According to the “Catechism of the Catholic Church,” confession involves either “venial” (minor sins) which are confessed to God and “mortal” (major sins) which must be confessed through a priest. When confessed to a priest, a penance is given and the confessing person is absolved of his sins by saying prayers, by the priest.
“Now all things are of God, who has reconciled to himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ‘ministry of reconciliation’ that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God was pleading through us, we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5-18-21). This ministry was God-made, not manmade and the Roman Catholic Church perverted it and tweaked it according to their satisfaction and specifications. Jesus himself said that Scripture cannot be altered (John 10:35).
Only Jesus can forgive sins. “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:22). Only Jesus shed blood for us by dying on the cross and since he was the only one who was sinless (1 Peter 1:19/2:22). God sent him to be the perfect “propitiation” for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2/4:10) “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7). “The blood of Jesus cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). “To him who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood” (Revelation 1:5).
The pope and priests and any other person is flesh and blood like you and me and do not have the authority or power from Jesus to forgive sins. Jesus is high priest from the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 5:10). “Seeing then that we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the son of God, let us hold fast our ‘confession’” (Hebrews 4:14/3:1/6:20/8:1). Confess to “infallible” Jesus, not “fallible” man.
Jesus’ sacrifice
While dying on the cross, Jesus said, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). He meant exactly that but the Roman Catholic Church insists that his perfect, sinless sacrifice of himself was not good enough to take away all our sins, although there are a lot of scriptural references that say otherwise. We now have direct access to Jesus for forgiveness. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). “Jesus by himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high (Hebrews 1:3). “For the father judges no one but has committed all judgment to the son” (John 5:22/Acts 17:31/2 Timothy 4:1).
Jesus died once, for all of us, for all time (Hebrews 10:10,12,14). “There is none righteous, not one” (Romans 3:10). “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life” (Romans 6:23). “The only mediator between God and man is Jesus Christ” (1 Timothy 2:5,6). “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me” (John 4:16).
“And the truth shall set you free!” (John 8:32). Be blessed!
Dianne Iglesias is a resident of Dededo.
This article originally appeared on Pacific Daily News: Only Jesus can forgive sins
