SPLIT: Is Confession not necessary?

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sdtouchton

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Going to confession is not important, but confessing our sins to God is very important. God has made it possible for us to come to Him directly for the forgiveness of our sins. This means we don’t need to go to confession to confess our sins before a minister or priest. We can go directly to the Lord in prayer.

“But if we confess our sins to him [God], he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong” (1 John 1:9).

God has given us free access to Him through His Son, Jesus. We can approach Him, seeking an intimate relationship with God. This means we do not have to go to confession to meet with Him, because He has created a meeting place where He can shower us with His mercy and grace.

“So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it” (Hebrews 4:16).

It is important to note that the privilege of approaching God freely and directly was bought with a great price through the blood of Jesus. The privilege was not gained by any minister or priest to which we have to go to confession. It was Christ’s sacrifice of love on the cross that bridged the gap between a just, holy God and us. When we trust Jesus for our salvation, God sees us through Christ and wipes away all of our sins. It was Jesus who bought our freedom to approach God.

“For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and people. He is the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).

God desires that we live a pure life before Him. He has given us the Holy Spirit, who helps us when there is something in our lives that shouldn’t be there. We examine our motives, our attitudes, and our thoughts for sins against God and man. When we find unflattering things in our lives, we don’t have to go to confession to confess them. But it is important that we go straight to the Lord in prayer to confess our sins, making this a daily exercise.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life” (Psalm 139:23-24).
 
sdtouchton said:
Going to confession is not important, but confessing our sins to God is very important. God has made it possible for us to come to Him directly for the forgiveness of our sins. This means we don’t need to go to confession to confess our sins before a minister or priest. We can go directly to the Lord in prayer.

“But if we confess our sins to him [God], he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong” (1 John 1:9).

God has given us free access to Him through His Son, Jesus. We can approach Him, seeking an intimate relationship with God. This means we do not have to go to confession to meet with Him, because He has created a meeting place where He can shower us with His mercy and grace.

“So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it” (Hebrews 4:16).

It is important to note that the privilege of approaching God freely and directly was bought with a great price through the blood of Jesus. The privilege was not gained by any minister or priest to which we have to go to confession. It was Christ’s sacrifice of love on the cross that bridged the gap between a just, holy God and us. When we trust Jesus for our salvation, God sees us through Christ and wipes away all of our sins. It was Jesus who bought our freedom to approach God.

“For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and people. He is the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).

God desires that we live a pure life before Him. He has given us the Holy Spirit, who helps us when there is something in our lives that shouldn’t be there. We examine our motives, our attitudes, and our thoughts for sins against God and man. When we find unflattering things in our lives, we don’t have to go to confession to confess them. But it is important that we go straight to the Lord in prayer to confess our sins, making this a daily exercise.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life” (Psalm 139:23-24).
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I really do not want to get into a debate in this thread, but perhaps you should read Our Lord’s words to His Disciplies (the first Bishops as it were) in John 20:23 in terms of the importance of Confession. At first, I had honestly thought you were non-Catholic based on your views, but according to your profile, it says you are Catholic. I hope you know the Church’s view on the importance of Confession.

Also, I would add that I do confess my sins daily (or more often) in prayer usually before going to Confession (kind of a one-two punch as it were). Basically, I usually go to Confession about 1x per week (I would go more, but then I get a lecture from the Priest about being Scrupulous, or I just get a ‘look’ as it were or whatever), but I pray for forgiveness of sins (I guess some call it an examination of conscience) usually multiple times per day (anytime I pray, I usually start by asking for forgiveness of enumerated sins).
 
sdtouchton said:
Going to confession is not important, but confessing our sins to God is very important. God has made it possible for us to come to Him directly for the forgiveness of our sins. This means we don’t need to go to confession to confess our sins before a minister or priest. We can go directly to the Lord in prayer.

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That is heresy,

"If anyone denies that sacramental confession was instituted by divine law or is necessary to salvation; or says that the manner of confessing secretly to a priest alone, which the Catholic Church has always observed from the beginning and still observes, is at variance with the institution and command of Christ and is a human contrivance, let him be anathema. " Council of Trent

“A false witness shall not be unpunished: and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.” Proverbs 19:5

Confession is essential, read this: How often ought we to go to confession
 
sdtouchton;:
Going to confession is not important, but confessing our sins to God is very important.
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They are both important. They are also both “confessing our sins to God”
God has made it possible for us to come to Him directly for the forgiveness of our sins. This means we don’t need to go to confession to confess our sins before a minister or priest. We can go directly to the Lord in prayer.
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God also gave the authority to forgive sins to men "He breathed on them and said, “Receive the gift of the holy Spirit: The sins you forgive are forgiven and the sins you retain are retained.” (Paraphrasing John 20) That is clearly recorded in Scripture. How about your claim?
“But if we confess our sins to him [God], he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong” (1 John 1:9).
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Nowhere in this verse, nor in the context of the chapter does it actually say that this confession occurs “directly to God” You added that in [God] on your own. It is true that if we approach God with perfect contrition that we can receive forgiveness, but that does not obviate confession to a priest as you imply.
God has given us free access to Him through His Son, Jesus. We can approach Him, seeking an intimate relationship with God. This means we do not have to go to confession to meet with Him, because He has created a meeting place where He can shower us with His mercy and grace.
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Who said you needed to go to confession to meet with Him?
It is important to note that the privilege of approaching God freely and directly was bought with a great price through the blood of Jesus. The privilege was not gained by any minister or priest to which we have to go to confession. It was Christ’s sacrifice of love on the cross that bridged the gap between a just, holy God and us. When we trust Jesus for our salvation, God sees us through Christ and wipes away all of our sins. It was Jesus who bought our freedom to approach God.
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I dont think this is news to anyone here.

Blessings
 
I wouldn’t doubt the reality that people do not like to go to Confession. I sure dont. However, that doesn’t mean it is not necessary. The idea of having to go to a priest in a church where there might be other people around, and then have to confess one’s sins to another person, the priest, seems rather terrifying. How convenient it is to just directly confess to God in private.

However, God knows this. Therefore, my guess is that it is a much more fuller act of contrition and desire for forgiveness to have to confess to another person, who God is using to grant the absolution. In fact, it seems more human. If one offends someone and is sorry, then he is going to approach the person and personally apologize and make amends. While it is granted we should also apologize to God directly, the sacrament of Confession allows people to have a tangible human aspect to apologize to and therefore actually receive forigivenees from God through a tangible way of being assured of it when the priest absoloves us.

I don’t like going to Confession but I know its value so I will go. I also think the fact that people have to confess to a priest for their sins can be a deterrant since it is an uncomfortbale situation so peope would rather sin less and avoid or at least have less to admit to when they do go to Confession.
 
sdtouchton said:
Going to confession is not important, but confessing our sins to God is very important.
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You don’t just sin against God when you sin. You sin against the Church and you sin against humanity. This is why Jesus set things up to include the Church and another human in the process of reconciliation. The “Jesus and me” mentality is theologically incomplete and actually rather selfish.
 
Is it just me or aren’t Catholic getting taught the basics anymore. What nerve does anyone have not to accept the Church’s teaching, sacred scripture and sacred tradition and still call themselves Catholic?
 
My understanding is like it or not, once you are baptized Catholic, you are Catholic. So what would these people call themselves if not Catholic? I know many Catholics who believe in God, but don’t follow the teachings. They still are Catholic since they have not joined another religion, and still recognize themselves as baptized Catholic. What would you call the Christmas and Easter Catholics?
 
Hey Sd,

I’m glad you are having questions about your faith. It shows that you are serious about what you believe, and that you want to make sure that you are on the right track. There’s nothing wrong with that. If I had to guess, I would say that you may have something that you don’t really want to confess to another human being (I know I do…), and maybe you are looking for a way out. I feel your pain, brother, but if that’s the case, get it over with.

Anyway, I write a little newsletter for my local KC’s, and the last one I wrote is on confession. It is heavily borrowed (even stolen from) John Martignoni and more intelligent people than I here on CAF (I hope they don’t mind). Here it is, hope it helps:

Apologetics Corner
The Sacrament of Reconciliation

“Catholics believe that they have to tell their sins to a priest and they believe that a priest,-a MAN, can forgive sins. Only God can forgive sins. All I have to do is ask God’s forgiveness and I am forgiven, so why would anyone need to confess to a man?

Just why do Catholics go to Confession (Reconciliation)? First of all, let’s clear up a common misconception that other faiths have about Confession: that the priest has the power, by himself, to forgive sins. As Catholics, we clearly recognize that this authority is from God. It is not something the priest does all by himself. It is God who forgives the sins, but exercises this authority to forgive sins through the ministry of the priest. Just as God has used men to heal bodies, so He uses men to heal souls. So the priest is acting in persona Christi…in the person of Christ. Jesus Christ acting in and through human beings, to bring about the ministry of reconciliation.

So where do we base our belief that we should confess our sins to a priest? We can start with the Bible:

Let’s look first at John 20:21-23: **“As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” **Ok, so whose sins they forgive are forgiven, I get that, but look at the first sentence of that passage: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” Send them where? To do what? To forgive sins as Jesus did! To recap, Jesus tells them He is sending them, and then he breathes on them and tells them they can forgive sins. The only other moment in Scripture where God breathes on man is in Gen. 2:7, when God “breathes” divine life into man. When this happens, a significant transformation takes place.

Matthew 9:6-8: **But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”-he then said to the paralytic, “Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” He rose and went home. When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe and glorified God who had given such authority to men.” ** Note here it says “men”. Plural. This verse shows that God has given the authority to forgive sins to “men.” So, those who acknowledge that the apostles had the authority to forgive sins (which this verse demonstrates) must prove that this gift ended with the apostles. Otherwise, the apostles’ successors still possess this gift. Where in Scripture is the gift of authority to forgive sins taken away from the apostles or their successors?

Matt. 18:18 - the apostles are given authority to bind and loose. The authority to bind and loose includes administering and removing the temporal penalties due to sin. The Jews understood this since before the birth of the Church.

2 Corinthians 5:18-20: **“And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us.” ** The ministry of reconciliation was given to the ambassadors of the Church. This ministry of reconciliation refers to the sacrament of reconciliation, also called the sacrament of confession or penance.

James 5:15-16 - in verse 15 we see that sins are forgiven by the priests in the sacrament of the sick. This is another example of man’s authority to forgive sins on earth. Then in verse 16, James says “Therefore, confess your sins to one another,” in reference to the men referred to in verse 15, the priests of the Church.

Acts 19:18 - many came to orally confess sins and divulge their sinful practices. Oral confession was the practice of the early Church just as it is today.

Lev. 5:4-6; 19:21-22 - even under the Old Covenant, God used priests to forgive and atone for the sins of others.

Ok, so we see that Jesus gave the apostles (and their successors) the power to forgive sin. Now how are they to forgive (or retain) these sins unless they know what the sins are? Jesus didn’t give them the power to go around reading everyone’s mind so they would know their sins. He established an oral confession!

If you want to learn more about the Biblical basis for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, read the following passages:
John 20:21-23
Matthew 9:6-8, 18:18, 3:6
Luke 5:24
Mark 1:5
Acts 19:18
2 Cor. 2:10
James 15:16, 5:16,
Lev. 5:4-6; 19:21-22
1 Timothy 6:12
1 John 1:9
Numbers 5:7
Sir. 4:26
Baruch 1:14
There are also numerous writings by the early church fathers about Reconciliation. We don’t have space to cover them all, but here’s one:
“In addition to these there is also a seventh, albeit hard and laborious: the remission of sins through penance…when he does not shrink from declaring his sin to a priest of the Lord.” Origen, Homilies on Leviticus, 2:4 (A.D. 248).
And here’s something else interesting: the statement you just read is older than the determination of the canon of the Bible!

Keep the faith Sd!
 
sdtouchton said:
Going to confession is not important, but confessing our sins to God is very important. God has made it possible for us to come to Him directly for the forgiveness of our sins. This means we don’t need to go to confession to confess our sins before a minister or priest. We can go directly to the Lord in prayer.

“But if we confess our sins to him [God], he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong” (1 John 1:9).

God has given us free access to Him through His Son, Jesus. We can approach Him, seeking an intimate relationship with God. This means we do not have to go to confession to meet with Him, because He has created a meeting place where He can shower us with His mercy and grace.

“So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it” (Hebrews 4:16).

It is important to note that the privilege of approaching God freely and directly was bought with a great price through the blood of Jesus. The privilege was not gained by any minister or priest to which we have to go to confession. It was Christ’s sacrifice of love on the cross that bridged the gap between a just, holy God and us. When we trust Jesus for our salvation, God sees us through Christ and wipes away all of our sins. It was Jesus who bought our freedom to approach God.

“For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and people. He is the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).

God desires that we live a pure life before Him. He has given us the Holy Spirit, who helps us when there is something in our lives that shouldn’t be there. We examine our motives, our attitudes, and our thoughts for sins against God and man. When we find unflattering things in our lives, we don’t have to go to confession to confess them. But it is important that we go straight to the Lord in prayer to confess our sins, making this a daily exercise.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life” (Psalm 139:23-24).
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jacintamaria:
why dose it say in the bible that Jesus said to the appostles whos sins you forgive they are forgiven them and whos sins you retain they are retained if that dosnt sound like confessions then i will eat my hat
 
Yes I think or I know that the Catholic Church teaches going to confession is necessary for mortal sins not veinal sins although you can confess veinal sins as well. I am pretty sure scripture supports this but you obviously get different view’s on this part of the faith I am Catholic since 2006 but I think God can forgive sins by going directly to him It is the precept of the church that one go to confession for mortal sins but I do not think that is impossible for one to be forgiven without going to scramental confession for God nothing is impossible after all he is God. By the way I have been to confrssion myself about 10 times since I have been a Catholic I beleive in the sacraments I just think God can forgive any sins if he so chooses it has been good to discuss these matters with you.

Kirk
 
**** Of course we have to go to confession! How can anyone receive our Lord with sins in their Soul? Dear God,it is not right!
How about also confessing just to receive another grace? A Grace from confession,one for Mass,and one for receiving the Eucharist,Our Lord in your very sinful mouth,without confession? God help those who receive without absolution! I can never imagine going to receive without confession,and unless it is just not possible,really impossible,but would go as soon as possible,and confess that you had received without confession. This is how I was taught in all my growing up Catholic upbringing.
I have wondered about not confessing for so long,and now I understand,why I see all these people going to Communion,and I have wondered, “if these people had gone to confession”? It is thier choice,but very hard for me to understand? I may be very old fashion in my ways,but the changes are hard for me to accept these days? Madelena
 
sdtouchton said:
Going to confession is not important, but confessing our sins to God is very important.
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It sounds like you have been reading too much Martin Luther and too little of scripture and the Catholic Catechism. First of all WHY would somone not want to go to sacramental confession? This is a WONDERFUL sacrament. The ancient Jews would have fought tooth and nail to have the privilege to be able to be forgiven of their sins by a priest of God by simply walking into a confession in a repentant state of heart and confessed their sins and being granted absolute (for not fee!). If the Jews had this sacrament they would be queued up daily at sunrise or sunset waiting to get their sins forgiven.

Jesus never says anything trivial. When he gave the apostles the authority to forgive sins it was a real authority. If would not be a real authority if anyone could normally just ask God for forgivness and PRESUME he was forgiven. Frankly, when you think about it this sort of presumption is as arrogant as it is disrespectful of God. You are in your own mind FORCING God to forgive you independent of the interior disposition of your contrition. A priest is representing God and is in a position to help you make a good confession and to make sure you do not mock God with a false contrition. Having to go confess to a priest is also a great motivator to not sin again since humility makes us think twice about sinning for the same sins. We MUST confess our grave sins to a Catholic Priest.

On the other hand you are somewhat correct in saying we can approach God for forgivness anytime. This is true for Catholic, Jew or Protestant etc. But it is ONLY venial sins that anyone can have confidence that God will forgiven them if they pray and ask. Many Catholics are not even consciously aware anymore that we petition God’s Mercy and Forgiveness at EVERY mass. During the Introductory Rite we either recite the Confeitor or the Kyrie (God have Mercy) or both. In the Confeitor we first call to mind our sins and then make a public confession of fault (just like the ancient Church did) by saying we have “sinned in thoughts words and deed” to each other and The Church and asking each other to forgive each other and pray for each other This cleanses us of venial sins. Then again in the sacrament of Eucharist - all who receive it worthily (not in grave sin) are also guaranteed to have their venial sins forgiven by the power of Jesus’ direct presence (as long as one is not obstinate in desiring to hold to a venial sin or imagining they are exempt from a particular sin).

Also a Catholic or a Protestant or non-Catholic MAY be forgiven of their grave sins through special exception to norms without going to sacramental confession for extraordinary circumstances. God desires no one to go to hell and God grants Mercy to us daily by continuing to let us live another day just so we may repent - even if we are in grave sin. But this requires solemn repentance and a PERFECT CONTRITION of heart. This is IMPOSSIBLE for anyone to do on their own however without God’s special grace. We can pray for this grace and may feel like we are truly perfectly contrite but we never know for certain if it was a real authentic contrition and if God actually forgave us. The HUGE advantage of sacramental confession we can be ASSURED that God forgives us even if we are just confessing our sins out of fear of hell and not perfect love for offending God. We are all in various stages of sanctification and not everyone is in a daily love relationship with God and many are Christian only because they fear hell - that is not going to be sufficient to form perfect contrition.

[continued]

James
 
[contined from above]
Note here that God granting us the continuance of life while in grave sin and estrangement to Him IS MERCY; this is especially so due to the magnitude of sin against so Holy and Eternal a God. If just a few hundred years ago any of us had gravely offended a royal King by stealing from him or harming his household or whatever we would be tried and immediately executed - often cruelly. Even in modern secular America if we kill somone with malice of forethought we would be executed and the mercy is in the legal system of fair trial. Likewise if we are in grave sin before God we deserve immediate death. But by God electing to not strike us dead in the act of mortal sin in that instant – that itself is a Mercy since He gives us time to repent so we are not subject to the trial for that sin. But this time is granted just so we may repent and confess and be healed and God help us if we must later face the trial when we squandered that Mercy. Thus every heart beat of life is a constant opportunity to experience God’s Mercy in granting us the time to repent. No person will ever be able to stand before God and say “But Lord! Why can’t you grant me Mercy for all these grave sins now that I am dead and facing condemnation ?” God will say: “I Mercifully gave you every moment of every day of your past life to repent while you were in grave sin so you would not have to face the severity of my Justice. But you rejected my Mercy and chose not to repent and mocked my Mercy by presuming upon it for a later time. You choose to love your sins over Me and now you must spend your eternity embracing the evil you loved and held in higher esteem than me in hell”.

In the early Church one might be given a SINGLE life time opportunity to confess grave sins - but with steep public penances (public begging for prayers outside the Church, fasting and personal acts of charity for months and even years!). The early Church would think that today’s Catholics (and especially baptised non-Catholics) were complete wimps and insincere Christians for not fasting, weeping and praying on their knees for extended periods of time for the opportunity just to go to confession! We should have more of a sense of profound gratitude that we have sacramental confession available to us.

Bottom Line: Confess your grave sins to God in the confessional! It is God’s gift of Mercy to us. But if you can’t get to a priest right away or are a Protestant - pray to God directly for the grace to make a perfect act of contrition then make an act of PERFECT contrition with real conviction of repentance and hope it was good enough and then (Catholics) go to confession to make sure (and non-Catholics convert to Catholicism while you have the time).

James
 
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