What are Protestant concerns with the sacrament of confession?

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jmcrae said:
Keep in mind that James was addressing his Bishops: not the general population. Since they were all priests, “to one another” meant “to a priest” - in other words, they already knew that they were supposed to hear the Confessions of the lay people who came to them; James was reminding them, “Hey, you have to go to Confession, too, so hear each other’s Confessions as well as those of the lay people.”
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Actually, James was writing to the The 12 tribes of Israel. They are the Jewish Christians dispersed thoughout the Roman Empire.

Jam 1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
 
believers said:
Actually, James was writing to the The 12 tribes of Israel. They are the Jewish Christians dispersed thoughout the Roman Empire.

Jam 1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
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That does not negate the issue that it applies to us as well. Unless you want to contend your issue, then you must contend that none of the Epistles to the Churches apply to us either. So that the only books of the NT that apply to EVERYONE are the Gospels and ACTS. Revelelations is addressed to seven churches.
 
Protestant Interpretation.
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Overreaction
vs 13 this is written specifically to believers
vs 14 &15 God listens to our requests.
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No problem there. But that is not the issue.
vs 16 If a Christian commits a sin we should pray for him to be forgiven. There is a sin that leads to death (blasphemy of the Holy Spirit) Praying for forgiveness of that sin is pointless.
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Protestant insert to try and imply that their is only sin that is unto death. Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is the only sin that is not forgivable, It is not the only sin unto death. A deliberate murder that goes unforgiven is unto death. 16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.
vs 17 All wrongdoing is sin. Believers (As per verses 10-12) are promised eternal life, but yet can still sin and not go to eternal death.
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The last part of this verse ( THERE IS A SIN UNTO DEATH ) is ignored to further the idea of “A SIN UNTO DEATH” 17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death. The “A Sin” is not an imperative “ONLY ONE SIN”
vs 18 -19 those who are true Christians will repent and not continue to sin. As Christians, the Devil cannot harm us.
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This is true provided we retain God’s gift of Grace, but we all know it can be thrown away and/or rejected.
18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
vs 20 We have been given understanding so we can know Jesus
vs 21 We must keep ourselves from idols.
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No problem there.

Here is a footnote on those verses:

[13-21] As children of God we have confidence in prayer because of our intimate relationship with him (1 John 5:14-15). In love, we pray (1 John 5:16-17) for those who are in sin, but not in deadly sin (literally, “sin unto death”), probably referring to apostasy or activities brought on under the antichrist; cf Mark 3:29; Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-31. Even in the latter case, however, prayer, while not enjoined, is not forbidden. The letter concludes with a summary of the themes of the letter (1 John 5:18-20). There is a sharp antithesis between the children of God and those belonging to the world and to the evil one. The Son reveals the God of truth; Christians dwell in the true God, in his Son, and have eternal life. The final verse (1 John 5:21) voices a perennial warning about idols, any type of rival to God.
 
Syele said:
Joey, It’s not an overrreaction based on Catholics. Believing in mortal and venial sins in the way Catholics do violates the other beliefs of protestants. It would make this area contradict other areas. Everything is not about denying the Catholic faith. :rolleyes:
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Sin unto death is MORTAL.

Sin not unto death is VENIAL.
 
Syele said:
I’m aware of the Catholic belief. I don’t agree. Is using all capps going to prove your point?
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ummm I’m going to go out on a limb here and say “NO”.😛

Caps may not prove the point, however they do try to show the importance of the phrase. What the “speaker” is trying to STRESS.

I understand Joey, what you are try to STRESS, and so does Syele. She just doesn’t accept it.

However, those things may all change in due time with the help of the Holy Spirit… It may be time just to let go and let God.

I’ve been praying for you Syele.

God Bless
 
Mommyof02green said:
ummm I’m going to go out on a limb here and say “NO”.😛

Caps may not prove the point, however they do try to show the importance of the phrase. What the “speaker” is trying to STRESS.

I understand Joey, what you are try to STRESS, and so does Syele. She just doesn’t accept it.

However, those things may all change in due time with the help of the Holy Spirit… It may be time just to let go and let God.

I’ve been praying for you Syele.

God Bless
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I noticed the it right away; your penchant for CAPS (as well as multiple exclamation points) and knew right away that it meant you were under a lot of STRESS!
 
Steadfast said:
I noticed the it right away; your penchant for CAPS (as well as multiple exclamation points) and knew right away that it meant you were under a lot of STRESS!
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Well life is STRESSFULL!!! 😉

Thank God that I can rely on HIM for SUPPORT, COMFORT, and STRENGTH.

If it wasn’t for GOD I would be lost and drowning!!!

Thank you God for being my walking stick, someone I can lean on for help.

Thank you God for being my light, someone to lead the way.

Thank you God for being my rock, someone that I can truly rely on for help and support. You are always there and never have let me down.

Thank you God for giving me Your Church. A church that was built on the foundation that You Lord have set forth. Without Your Church I would be totally lost. Thanks, God for loving me and giving me the best of everything, which is You Lord.
 
Originally Posted by Mommyof02green
ummm I’m going to go out on a limb here and say “NO”.
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Caps may not prove the point, however they do try to show the importance of the phrase. What the “speaker” is trying to STRESS.
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I understand Joey, what you are try to STRESS, and so does Syele. She just doesn’t accept it.
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However, those things may all change in due time with the help of the Holy Spirit… It may be time just to let go and let God.
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I’ve been praying for you Syele.
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God Bless
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I noticed the it right away; your penchant for CAPS (as well as multiple exclamation points) and knew right away that it meant you were under a lot of STRESS!
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Where are these multiple exclamation points? :rolleyes: 😃 :eek:
 
Hi Coder/Jmcrae/Mommyof02green

Thks for those explanation from a Catholic point of view, i think if we to use absolve this word (thks for the correction for me) ABSOLVE have different meaning, it can be forgive/clear/release/free. Sorry i think i am seeing Absolve as in the form of clearing us from sin…hohoho…Yup i understand that as Christian we hate Sin, but we have to forgive sinners. Therefore when one confess to us about their sin, we are to forgive them. So if Catholic position of confession to priest is this meaning then i truly agree, however what i do not agree is if you are saying priest have the authority to releasing/free/clearing of our sin, becoz only God can discharge us from our sin…😃
 
happygal said:
Hi Coder/Jmcrae/Mommyof02green

Thks for those explanation from a Catholic point of view, i think if we to use absolve this word (thks for the correction for me) ABSOLVE have different meaning, it can be forgive/clear/release/free. Sorry i think i am seeing Absolve as in the form of clearing us from sin…hohoho…Yup i understand that as Christian we hate Sin, but we have to forgive sinners. Therefore when one confess to us about their sin, we are to forgive them. So if Catholic position of confession to priest is this meaning then i truly agree, however what i do not agree is if you are saying priest have the authority to releasing/free/clearing of our sin, becoz only God can discharge us from our sin…😃
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Again: He forgives sins through the priest…it is God’s power, but He exercises that power through the ministry of the priest.

So who is doing the forgiving? God
How is God forgiving? He does it through the priest.

Happygal, at this point I’m just going to have to let go and Let God work with you on this one. 🙂

God Bless.
 
Mommyof02green said:
Again: He forgives sins through the priest…it is God’s power, but He exercises that power through the ministry of the priest.

So who is doing the forgiving? God
How is God forgiving? He does it through the priest.

Happygal, at this point I’m just going to have to let go and Let God work with you on this one. 🙂

God Bless.
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May I add that the forgving is only valid and good since it is proportionate to the sincerety of the repentance.

rephrase:

If the personn is not truely repentive (and only God know that ) then even so the Priest absolves the Sin, it is not truely absolved. The Priest is only going on the confessors word that they are repentive.

To go to a Priest and ask for forgiveness and not be truely repentive, would be IMHO would be…I’ll let someone else feel it in…________________.
 
Mommyof02green said:
ummm I’m going to go out on a limb here and say “NO”.😛
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You crack me up! It was retorical. 😉
Mommyof02green said:
I understand Joey, what you are try to STRESS, and so does Syele. She just doesn’t accept it.
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This is true.
Mommyof02green said:
However, those things may all change in due time with the help of the Holy Spirit… It may be time just to let go and let God.

I’ve been praying for you Syele.

God Bless
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I appriciate your prayers. After as many years as I have spent learning about the Catholic Church I doubt I will ever convert. My belief in the very nature of God would have to change.
 
Mommyof02green said:
Again: He forgives sins through the priest…it is God’s power, but He exercises that power through the ministry of the priest.

So who is doing the forgiving? God
How is God forgiving? He does it through the priest.

Happygal, at this point I’m just going to have to let go and Let God work with you on this one. 🙂

God Bless.
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Hi Mommyof02green

Thks for your patient with me, i understand the meaning of forgiving, but what i am refering is releasing = discharge .

Example if your son stained your favorite dress, you are angry with him, but you forgive him if he told you he was the one who have done that, but what is the process after you forgive you son, the dress still need to be wash to look clean again…

So the logic is the same, the priest can forgive you with your sin, but he cannot remove your sin from your soul, thus who can do that?? God of course, we still lift up our sin to him and pray for forgiveness. The power of Jesus blood to cleanse us , purify us to be as white as snow…reconcile with God through prayer/full repentance, then we can asure not only the priest but God will also forgive us. Sorry that if you are saying we can only confess our sin to one another and not God and forgiveness can comes only from priest and not God then i think we are really very very different as a Christ believer…But thks for your patient with me:)
 
Syele said:
You crack me up! It was retorical. 😉
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I know. Its just a little humor is good! I just saw an opening and ‘ran’ with it.
This is true.
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I understand you and you understand me isn’t that wonderful. We are bridging the gap.
I appriciate your prayers. After as many years as I have spent learning about the Catholic Church I doubt I will ever convert. My belief in the very nature of God would have to change.
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I’ve heard statements like that before and I will hear them again. Just remember God is never changing. He is and will always be the same. People do change and our understandings will change, NOT because God has change but because we have become closer to HIM. When we become closer to God we change, we grow-up, we mature.

I would venture to say that you are the same person today that you where at 7, but you also are different you have matured. 🙂

Just remember to let Him lead the way! God Bless.
 
happygal said:
So the logic is the same, the priest can forgive you with your sin, but he cannot remove your sin from your soul, thus who can do that?? God of course, we still lift up our sin to him and pray for forgiveness. The power of Jesus blood to cleanse us , purify us to be as white as snow…reconcile with God through prayer/full repentance, then we can asure not only the priest but God will also forgive us. Sorry that if you are saying we can only confess our sin to one another and not God and forgiveness can comes only from priest and not God then i think we are really very very different as a Christ believer…But thks for your patient with me:)
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I don’t disagree with anything you have stated here.

Remember that for Catholic the only sins that need to be confessed to God through a priest are what we call “mortal” sins.

Venial Sin can be and should be confessed to God through prayer and repentance. We can do that in the shower, in the car, at the park, while washing dishes, or sitting in still dark room. Any moment that we can find time, to reflex and pray to God.

I do my best to every day examine my conscience and seek repentance for those things that need be forgiven by God. I even make conscience my “mortal” sins and reflex on those. Then when I’m ready to seek “full” forgiveness from God re: my “mortal” sins, I go to confession.

After I have received forgiveness from God for my sins, both venial and mortal, I go and seek forgiveness from the people that I have hurt. That is if I need to seek their forgiveness too.
 
Mommyof02green said:
I don’t disagree with anything you have stated here.

Remember that for Catholic the only sins that need to be confessed to God through a priest are what we call “mortal” sins.

Venial Sin can be and should be confessed to God through prayer and repentance. We can do that in the shower, in the car, at the park, while washing dishes, or sitting in still dark room. Any moment that we can find time, to reflex and pray to God.

I do my best to every day examine my conscience and seek repentance for those things that need be forgiven by God. I even make conscience my “mortal” sins and reflex on those. Then when I’m ready to seek “full” forgiveness from God re: my “mortal” sins, I go to confession.

After I have received forgiveness from God for my sins, both venial and mortal, I go and seek forgiveness from the people that I have hurt. That is if I need to seek their forgiveness too.
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Hi Mommyof02green

Understand ,at least you have mentioned venial/mortal different classification of the sin of which some you go to priest for confession, some you go to God for confession…at least now i understand it more clearly.

However the only different btw protestant and catholic are protestant does not have classification of sins, to us sin is a sin, thus need God forgiveness no matter what this is primary to protestant even if we have our confession to one another, a full repentance/prayer for reconciliation with God before partaking Holy Communion…

Thks for sharing…God bless you
 
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