I do not belief your statement as the Priesthood was finished when Christ became our great High Priest and the ONLY Mediator between God and man.
A Priest has nothing to do with one confessing their sins for they did not lay down their life, nor give their blood for any man on Calvary... Jesus did.... Furthermore the only reason the Priesthood was established by catholic leadership was to maintain the revenues they directly or indirectly brought into the leadership coffers.....
.... Not to mention the robes and all the glitz they copied from the Governing Royals at that time. The wanted the same “Royal” treatment of the people that was afforded the Government at that time and felt entitled to for their “partnership” with Rome.
Even today many catholics love to flaunt the glitz and glitter, which Jesus nor His disciples ever afforded themselves...and they certainly were “worthy” of such far more than then the Pope or the Priesthood that there is today...which has, we full well know, more than simply been “tempted”.....but encouraged and covered despicable crimes....for decades.
The Christian church was established and instituted on the foundation of the prophets and the fulfillment of them fully in Jesus Christ, and is the body of ALL who have given their life to Jesus Christ no matter what building or file they worship in...
...Catholicism is “something else” entirely...and of which lost it's way centuries ago....and is when Christians finally “came out from among them” just as Jesus said we should do.
caww: Why would you argue with the guidance issued by our Lord and Savior? The author of the article posted the very clear guidance issued by Jesus in Gospels and other books of the New Testament on confession and the forgiveness of sins by his apostles. Here are a few of the excepts:
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“The Sacrament of Confession has been with us from the beginning, coming from the words of Christ Himself:
“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20:21-23)
Notice that Jesus gives His apostles the power to forgive sins. Of course, they wouldn’t know which sins to forgive if they weren’t told what sins were involved.
The practice of confession is also evident in the Letter Of James:
“Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” (James 5:14-16)
It’s interesting that nowhere does James (or Jesus) tell us to confess our sins to God alone. Rather, they seem to think that forgiveness comes through some means of public confession.
And it’s not difficult to understand why. You see, when we sin, we rupture our relationship not just with God, but with His Body, the Church (since all Catholics are interconnected as children of a common Father). So when we apologize, we need to do so to all parties involved — God and the Church.
The means by which God forgives sins after baptism is confession: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9)...
This sacrament is rooted in the mission God gave to Christ in his capacity as the Son of man on earth to go and forgive sins (cf. Matt. 9:6). Thus, the crowds who witnessed this new power “glorified God, who had given such authority to men” (Matt. 9:8; note the plural “men”). After his resurrection, Jesus passed on his mission to forgive sins to his ministers, telling them, “As the Father has sent me, even so I send you. . . . Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (John 20:21–23).
Since it is not possible to confess all of our many daily faults, we know that sacramental reconciliation is required only for grave or mortal sins—but it is required, or Christ would not have commanded it.”
.....In the early Church, publicly known sins (such as apostasy) were often confessed openly in church, though private confession to a priest was always an option for privately committed sins. Still, confession was not just something done in silence to God alone, but something done “in church,” as theDidache (A.D. 70) indicates. “
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Similar arguments/ proofs can be made of each of the Sacraments instituted by Jesus. Baptism (which Jesus accepted from Saint John the Baptist), Confession (already addressed by the author), the Eucharist (the Last Supper), Confirmation (adult acceptance of our Baptismal vows), Marriage (wedding at Canna & multiple quotes “two become one flesh), Holy Orders (those called to religious life) and Anointing of the Sick/Last Rites (Jesus cures all forgives their sins). Yes, over time, the forms in which the sacraments have been administered have changed a bit, but have remained true to Christ’s teachings.
Jesus is the un-refuted source of all the Sacraments. What are the sources you have which would refute Him?
Take Care & God Bless.
Bill
Your words state that Jesus did not leave His authority to “His Church” (whether that is what you meant, or not). In your account, Pentecost has no meaning. And the Church as Body of Christ, as taught by St. Paul, becomes merely the work of men.
And that cannot be. Jesus clearly says He is building a church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Jesus was called ‘Rabbi’ for a reason; He was a teacher, but more than that, He taught with authority.
As such he invested his authority in St. Peter, who became the Bishop of Rome, as is our Pope today.