Again, that’s what your logic boils down to. What’s the use of confessing to a person (which is what God wants, we both agree) if that person can’t forgive sin in His name? That’s all part of that human interaction that we need.
No, just that the lesson from parents are understood via the Holy Ghost.
That’s not the same as just KNOWING from some nebulous inside place that you’re forgiven. In your analogy, the Holy Spirit would be there to help you understand the lessons from your confessor.
My understanding is that the early Church confessed their sins in front of the whole assembly not to just a priest. They obviously felt it had a purpose. Confessing just to a priest came later.annad347:
Again, that’s what your logic boils down to. What’s the use of confessing to a person (which is what God wants, we both agree) if that person can’t forgive sin in His name? That’s all part of that human interaction that we need.
I’ll have to look that up. As long as there was a person acting as a priest to forgive sins, though, it’s only a difference of scale.
Actually my logic arrives that God know us better then we know ourselves. He knows what we need and how to take care of us. He knows some of His children need that personal human connection to help to understand Him because they have fear and doubts, He know now some of His children need that connection which why He made it clear that a righteous person is closer to God then an unrighteous person… so we know who to go to when we need a personal connection with help, praying and confessing our sins.
So when someone is with you we don’t need to speak to them?( lol…like a wife who says " I shouldn’t have to tell you."? )
Let me know when you find a reference that says that Wannano is absolutely right, too.
It’s in Matthew 16, what is bound on earth is bound in heaven… yes I’m trying to understand that passage.
Still doesn’t explain why Jesus gave them divine authority to forgive sins. Seems like you’re ignoring part of the picture.
Sure.
And yet, He didn’t say “No matter where you are, tell me your sins to the sky and I’ll forgive you.” No, He gave that power to the Apostles.
And I’m pretty sure He would like for us to be part of the Church that He began.
Sure, given that your conscience is properly formed as well.
I never claimed I am absolutely right.Wannano:
Let me know when you find a reference that says that Wannano is absolutely right, too.
Fair question. Well, we have been discussing saved people, who are indwelt by the Holy Ghost .We got there precisely because of the “apostles” gospel of forgiveness of sins. You had three thousand souls saved because of Peter’s preaching of such on Pentecost.
Sure, but we hear that person’s voice with our ears. Sometimes God will speak to us personally (I’ve had it happen twice), but when it comes to Confession, God very clearly and specifically gave the power of forgiveness to the Apostles, so that we could have that concrete forgiveness by His power.
And I never claimed that Jesus said we should go to priests as we know them today; they were a little different then, but we can still use our intellect and common sense and see that their authority was passed down to the priests we do have today.
Not really… I said God wants us to confess our sins out loud… it would stand to reason if He wants us to confess out loud is because He wants some to hear them.
))Not sure what you mean here. Catholics say that we were saved, are saved, and hoping to be saved; that is, we need to make the choices every day that lead us to God, or else we run the risk of losing our salvation.
Why, then, did God give the Apostles the ability to forgive sin in His name? So what if you just tell someone else? Sure, there’s an element of help and comraderie there, but I can’t forgive your sins, for example.
(No worries, fam. Typos will be with us until the end of time.)((I either have fat fingers or the keyboard on my phone is way tiny
That is true. Confessing but not for absolution but help. Perhaps that is because it is understood that God , Jesus, forgives.
But we can declare authoritatively of the propritiation we have in Christ Jesus. He covers past present, and future sins. No where does it say the gospel only preaches forgiveness of sins up to water baptism (and from there sacramental). The application of the blood is as needed. In this we, and a pastor/priest, can help each other also. There is no greater power to help than first begin with forgiveness, a declaration of righteousness, to be moved to holiness thereafter. Such was the treatment/ forgiveness/ help the woman caught in adultery was given by our Lord.