/christian/ - Christian Discussion and Fellowship

Your intuition is right but it's not that simple

>Why do people have to confess there sins to a guy in a box instead of speaking to GOD there self?

They don't have to go to confession to receive salvation

>Why do they almost worship the pope?

They don't worship the pope, just treat him as God's representative on Earth (also bad)

>Whats up with the statue worshiping?

Mostly a third world thing

>>831742

But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.

7 And he arose, and departed to his house.

8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.

Christ gave authority to forgive sins to men.

21Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

Why would he give such a thing if it was superfluous?

>>831745

John 20:21-23 is the fulfillment of Matthew 18, where Jesus had earlier said this:

Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

16But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

17And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

18Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

This is referring to the authority giving by Christ to church leadership to forgive or retain sins against the church. In other words, church discipline. You might say, but a person can only sin against God, but this is false because two verses later Peter said this:

Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

22Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

So then John 20:21-23 is the authority to forgive or retain sins on behalf of the church and to decide who is in communion or not. It has nothing to do with forgiving sins in the place of God; only God does that.

>>831764

I would also say with regards to forgiveness of sins, see 1 John 1:9 which says—

>If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

So then if we forgive sins against us, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. "But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (Matthew 6:15)

>>831784

>By [confessing] by yourself [to God,] […] sinning becomes of no consequence […]

No. God is Good and just. A man will judge me and forgive me according to an arbitrary mix of pseudo-legalistic and cultural attitudes – things that *could* be perverted from as little as the mood that the man is in that hour; God will judge me and *may* forgive me (no certainty there, of course) according to God – the Rock.

>By [confessing] by yourself [to God,] […] there is no assurance of forgiveness.

You're certain of your forgiveness if a corruptible and sin-ridden man tells you that you're forgiven by God? This isn't to say that God *can't* work through such a man (nor *doesn't*), but rather that being certain about it is very dangerous.