Well, I certainly agree that we are called to forgive those who sin against us.
But, if one can also retain sin, does that put into the hands of others whether or not a sin is forgiven? It seems in that case that forgiveness can be held hostage to the whims of human emotion or vengeance.
We have to go all the way back to the beginning to get it.
Adam and Eve sinned because they wanted what only God had, i.e. the knowledge of right and wrong. They wanted to choose for themselves what is right and what is wrong.
But, that judgment is retained by God and God alone.
Forgiving sins was one thing Jesus did that was considered blasphemous. Only God can forgive sin.
As johngrace has shown, Jesus specifically gave to the Apostles what God had given to Him, the power to forgive sins. It is the utmost in powers because sin is what separates us from eternity with God, and sin is why Jesus came as man and died such a horrific death.
If we repent, God in His mercy forgives. He has no axe to grind or petty human grudges. His mercy is boundless and unequivocal in the face of true repentance.
So, as you can see, I cannot accept that whether or not my sin is forgiven is in the hands of other men. And it must be pointed out not all sins are against others, some are against God and ourselves. Also, when the Church binds or looses, it does so under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, therefore it is not just some man, but God leading them.
When we bring our sins to a priest, we are not bringing them to a man, but to God. We are called to be honest with ourselves and to confess for our own spiritual health. When the priest speaks the words of absolution, he is not speaking for himself, he is speaking for Jesus.
Sorry for the late post. I will be answering Johngrace's post shortly as well. This is from my earlier post @70. Jesus explains how to handle a brother who will not forgive you. This should eliminate your fears about a brother no forgiving you.
Jesus explains this in Mathew 18 15-35. The first example involves one brother asking another brother to forgive him and how to handle it if that brother refuses. The only role the local church has in this is as a referee. They are not required to forgive anyone because they were not the one sinned against.
Matthew 18:15-34 (New King James Version)
Dealing with a Sinning Brother
15 “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ 17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.
18 “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
19 “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
|