To whom do we confess our sins?

[gdemoss]

If Peter said unto them that they have not lied unto men but unto God then why is it such a stretch to say that you have not confessed unto men but unto God when you confess to your brother in Christ your sin?

That said, we have no right to harm anyone by our confession.  Be careful not to confess things unto one who cannot handle hearing them lest you harm them.

[gdemoss]

Is that coptic church ((or similar)) practice or doctrine?

Jeff I don't know what coptic is. 

[kwikphilly]

Blessings ,,,

    King James Bible
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you                     Matt 6:14

King James Bible
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
                                                                                                   Col 3:13

It is terrible the way some of you speak to one another,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,please,try to guard your tongues,,,,,,,,the wealth of information in what so many of you say gets lost by the absence of kindness,patience,understanding & love for one another

I must agree with Shiloh ,as it is Written,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,the RCC has used the Scriptures out of context to support false doctrine,,,,,,the Apostle Paul was never standing in Gods Place to "forgive sin",,,man is not God to extend His Grace & Forgiveness,,,,,,man can & should forgive trespass against himself by another man as he is forgiven by God himself for his own trespasses

It is good that this thread has prompted so many to study ,,,,,,,,,,If Jesus gave Authority to "man" to forgive sin then He would not have had to go to the cross & bear the sins of the world,,,,,,,,,it is all about the reconciliation between God & man,our Redeemer paid the price for us to be reconciled & receive Gods Grace,,,,,,,,,,,,,man can only extend his own grace to forgive a sin committed against himself,,,,,,,,,

Jesus told the Apostles to go & preach the Good News,the Good News is that we are forgiven when we come to Christ to ask His Forgiveness & Confess that He is our Lord & Savior,,,,,,,,,the Apostles could tell the Believer that He is Forgiven,they could not forgive...............

I don't think I could add anything more to what Shiloh has already explained,very well     to God be the Glory,Oh but for the Grace of God!

                                                                                                                                With love,in Christ,Kwik

[enoob57]

 

 Yeah, and it is that kind of surface, and superficial approach that fuels the RCC's idea that we must confess our sins to priests.  

I must admit my jaw dropped at this

People often object to confession of sins to priests saying that only God can forgive sins.  Christ’s opponents said exactly the same thing 2000 years ago and were rebuked for it.

“Why does this man speak thus?  It is blasphemy!  Who can forgive sins but God alone?”  

Sound familiar? 

And he rose and went home.  When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men  (Matt 9:7-8)

The authority was given to men (plural), the Father gave it to Jesus and Jesus gave it to His Church.

In John’s account of the Great Commission, we read how Jesus, on the evening of His resurrection, gave to His disciples the authority to forgive sins as promised in Matt 9.  

Jesus knew that it would be necessary to continue the Great Commission after the death of the Apostles.  That is why Jesus promised: “lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age” (Matt 28:20).  

Christ’s authority continues in the Church until the close of the age, not just until the death of the Apostles.  

This authority was passed on from the Apostles to their successors in the Church. There is sin in the world today just as in the first century, so the divine remedy for sin is still necessary.

The Spirit remains in Christ’s Church forever and His authority lasts forever.

Paul tells how he was given the power to forgive sins from Jesus:   for if I forgave anything, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ  (2 Cor 2:10) and All this is from God, who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us this ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:18)

Paul wrote: for if I forgave anything, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ  (2 Cor 2:10).   Paul did not forgive sins of himself, but in the person of Christ. 

When we go to a priest to have our sins forgiven we are going to Christ.  The priest is acting “in the person of Christ.”

The idea of “me and Jesus” is foreign to scripture.

Paul compares Christians to the parts of a body.  Sin not only offends God, but also hurts the body.  If one member suffers, all suffer together with it (1 Cor 12:26). No Christian can say that he doesn’t need the other members, just Christ.  The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”, nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you” (1 Cor 12:21).

The bottom line is Christ gave authority to His Church.  The priests are the hands, the feet, the eyes of Christ.

 

easily refuted:
External source- liturature
exomologesis cannot be found in historical literature till the second century onward and only the practice of in public setting...
Taking it before human priests (auricular confession) not till the seventh or eight century and debated till thirteenth century
whether or not  it was necessary for the forgiveness of sin ...  thus the practice did not come from written source but by word
of mouth catholic tradition! 

Internal source- Bible
There is only One High Priest
Heb 8:1-2
1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who
is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; 2 A minister of the sanctuary,
and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
KJV

The succession of Peter as authority
Matt 16:19
19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on
earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
KJV
is clearly the Gospel message as keys to a path unto and Doorway
John 14:6
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
John 10:7-9
7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
KJV
As The Lord himself prescribed in these events

Luke 13:25-27
25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand
without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you,
I know you not whence ye are: 26 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence,
and thou hast taught in our streets. 27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart
from me, all ye workers of iniquity.

Matt 7:21-23
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth
the will of my Father which is in heaven.22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not
prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
KJV

Do not let men digest your eternal life by lies and deception into the draft of hell ...    Love, Steven
 

[Guest shiloh357]

If Peter said unto them that they have not lied unto men but unto God then why is it such a stretch to say that you have not confessed unto men but unto God when you confess to your brother in Christ your sin?

That said, we have no right to harm anyone by our confession.  Be careful not to confess things unto one who cannot handle hearing them lest you harm them.

That highlights the danger of taking a narrative passage and trying to make a doctrine out of it.   Peter was not saying that lying to him was the same as lying to God.  Peter says that they were not lying to men but to God.   Ananias and his wife were looking at this from a human perspective, wanting the honor of having given more than they were giving.  They wanted to be seen the same way as those who had given far more sacrificially.  They saw the honor that was heaped on those sold property and gave the entire proceeds to the Lord, and they wanted to be seen as doing the same.  Peter was simply correcting their perspective.  They were bringing offerings to the Apostles.  They were bringing them to the Lord and claiming that they had sold property and were giving the entire amount as an offering.   They were, without realizing it, lying to the Lord because it was the Lord who was the recipient.

[gdemoss]

If Peter said unto them that they have not lied unto men but unto God then why is it such a stretch to say that you have not confessed unto men but unto God when you confess to your brother in Christ your sin?

That said, we have no right to harm anyone by our confession.  Be careful not to confess things unto one who cannot handle hearing them lest you harm them.

That highlights the danger of taking a narrative passage and trying to make a doctrine out of it.   Peter was not saying that lying to him was the same as lying to God.  Peter says that they were not lying to men but to God.   Ananias and his wife were looking at this from a human perspective, wanting the honor of having given more than they were giving.  They wanted to be seen the same way as those who had given far more sacrificially.  They saw the honor that was heaped on those sold property and gave the entire proceeds to the Lord, and they wanted to be seen as doing the same.  Peter was simply correcting their perspective.  They were bringing offerings to the Apostles.  They were bringing them to the Lord and claiming that they had sold property and were giving the entire amount as an offering.   They were, without realizing it, lying to the Lord because it was the Lord who was the recipient.

And was God inside Peter or no?  We see Peter but if Christ be inside Peter or us for that matter then who are they lying too?  I read where it said whatever I do unto the least of these I do unto him.  How is it you say then that they were not lying unto God when lying unto Peter?  When we treat others poorly that are his we are doing it unto him no doubt.  Thanks for the reminder that when I speak poorly unto those on the boards who are his I speak poorly unto him!  Glory be to God for the Golden Rule!!!

[Guest shiloh357]

If Peter said unto them that they have not lied unto men but unto God then why is it such a stretch to say that you have not confessed unto men but unto God when you confess to your brother in Christ your sin?

That said, we have no right to harm anyone by our confession.  Be careful not to confess things unto one who cannot handle hearing them lest you harm them.

That highlights the danger of taking a narrative passage and trying to make a doctrine out of it.   Peter was not saying that lying to him was the same as lying to God.  Peter says that they were not lying to men but to God.   Ananias and his wife were looking at this from a human perspective, wanting the honor of having given more than they were giving.  They wanted to be seen the same way as those who had given far more sacrificially.  They saw the honor that was heaped on those sold property and gave the entire proceeds to the Lord, and they wanted to be seen as doing the same.  Peter was simply correcting their perspective.  They were bringing offerings to the Apostles.  They were bringing them to the Lord and claiming that they had sold property and were giving the entire amount as an offering.   They were, without realizing it, lying to the Lord because it was the Lord who was the recipient.

And was God inside Peter or no?  We see Peter but if Christ be inside Peter or us for that matter then who are they lying too?  I read where it said whatever I do unto the least of these I do unto him.  How is it you say then that they were not lying unto God when lying unto Peter?  When we treat others poorly that are his we are doing it unto him no doubt.  Thanks for the reminder that when I speak poorly unto those on the boards who are his I speak poorly unto him!  Glory be to God for the Golden Rule!!!

God is inside each of us, but that does not mean that when a person is lying to us they are lying to God.   You are trying to force something on to this text that is not there.   Lying to Peter was not the same as lying to God.  Peter was not standing there as God on earth.   They were bringing their offerings to God not to Peter.  

Your statements are ridiculous and unbiblical.    This is just sloppy approach to the Bible that forces something on to the Bible that was never intended.   Confessing my faults to other believes does not mean I am confessing them to God.  To say that is go outside the Bible into your own preconceived and fleshly notion.   You need stop relying your fleshly agenda to be the rule against which you measure the scripture. 

[Openly Curious]

1 John 1:9 (AV)

9 [IF WE] confess our sins, [HE] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

James says:

James 5:16 (AV)

16 Confess [YOUR FAULTS] one to another, and [PRAY] one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

David says:

Psalm 51:4 (AV)

4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

Roman Catholicism says to confess our sins to a priest.

Which is correct?

 

1.  We are to confess our sins to the Heavenly Father above in whom we have access through Jesus Christ and his blood cleanses us from all sins.

2.  We are not to confess our faults and failures (sins) just to anyone that is in the body of Christ because not everyone can be trusted with our secrets.  But instead  we are to confess to those who are spiritual among us (Galatians 6:1 & 6) who are trustworthy and can be trusted in restoring us back to right relationship with the Lord.  The scripture above that was used says that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.  Those who are spiritual among us we are to confess our shortcomings with and let them pray for us as they are able to instruct us in the word of God.  If we are being taught in the word then we are to communicate with them that teacheth in all good things

3.  When we sin weather it is against another person or not it is always treasspassing against God and God alone in whom we sin against and his righteous judgment against us is just and righteous.  Whatever sin we do is against God other people may be involved and we may need to seek that persons forgiveness.  But just seeking that persons forgiveness alone still makes us guilty in the sight of God and we need to seek the Lord's forgiveness.

4.  We do not need a Catholic priest today to confess our sins to God.  We can come boldly right into the throne room of God and make our request known unto God the Father Himself as Christ has entered into the throne room and sprinkled His own blood on the mercy seat on our behalf and is making everlasting intercession for us.  We no longer need a mediator (an earthly man) to stand between us and God.  For now there is only one mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus. 

We are taught in the word to pray to the Father in the name (authority) of Jesus.  Our prayers are our petitions that we desire from him confession of our sins falls under that category if we desire a clean heart before him.  If you are asking if RCC is correct in needing a priest to confess unto I would say absouletly not.  We have access to the throne room of God and we can ask what we will.  Now Jesus Christ is our everlasting High Priest after the order of Melchizedec.  

[gdemoss]

If Peter said unto them that they have not lied unto men but unto God then why is it such a stretch to say that you have not confessed unto men but unto God when you confess to your brother in Christ your sin?

That said, we have no right to harm anyone by our confession.  Be careful not to confess things unto one who cannot handle hearing them lest you harm them.

That highlights the danger of taking a narrative passage and trying to make a doctrine out of it.   Peter was not saying that lying to him was the same as lying to God.  Peter says that they were not lying to men but to God.   Ananias and his wife were looking at this from a human perspective, wanting the honor of having given more than they were giving.  They wanted to be seen the same way as those who had given far more sacrificially.  They saw the honor that was heaped on those sold property and gave the entire proceeds to the Lord, and they wanted to be seen as doing the same.  Peter was simply correcting their perspective.  They were bringing offerings to the Apostles.  They were bringing them to the Lord and claiming that they had sold property and were giving the entire amount as an offering.   They were, without realizing it, lying to the Lord because it was the Lord who was the recipient.

And was God inside Peter or no?  We see Peter but if Christ be inside Peter or us for that matter then who are they lying too?  I read where it said whatever I do unto the least of these I do unto him.  How is it you say then that they were not lying unto God when lying unto Peter?  When we treat others poorly that are his we are doing it unto him no doubt.  Thanks for the reminder that when I speak poorly unto those on the boards who are his I speak poorly unto him!  Glory be to God for the Golden Rule!!!

God is inside each of us, but that does not mean that when a person is lying to us they are lying to God.   You are trying to force something on to this text that is not there.   Lying to Peter was not the same as lying to God.  Peter was not standing there as God on earth.   They were bringing their offerings to God not to Peter.  

Your statements are ridiculous and unbiblical.    This is just sloppy approach to the Bible that forces something on to the Bible that was never intended.   Confessing my faults to other believes does not mean I am confessing them to God.  To say that is go outside the Bible into your own preconceived and fleshly notion.   You need stop relying your fleshly agenda to be the rule against which you measure the scripture. 

Thank you for your input Shiloh.  I do consider what you say and understand the need to consider ones fleshly desires when interpreting scripture for the heart is deceitful.  I have to ask myself if I am falling again into the abyss of the pride of life that has taken me down so many times before.  But I also must consider that you also can be wrong due to unbelief which is only to say it is possible that as it pertains to this particular doctrine of confession of sins to God before men you could have fleshly reasons of your own for not wanting to believe it to be true.  The hardest thing I ever did was to believe and confess them before others openly.  I am not sold completely and keep your admonition in mind.  It wouldn't be the first time I handled the word of God sloppily.  Peace.