According to Scripture
"And when he had said this, he breathed on [them], and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; [and] whose soever [sins] ye retain, they are retained." - John 20:22-23
Scripture is very clear on this.
In John 20:21, before He grants them the authority to forgive sins, Jesus says to the apostles, "as the Father sent me, so I send you." As Christ was sent by the Father to forgive sins, so Christ sends the apostles and their successors forgive sins.
In John 20:22, the Lord "breathes" on the apostles, and then gives them the power to forgive and retain sins. The only other moment in Scripture where God breathes on man is in Gen. 2:7, when the Lord "breathes" divine life into man. When this happens, a significant transformation takes place.
In John 20:23, Jesus says, "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained." In order for the apostles to exercise this gift of forgiving sins, the penitents must orally confess their sins to them because the apostles are not mind readers. The text makes this very clear.
But you know all this, dear friend, because you have read the Bible. And you have also read the posts from other freepers on the forum, defending Scripture. Why do you still pursue a false argument?
There is one mediator between man and God, that is Jesus Christ.
Millions of non-Catholics, members of the catholic (universal Christian Church) church know that.
And also that the Bible says we (Christians) are all Priests.
I noticed up thread someone will get to go to confession in a couple of weeks.
He should not wait.
He can have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and talk to him, and confess his sins. Jesus will forgive him.
That’s so neat.
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