God loves you. So what?

Quote: Dalex64

Why do you need a priest to absolve you of your sins if only god can forgive your sins?
.

"There is not a more demonic or unbiblical practice than the Catholic confessional. The idea that a sinful man can forgive someone's sins is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. 1st Timothy 2:5 couldn't be clearer ... “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” Jesus NEVER gave His Apostles the power to forgive people's sins... In addition, not one mention is made anywhere in the New Testament of an Apostle ever forgiving someone's sins. This FACT alone speaks volumes against the Catholic religion. Out of all the sermons recorded in the New Testament by the Apostles, not one mention is ever made of an Apostle having the power to forgive someone's sins."

http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/False%20Religions/Roman%20Catholicism/confession.htm

I realize you just copied and pasted from another website, but... demonic? As in caused or done by a demon : of, relating to, or like a demon?

I didn't think you believed in that sort of stuff.

Quote: Dalex64

I didn't think you believed in that sort of stuff.

I didn't write it, a Christian did. My point
was to show there are Christians that
have opinions on confession that differ
from FrG's that as just as valid.

This is another example of how Biblical the teaching of the Church is. Read John 20:21-23, "Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained." You could also read Mt. 16:19 or 18:18. These are explicit moments when Jesus gives to His Apostles the power to forgive sins. Notice of course where this power comes from, namely God. You are correct no one other than God can forgive sins. This is a power He has given to His Apostles and their successors the Bishops and to priests. I don't know how this could be much clearer.

From the very beginning of the Church there was the practice of confession. The Didache ("The Teaching of the 12") written around 70AD mentions the practice as does countless early Church Fathers. Now early on the practice of confession was very public with penances lasting around a year. Thank God the practice slowly evolved into what we have today through some interesting history. Anyway, it is a very Biblical practice and it in now ways undermines the crystal clear teaching that there is only one mediator - Jesus Christ the Lord.

You didn't explain what it means in James to confess your sins to one another.

Also, didn't that ability to forgive sins, given by jesus to his apostles, die with the last apostle, like the ability to heal the sick, cure the blind, and raise the dead?

If the people that took over after the apostles could no longer do these things, why should they be able to grant god's forgiveness for sins? (Or not grant forgiveness as they please, at least it looks like the bible indicates this as well - "and whose sins you retain are retained")

Quote: Dalex64

You didn't explain what it means in James to confess your sins to one another.

If you look a few verses previous you will see the Scripture establishing the Anointing of the Sick by the Presbyters of the Church. This combined with the ending of the verse you quote mentioning healing and that "The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful." I think this leads pretty clearly to a reference to the priests who anoint and bring healing of body also bring spiritual healing through confession.

Quote:

Also, didn't that ability to forgive sins, given by jesus to his apostles, die with the last apostle, like the ability to heal the sick, cure the blind, and raise the dead?

If the people that took over after the apostles could no longer do these things, why should they be able to grant god's forgiveness for sins? (Or not grant forgiveness as they please, at least it looks like the bible indicates this as well - "and whose sins you retain are retained")

One of the clear teachings of the Bible is the succession of the Apostles through the laying on of hands. The Apostles ordained their successors and passed onto them the power Christ gave to them.

Clearly at some point the chain of the power of christ being passed on to successors was broken. People can not perform the overt miracles attributed to christ and some of his immediate followers. If they can not use the powers of christ as demonstrated in the bible, how is it logical to assume that they have the power to forgive sins as described in that passage of the bible you presented?

Is there guidance as to which sins priests grant forgiveness for, and which ones they "leave in place" and thus leave it up to god to forgive that sin? Does that mean the priests don't offer guidance as to how to atone for those sins?

It is quite amazing that we can trace the succession of Pope Francis directly back to St. Peter without any break at all. He is the direct successor as are all the bishops today direct successors of the Apostles.

Anyway, the story of Jesus healing the paralytic is one of many where Jesus makes it clear that the greatest power, and one God alone can do is the forgiveness of sins. Nothing is more important for us and it is this power that He passes on to His Apostles and their successors.

Really the only reason to deny someone absolution is if they are not truly repentant.

Where is the evidence that any power at all was passed beyond the apostles?

Quote: FrGamble

It is quite amazing that we can trace the succession of Pope Francis directly back to St. Peter without any break at all. He is the direct successor as are all the bishops today direct successors of the Apostles.

Illusions are so comforting, aren't they?

There is an unbroken king's list of Babylon and Egypt, among others. I don't take them to be either complete or accurate any more than the known popes of the Catholic church; and that includes, ironically, the period of the "Babylonian" captivity at Avignon.