Posted on 02/19/2015 8:12:16 AM PST by Salvation
Amen
Lenten Series Ping!
Just before Jesus said this, He breathed on them. This is only the second place where God breathes on man in Scripture, so we know this is significant. Jesus was creating His priesthood, with the power to forgive sins.
An amazing event in the Church.
Amazing indeed.
It always is such an amazing experience, after the event... one wonders why I procrastinate so much.
Actually, when I read this, nowhere in Scripture is it written that you must confess to a priest. You confess directly to the Lord.
Did you read the original post. Christ granted this power to the apostles.
This is a Catholic Caucus thread. BTW.
I’m a Catholic. I never found any passage in the New Testament requiring confessions can be made only to priest. Am I still allowed to voice my opinion BTW?
I am not calling names. I'm sorry if you got that impression. Please forgive me if I offended you or gave the wrong impression.
But this is a real question - Did Christ establish a Church or a Bible?
Jesus did not establish the Bible. The four gospel writers and St. Paul wrote much of what is in the New Testament.
Jesus did not establish any particular church, but instructed Peter to do so.
Now a question for you: Where is it written in the Bible that you can only confess to a priest?
You are mistaken on this. Look at Scripture:
“And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Mat 6:18
Christ says that Christ will build His Church. He doesn’t ask Peter to build a church. Christ’s Church is built on Peter.
Christ then tells us that His Church will always teach the Truth:
“I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” John 16:12-13
Christ then tells us that His Church is the pillar and foundation of Truth:
“But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.” 1Tim 3:15
Fortunately, we have Christ’s promise that heresies will never prevail against His Church. They will arise, endure sometimes for centuries, like Protestantism, but we can be confident in Christ’s promise that the Church He established will always teach the Truth.
Now a question for you: Where is it written in the Bible that you can only confess to a priest?
It isn’t. But it is written in the Church Christ established.
The Catholic Church has created many rules and regulations over the years many of which have been changed and adjusted over the years. Look no further than Vatican II for example. Whether you agree with Vatican II or not, it doesn’t matter. Fact is policies and rules do change. The Roman Catholic Church was effectively started and institutionalized in Rome because it was the center of the known world and the seat of a great empire at that time, also because St. Peter and St. Paul eventually found their way to Rome. Many Catholic rules and policies have changed over the centuries. For example mandatory clerical celibacy was institutionalized until well into the Middle Ages and for reasons which have nothing to do with anything in the Bible. Was implemented largely as a response to corruption.
Again, those words are not in Scripture. But Scripture does contain the following:
All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 2 Corinthians 5:18 The Ministry of Reconciliation is administered through the Church Christ established through His priesthood
Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. Acts 19:18
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 them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” John 20:22-23
What is interesting, is that the only way someone knows whether to forgive or retain a sin is to HEAR IT. This is the Sacrament of Confession Christ established.
YES....it is written that you should confess your sins.
NO...it does not have to be to a priest. At least not in the Bible.
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