Why can't I confess sins to a friend rather then a priest?

[Pax]

Yes Catholics recognize the common priesthood of Baptism. We can ask nGod directly for forgiveness and we do. But the power to absolve sins through the sacrifice of Christ is reserved to the Apostles/priesthood.
In the old covenant we see the same pattern of common priesthood= The Israelites and Ordained priesthood = The Levites.

Sublime Prince This may be my last response because you aren’t reading my responses clearly enough to repond to my points. The others will take over.

This is an important point. For a little amplification it might be worth noting that Hebrews 10:1 tells us that the things of the OT were but shadows of the good things to come. This pertains to the things associated with being a “priestly people” and it applies to the “ministerial priesthood.”

The sin offering by the ministerial priest in Leviticus is but a shadow of the ministerial priest hearing our confessions in the New Covenant. The greater good and power of God’s mercy is present in the New Covenant where the ministerial priesthood is formed in the person of Jesus Christ, and is more holy, and more efficacious than in the ministerial priesthood of the OT.

 

[iaskquestions]

But we are all priests of believers through Jesus (Rev. 1:6 ; 1 Peter 2:9)

So if we are all minor priests in some way then we should be able to have the power to forgive each other of sins and we can talk directly to God for forgiveness.

I think Rev 1:6 and 1 Peter 2:9 should be read in light of Exodus 19:5-6 where it says,

“Now therefore, if you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my own possession among all peoples; for all the earth is mine, and **you shall be to me a kingdom of priests **and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

Now despite the fact that God calls them a kingdom of priests, he establishes a separate priesthood (Exodus 29). In the same way, we are a royal priesthood and God has established the Catholic priesthood.

 

[mercygate]

Ok I have been studying the bible and now as a protestant I do believe in confession. In James we are commanded to confess our sins to one another.

Yup. That we are.

However I do not understand why its necessary confess them to a priest? Wouldn’t it be more practical to confess our sins to those we have wronged or a close friend?

The priest can’t forgive you of your sins, no where in scripture does it say the priest has the power to forgive you of sins, only God can do that. So since knowing that it seems meaningless to confess to a priest rather than a friend or the person we sinned against.

Others have quoted John 20:20-23 to show that the authority to forgive and – more importantly – to retain is attached to the Apostles and their successors. True: only God forgives sins. But this is the way Jesus set it up for us.

I have been confessing my sins to those I have wronged and ever since I started doing this it has made a world of difference in my life, it makes me feel accountable for my actions and makes me less likely to sin in the future; I know now I will have to to come clean to whoever I decide to sin against in the future.

Good for you! If you become Catholic, you will continue to do this! There is no such thing as “going to confession” as if it eliminated the real life part of your Christian walk!

Confession is too anonymous for it to have any real use to people. The priest can’t see you and you aren’t necessarily confessing sins to him that you committed against him.

Chuckling, here. Clearly, you have not experienced confession with a good Priest. Aside from the anonymity question, which is moot because you can always go face-to-face, a lot of good counsel goes on in confession. It is really one of the greatest things about being Catholic.