Questions, Opinions about the Rite of Confession

[makusama]

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Why Can’t We Confess our Sins Directly to Jesus?

I recently was asked this in an email exchange and thought I would elaborate on my answer in a post. Generally speaking, we can confess our sins directly to God. However in doing so we miss out on some of the benefits that sacramental confession brings.

When Was Confession Invented, Anyway?
The Catholic understanding of going to a priest for Confession was actually “invented” by Jesus Christ Himself while on earth. Near the end of His ministry, Jesus took the apostles aside:


John 20:19-23. On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 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.”


With the protestant mindset, this is nonsensical. Without a sacramental confession, Jesus basically gave them nothing. Or He gave all of us the ability not only to forgive the sins of others, but to retain them as well. Either way it doesn’t make sense why Jesus performs this act at such an important moment in Scripture and in His ministry.

But the Catholic understanding fits perfectly. Jesus called His priests aside and gave them power to forgive or retain sins in sacramental confession. It would not be possible for the priests to decide whether to forgive or retain sins without hearing what those sins were. In practical terms, Jesus’ words require the Catholic confession in order to make sense. Which means as Catholics we go to confession as Jesus chose for us to. The apostles began forgiving sins – see 1 Corinthians 5:3, where St. Paul explains that he has already “judged” another’s sin. In 2 Corinthians 2:10 he further explains that he forgives the sins of those that the Corinthians forgive.

Moving forward in the Church there are numerous instances of Christians explaining or defending confession over the years. So confession was Jesus’ preferred way of asking forgiveness, so why would you do it another way?

What are the Benefits of Confession?
The biggest benefit of Confession comes from the Biblical text itself: when we go to confession we can know with certainty that we are forgiven. Jesus gave his priests the power to forgive sins, so they can forgive our sins. Of course, Jesus is actually the one forgiving our sins, however the priest acts in persona Christi and uses the power Jesus gave them to forgive our sins. As a protestant you can hope that you are forgiven for your sins, but never fully know.

In addition Catholics can receive and perform penance, which removes the temporal punishment for sin. In particular this is important for mortal sins, which require satisfaction to be forgiven. The understanding of penance requires a deeper analysis of the issue than I will take up here, but in a future article I will address it. Catholics also receive additional graces to help them avoid future sin through the sacrament that cannot be obtained outside of it.

Finally there are other non-obvious benefits to confession. For example our humility is improved by requiring us to go to a priest and openly confess our sins (I know personally this has helped me to avoid sin!). Also we receive sound spiritual advice from the priest on avoiding temptations and improving our lives – the benefit of a psychologist with the power to forgive. This seems like a side benefit, but it is very important. As fallible humans we can convince ourselves of all kinds of things. For example, you can justify your sins by developing excuses. Priests, through the power God gave them, can help us to see through our pride and denial to the root of the problem. They can help you to understand the reason why you are sinning and give you practical advice for avoiding it. This is no mere trifle, it is a huge benefit that helps you on your road to heaven.

Confession is for all of us
From my point of view the biggest issues are (a) Jesus wanted us to do it this way; (b) we know we are forgiven; and (c) we receive additional grace to help us avoid sin in the future. If Jesus instructs us to do something a certain way, how can we be too arrogant to follow? If Christ told us to do something a certain way, we can rightly assume that He had a good reason for it.

God bless

[YJOB]

question is, if the priests are indeed the rightful descendants of the apostles?

maybe somewhere along the way there has been a crossroad and the present path today was the wrong turn.

[dartzed]

question is, if the priests are indeed the rightful descendants of the apostles?

maybe somewhere along the way there has been a crossroad and the present path today was the wrong turn.

hahaha nice question...
kabaw bka bro na deli mahimo ug ideal na pari ang usa ka semenarista if d siya maordinahan?..
ang pag.ordina sa pagkapari ng.paila na cya na ideal na cya for the said possition ky d na basta2x himuon gud ka ana nga holy gud... imo irecieve ang holy spirit..

kana nakasulti ka ana only just bec of what you see cguro na naay kabuang nahitabo sa mga pari... huna2x.a sad na tao sad na cla pasabot pariha rna na2 bro.. masayop sad na mao btaw ig panahum d na cla exempted bantog pari na cla..

ikaw pangutan.on tika ideal baka na tao?..

usa pah naa ta free will kahibw ta tagsa2x unsa ang sakto ug dili, alangan naman kita kas pari na ngbinuang imo sad sundogon bantog kay pari lagi alagad sa simbahan?..

[maddox]

Why Can’t We Confess our Sins Directly to Jesus?

I recently was asked this in an email exchange and thought I would elaborate on my answer in a post. Generally speaking, we can confess our sins directly to God. However in doing so we miss out on some of the benefits that sacramental confession brings.

When Was Confession Invented, Anyway?
The Catholic understanding of going to a priest for Confession was actually “invented” by Jesus Christ Himself while on earth. Near the end of His ministry, Jesus took the apostles aside:


John 20:19-23. On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 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.”


With the protestant mindset, this is nonsensical. Without a sacramental confession, Jesus basically gave them nothing. Or He gave all of us the ability not only to forgive the sins of others, but to retain them as well. Either way it doesn’t make sense why Jesus performs this act at such an important moment in Scripture and in His ministry.

But the Catholic understanding fits perfectly. Jesus called His priests aside and gave them power to forgive or retain sins in sacramental confession. It would not be possible for the priests to decide whether to forgive or retain sins without hearing what those sins were. In practical terms, Jesus’ words require the Catholic confession in order to make sense. Which means as Catholics we go to confession as Jesus chose for us to. The apostles began forgiving sins – see 1 Corinthians 5:3, where St. Paul explains that he has already “judged” another’s sin. In 2 Corinthians 2:10 he further explains that he forgives the sins of those that the Corinthians forgive.

Moving forward in the Church there are numerous instances of Christians explaining or defending confession over the years. So confession was Jesus’ preferred way of asking forgiveness, so why would you do it another way?

What are the Benefits of Confession?
The biggest benefit of Confession comes from the Biblical text itself: when we go to confession we can know with certainty that we are forgiven. Jesus gave his priests the power to forgive sins, so they can forgive our sins. Of course, Jesus is actually the one forgiving our sins, however the priest acts in persona Christi and uses the power Jesus gave them to forgive our sins. As a protestant you can hope that you are forgiven for your sins, but never fully know.

In addition Catholics can receive and perform penance, which removes the temporal punishment for sin. In particular this is important for mortal sins, which require satisfaction to be forgiven. The understanding of penance requires a deeper analysis of the issue than I will take up here, but in a future article I will address it. Catholics also receive additional graces to help them avoid future sin through the sacrament that cannot be obtained outside of it.

Finally there are other non-obvious benefits to confession. For example our humility is improved by requiring us to go to a priest and openly confess our sins (I know personally this has helped me to avoid sin!). Also we receive sound spiritual advice from the priest on avoiding temptations and improving our lives – the benefit of a psychologist with the power to forgive. This seems like a side benefit, but it is very important. As fallible humans we can convince ourselves of all kinds of things. For example, you can justify your sins by developing excuses. Priests, through the power God gave them, can help us to see through our pride and denial to the root of the problem. They can help you to understand the reason why you are sinning and give you practical advice for avoiding it. This is no mere trifle, it is a huge benefit that helps you on your road to heaven.

Confession is for all of us
From my point of view the biggest issues are (a) Jesus wanted us to do it this way; (b) we know we are forgiven; and (c) we receive additional grace to help us avoid sin in the future. If Jesus instructs us to do something a certain way, how can we be too arrogant to follow? If Christ told us to do something a certain way, we can rightly assume that He had a good reason for it.

God bless

Nicely stated. I didn't know the real purpose of the Catholic confession until I have read your post. This is really good. And I thank you for that. Now I understand. I have heard a lot from other people but this seems to explain things well.

However, I don't mean to start a debate here, for I appreciate and respect your belief and devotion to it. But just for the sake of discussion, if you've read my post on page 1, my main point of concern is not the practice itself, specially that it appears, with your explanation, that indeed it is a positive practice and can bring much good to the people. However my main concern is whether the priesthood authority, the same authority held by the Apostles back to the old patriarchs, and most of all the highest priest of all, Jesus Christ, - if this authority was passed down to the Catholic Church. This authority serves as the key to the validity of such practices and ordinances. If this be so, then how did the church acquire it?

I know you can present me with a lot of historical claims of this transition. I've seen them. And you should know that they are still claims. There has not been a record in the scriptures of such thing or event of actual 'Laying on of the hands' to pass the priesthood authority to the Catholic Pope. And please don't tell me Peter was the first Pope, because you know for yourself that you aren't sure of that - if you be honest with yourself. At the time of Peter's execution there still was no concept of a 'Holy Father'. He was the leader of the Church, yes, but never was he addressed as a Holy Father. And even Paul saw the Apostasy coming from in and outside of the Church.

If the Roman Empire, without even mentioning the inquisition, embraced Christianity, and made it 'Universal', then how will this be an act of passing the priesthood authority to them? Was there ever a record that the first Pope received the ordinance of 'Laying on of the hands' for the gift of the Holy Ghost and for the priesthood authority as a priesthood bearer? You know that is the way to perform such ordinance like the in the Old and New Testament right? The way the ancient priesthood bearers were ordained. Or have they changed it? Why don't we see it now?

And why does the revelation from God to his prophets or priesthood leaders in the Catholic Church's case, the Pope, stopped? From ancient times for every dispensation, God has always called a prophet to be his messenger. There was no mistake in this. Every dispensation except when the Apostles were all executed (except for John). Why has constant revelation from God to his prophets stopped? Is this because there were no prophets anymore? And that the priesthood power has been taken from the world? Is this what the ancient prophets, from the days of Isaiah to Paul, have so much prophesied as the Apostasy? What Peter and Timothy saw?

That is the real question my friend. The very root. If you find answer to this root then it should be easier.

[akosabni]

ad2 kumpisal sa Ginoo, kong gusto nimo i-acknowledge niya

kong naka kita ka ni Kristo sa taw na imong nasad-an, ad2 kumpisal niya

kong naka kita ka ni Kristo sa pari, ad2 kumpisal sa pari

[jhulz]

@ maddox...

mao jd bro..

[barcode 999]

ad2 kumpisal sa Ginoo, kong gusto nimo i-acknowledge niya

kong naka kita ka ni Kristo sa taw na imong nasad-an, ad2 kumpisal niya

kong naka kita ka ni Kristo sa pari, ad2 kumpisal sa pari

korek!
ang importante nakakumpisal ka!
asa man maluwas sa tan aw ninyo? kato tawo nga mo kumpisal(bisan sa pari) o kato tawo wala jud kumpisal kumpisal? :mrgreen:

[pridi]

simple ra ang tubag ani ai..... pakamatay una para maka balo ka... kay para maka balo ka kung gi acknowledge ba jud or wala

this is what we call belief... everyone can argue about it, but no one could prove it..... same ra ni sa question kng asa kaha c judas karon? heaven or hell? remember without his treachery, dili unta ma crucify c Jesus.

questions such as this one is something no human being is capable of answering. only the Supreme Being can give the true answer to this.

[isaac95]

simple ra ang tubag ani ai..... pakamatay una para maka balo ka... kay para maka balo ka kung gi acknowledge ba jud or wala

this is what we call belief... everyone can argue about it, but no one could prove it..... same ra ni sa question kng asa kaha c judas karon? heaven or hell? remember without his treachery, dili unta ma crucify c Jesus.

questions such as this one is something no human being is capable of answering. only the Supreme Being can give the true answer to this.

In your own OPINION.... asa man si JUDAS ron bro?

In my own perception, si Judas naa na sa Langit....... Iya to nabuhat ang TRAITORY kay siya ang gipili sa Ginoo aron matuman ang kasulatan..........

Ask lang ko bro? why man naghikog si Judas?

[barcode 999]

In your own OPINION.... asa man si JUDAS ron bro?

In my own perception, si Judas naa na sa Langit....... Iya to nabuhat ang TRAITORY kay siya ang gipili sa Ginoo aron matuman ang kasulatan..........

Ask lang ko bro? why man naghikog si Judas?

yeah, i also belive that judas was jesus most trusted deciple!
and he is the most loyal among the 12 :mrgreen: