Posted on 02/01/2015 9:50:33 AM PST by Gamecock
I have a friend who is a Roman Catholic. Not too long ago he went to “confession,” after which he told me, with tears welling up in his eyes, he felt “clean like a new born baby.” Confession is an integral component of the Catholic sacrament of penance. After one confesses his sins to his priest, the priest absolves his sins and he is assigned particular righteous acts of penance and prayers in accordance with the nature of his sins.
Knowing my Protestant convictions, my friend thought I would be overjoyed to hear that he was confessing his sins and feeling clean. And although I was certainly thankful, I knew full well that such a natural emotional response would only last until his next sin. Although historically Rome has taught the necessity of both private and public confession of sin, many Catholics have been persuaded that only when they confess their sins to their priests, are absolved, and do penance that they really possess the forgiveness of God. But apart from faith alone in Christ alone, no one will ever possess the imputed righteousness of Christ for justification, which leads to a faith that is active in word and deed, and a life of both public and private confession of sins.
In the tenth century, in one small corner of the world, the Lord raised up a new theologian in the Eastern church. Simeon (949–1022) preached against nominal Christianity, which was expressed by a merely outward faith and public confession of sins. Simeon argued that if our Christian faith is genuine, we will be engaged not only in the periodic public confession of our sins, but in the daily private confession of our sins as well. From his Discourses, we read, “Let us endeavor to attain to purity of heart, which comes from paying heed to our ways and from constant confession of secret thoughts of the soul. For if we, moved by a penitent heart, constantly and daily confess these, it produces in us repentance for what we have done or even thought.” Through the centuries the Lord has continued to sustain and reform His church by raising up faithful men to proclaim His gospel and to call His people to live coram Deo, before His face, in genuine repentance, humble confession, and authentic faith leading to a life wholeheartedly devoted to God.
Fortunately for the poor folks who mock confession there are tons of secular attempts to substitute, like shrinks, support groups, etc.
Through the centuries the Lord has continued to sustain and reform His church by raising up faithful men to proclaim His gospel and to call His people to live coram Deo, before His face, in genuine repentance, humble confession, and authentic faith leading to a life wholeheartedly devoted to God.
Sorry, I follow the words of Jesus in the Bible, as well as the Catholic Church:
19Then the same day at evening, being the first [day] of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace [be] unto you. 20And when he had so said, he shewed unto them [his] hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. 21Then said Jesus to them again, Peace [be] unto you: as [my] Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 22And when he had said this, he breathed on [them], and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: 23Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; [and] whose soever [sins] ye retain, they are retained.
—John, Chapter 20
And the snarky attacks begin,,
Doesn’t take long.
I don’t know any Catholic who confesses a terrible sin who goes out singing The Sound of Music until the next sin and confession. Guilt for crimes and bad acts remain in the sinner’s head.
Thee is ONE Church, and then there is everything else under the sun.
See the comments to this link especially the exchange from #55-67
http://www.catholic.com/blog/devin-rose/why-catholicism-is-preferable-to-protestantism
I enjoy reading these subjects, it’s part of My World View.
Israel,
Europe ,Economies and religious items.
Unfortunately some on this site got to get nasty rather than be an Adult and say well
“that’s an interesting perspective”
Obviously BOTH arguments can’t be TRUE.
I can't find one that says come timidly to the confessional of the Catholic Church.
Acts 15:8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; 9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
You better stop following that Catholic Church. They been lying to you.
He should have gone to God. He is the source of forgiveness, not some man.
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>> “Fortunately for the poor folks who mock confession there are tons of secular attempts to substitute, like shrinks, support groups, etc.” <<
.
That’s just more of the same!
What can a Godless RCC ‘priest’ do that a Godless shrink can’t?
.
Maybe you should put your full faith and trust in Christ who takes away that guilt of condemnation.
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
I pray that you will one day understand the freedom which is in Christ alone. "if the son sets you free you are free indeed". Christ would have you clothed in His righteousness rather then try to attain righteousness on your own.
No thank you. Those sites are so anti- Protestant as to be untrustworthy, just like that current thread.
I have never seen so many lies in one religion. Nah, Islam is worse.
If I confess to a murder and turn myself in as instructed by the priest, I do hope I will reflect on my crime and suffer a few pangs of guilt.
That takes the need for God right out of the picture.
But John also tells us that if we confess our sins, HE (God) is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness.
There is no need for a priest and no corruptible human being has the right to sit in judgment on another human being no matter what the Catholic church claims.
I find it absolutely inconceivable that God would put that kind of unbridled power in the hands of corruptible and corrupted human beings because they are not faithful and just.
That claim the the RCC is a power grab plain and simple, one that threatens its adherents with hellfire and brimstone for not submitting to their authority. An abuse of power if ever there was one.
You should...
Are you forgiven or not?
Are you rejoicing that you're forgiven or not?
Do you think it pleases God to go around whining and moaning about what an awful sinner you are when you've been forgiven? Do you think that pleases Him?
Guilt for crimes and bad acts remain in the sinner’s head.
Why?
If you're forgiven by God, you should forgive yourself as well.
Guilt does not come from the Holy Spirit. It comes from the enemy, who tries to hold us in bondage by beating us over the head with guilt and condemnation if we let him.
However, if we know Scripture, and Satan tries to beat us down with our past, we can do what Jesus did and quote the truth of Scripture back at him.
Things like, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness, and that there is therefore no more condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.
When we hold to the truth of Scripture, we are confident of the spiritual reality of our forgiveness and don't need to go crawling around under a load of guilt, begging God to forgive us for something He already forgave.
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