is to reject God’s offer of salvation directly, and then you aren’t capable of cooperating with him at all.
So the way to think about it is this: God can forgive your sins without sacramental confession, and he might choose to do so, but he promised that he will forgive them for anyone who contritely and validly receives the sacrament of Reconciliation, just as he promised that the Eucharist will give grace to its recipients. While God is not limited by his own norms, the sacraments give us certainty that can’t be found outside the Catholic Church.
I hope that was orthodox; someone will call me out on it if it’s not, I’m sure
Hope it helps you.
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teentruthseeker
Guest
when did he do that?? was it in the Bible? I truly don’t know?
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NotWorthy
Guest
Where in the world did I say that?
Look at the following example:
child #1: footballl is the greatest sport in the world?
child #2: Are you saying basketball is not fun?
Chips are better on one’s plate than on one’s shoulder, my friend.
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NotWorthy
Guest
Read John 20:20-23.when did he do that?? was it in the Bible? I truly don’t know?
*** 20 ****** When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.****** 21 *** (Jesus) said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you."*** 22 *** And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the holy Spirit.*** 23 *** Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."
Now, unless the Apostles were gifted with ESP, the only way they could know which sins to forgive was unless they were told. I’ve searched the Scriptures, and there is no hint that the Apostles were gifted with the charism of ESP.
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Todd_Easton
Guest
Not quite. Anyone, Catholic or non-Catholic, who has “perfect contrition” (contrition motivated by love of God) for his past sins will receive forgiveness for them and will be eligible for eternal life with God in heaven. For Catholics, who use the sacrament of Confession, “imperfect contrition” (contrition motivated by fear of punishment) is sufficient to receive forgiveness of past sins and to be eligible for eternal life with God in heaven.
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Frinjaaa
Guest
Rather than saying ‘what’s the point of confession if all you get is sanctifying grace?,’ how about asking why confessional is necessary when God ALREADY gave sanctifying grace.
Read John 20:20-23.
It talks about after Jesus was resurrected and came before his deciples. He shows them his scars to prove it is him and what they had witnessed of him dying on the cross really did happen. Then Jesus says, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you. Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you refuse to forgive them, they are unforgiven.”
Jesus ascended into Heaven leaving us with the Holy Spirit. We are showered with grace and the power to forgive.
So, I guess I would like to know the same thing as teentruthseeker. If God gave us this gift of forgiveness and the ability to forgive and we have already been given his grace, what is the need for confessionals?
Read John 20:20-23.
It talks about after Jesus was resurrected and came before his deciples. He shows them his scars to prove it is him and what they had witnessed of him dying on the cross really did happen. Then Jesus says, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you. Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you refuse to forgive them, they are unforgiven.”
Jesus ascended into Heaven leaving us with the Holy Spirit. We are showered with grace and the power to forgive.
So, I guess I would like to know the same thing as teentruthseeker. If God gave us this gift of forgiveness and the ability to forgive and we have already been given his grace, what is the need for confessionals?
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NotWorthy
Guest
You’ve made the mistake of assuming that Jesus was giving this benefit to everyone.
Jesus talks of forgiveness in two ways:
- To all the faithful - You must forgive sins if you wish yours to be forgiven. Notice in this one, to not forgive someone imposes judgment on yourself.
- To the Church - In this one, IF you forgive someone’s sins, THEN God also forgives them. The priest is acting as God’s Amabassador. But, and this is a big BUT, IF you don’t forgive their sins, then God also doesn’t forgive them. THAT IS AN AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY!!! It should not be giving willy-nilly to just anyone, only someone whom has been chosen to be shepherd of the flock. And notice further, there is no punishment to the Apostles for not forgiving others, whereas in the first example their is punishment for withholding forgiveness.
BTW, frinjaaa, welcome to the Forums!!! I hope you enjoy your long stay with us!
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Frinjaaa
Guest
Where does the Bible say that “the church” is speaking of the priest alone?
Other places in the Bible, the church is referred to as the body of Christ.
Also, believers are referred to as the body of Christ.
So, believers are the church.
Forgive me for not being more clear, but believers are who I was speaking of in my first post. Not just anyone and everyone.
God gave his people, the church, the body of christ, believers, the power of forgvieness.
Again I ask, what is the necessity of a confessional?
And thank you for the welcome!
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NotWorthy
Guest
From what I’ve seen in the Gospels, when Jesus is teaching to the crowds, he is teaching us of Salvation and the coming of the Kingdom.Where does the Bible say that “the church” is speaking of the priest alone?
Other places in the Bible, the church is referred to as the body of Christ.
Also, believers are referred to as the body of Christ.
So, believers are the church.
Forgive me for not being more clear, but believers are who I was speaking of in my first post. Not just anyone and everyone.
God gave his people, the church, the body of christ, believers, the power of forgvieness.
Again I ask, what is the necessity of a confessional?
And thank you for the welcome!
When Jesus is teaching just the Apostles, He is building His Church - in other words, He is teaching the Apostles how to the bishops and priests are to care for the flock.
For instance, did you notice the difference in the two types of forgiveness that I mentioned. They can’t be the same, because Jesus teaches two different results of someone not forgiving someone else.
Do you agree that he taught you and I the results of forgving others differently than he taught the Apostles in John?
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graceandglory
Guest
The reason we DO confess our sins to our priest is because it is commanded in Scripture by Christ and the tradition was handed down for a thousand years before Bibles were printed.
No. Read the scripture again. It’s not we who are given that power. Christ laid his hands on the apostles. The apostles were given the power to forgive. For 2,000 years the Catholic Church has Apostolic Succession that traces its physical roots back to the first apostles and the earliest churches. That power is handed down from the Pope to the bishops to the priests.
Confessionals are the “privacy booths” that were for the intention of keeping people’s sins private. Priests are not permitted to tell anyone the sins they have heard as they listen “in persona Christi” to the sins of faithful Catholics. Even if someone confesses a horrible sin like molestation or murder, a priest is required to keep the sins secret. Even our law doesn’t require a priest to reveal what he’s heard in a confession.
Why confess to a priest? Try it sometime. It is awesome. The grace you feel when you come out of a confessional when you are literally wiped clean of every offense and have a pure white heart is awesome!!!
It is a fact of life that people want to hide and ignore their sins. It’s a fact that people remain in the same old sins over and over again, and feel utterly helpless to do anything about it. Frequent confession and penance really do help you to “go and sin no more.”The priest acts “in personal Christi.” He isn’t Christ, but he has been given the power to forgive sins in Christ’s name, and that power goes all the way back to the Great Commission in Matthew 28.
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Todd_Easton
Guest
That Christians are ordinarily to obtain the forgiveness of their sins through the priests of the Church is inferred in James 5:14-15:Where does the Bible say that “the church” is speaking of the priest alone?
Other places in the Bible, the church is referred to as the body of Christ.
Also, believers are referred to as the body of Christ.
So, believers are the church.
Forgive me for not being more clear, but believers are who I was speaking of in my first post. Not just anyone and everyone.
God gave his people, the church, the body of christ, believers, the power of forgvieness.
Again I ask, what is the necessity of a confessional?
And thank you for the welcome!
Is any among you sick? Let him call for the priests of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
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