[metmom]

I John 1:5This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

8If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

This was written directly to believers. It's an inspired promise from God that He will forgive our sins if we confess them. Man cannot override that.

And since Scripture cannot contradict itself, there is something wrong with the interpretation of those verses to mean that Jesus gave power to any man to take away sin or hold it against him and send him to hell as a result.

[Quix]

THX THX

[wagglebee]

And since Scripture cannot contradict itself, there is something wrong with the interpretation of those verses to mean that Jesus gave power to any man to take away sin or hold it against him and send him to hell as a result.

So, your choice would be to disregard what Jesus Christ ACTUALLY SAID and replace it with YOUR INTERPRETATION of what Saint John wrote?

Let's look a little more at what Saint John had to say, shall we? (And the HE that is speaking below is Jesus Christ, just so you're clear.):

21 He said therefore to them again: Peace be to you. As the Father hath sent me, I also send you. 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them; and he said to them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost. 23 Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained. (John 20:21-22)