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The Catholic religion requires that mortal sins be confessed to a priest, as he has the authority to forgive sins. Protestants confess directly to God/Jesus.
Roman Catholic Answer
By confessing to a priest, you are confessing to Jesus. The priest is the priest of God, an "alter Christus". He stands in as God's ears and tongue. God works with us on our level through our senses. He told us to confess our sins, and He gave us priest to confess to. The passage below is from The One Minute Apologist:
Those who deny as unbiblical the forgiveness of sins by God through priests must somehow account for the many biblical passages indicating confession to another human being of higher spiritual authority. For example: "They were baptized by him [John the baptist] in the river Jordan, confessing their sins"; Many also of those who were now believers came [to St. Paul] confessing and divulging their practices."
The disciples (models for the later priesthood), had the power to "bind and loose": rabbinic terms for responsibilities which included hearing confession and dispensing forgiveness as God's representative ("loosing"), or, on the other hand, handing out penances ("binding").
Matthew 18:18: "Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
John 20:23: "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."
2 Corinthians 2:10: "Any one whom you forgive, I also forgive. What I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ.
"Why can't we just go straight to God to confess?" In many instances, according to Catholic teaching, we can. We are ordinarily required to confess to a priest only in cases of grave, mortal sin (though it is highly encouraged for lesser sins). But the first reason we also go to the priest is because this is a biblical teaching, as seen in the passages above.
from The One-Minute Apologist, by Dave Armstrong
By the way, it is not the priest's personal "power" that forgives sins. The priest is just that a priest of God Almighty, the power that forgives sins is God who works through His priest.
What else can I help you with?
Do Catholics confess their sins to a priest?
Yes, but technically, we confess our sins to God through the priest.
Why do Catholics confess their sins to a priest?
Catholics confess their sins to a priest because they believe it is a way to seek forgiveness from God and receive spiritual guidance and support. The priest acts as a mediator between the individual and God, offering absolution and helping the person to make amends for their sins. This practice is rooted in the belief that the priest has been given the authority to forgive sins by Jesus Christ.
What is confession?
Confession is when you go to a priest and confess all of the sins that you have comitted since your last visit with the priest. Then the priest forgives you of your sins and tells you pray to a certain amount of prayers as penance. After prayer you will receive absolution from the guilt of your sin.
If you believe in God will you go to heaven?
No. You have to believe that Jesus died on the cross for you and confess your sins to him, but you might want to save those type of questions for a priest or minister.
Where do Catholic Fathers confess?
Anywhere, to another priest.
How did Jesus become a priest?
Jesus was not a priest, he was a carpenter
Why do people confess their sins?
James 5:16 " Confess therefore your sins one to another: and pray one for another, that you may be saved. For the continual prayer of a just man availeth much." Matthew 9 shows that Jesus gave men power to forgive sins. Confession forgives us our sins and gives us the grace to stop sinning. Through baptism, we enter into a friendship with God; through confession, we mend our relationship with Christ after sin. In confession, we don't just confess to a priest but to Christ who works through the priest.
Why do Catholics confess to a a priest when the Bible says only God can forgive you?
The reason Catholics confess to a priest is because they claim that the priest is simply relaying what you said to God. But, even this statement is contradicting the Bible. 1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; There is only one "middle-man" between you and God, and that is the man Christ Jesus. So unless we put Catholicism in authority over what the Bible actually says, the Catholics are 100% wrong in the case of confessing their sins to a priest.
What does it mean to Confess Jesus Is Lord?
To confess Jesus Christ as Lord is simply as it says; to confess that Jesus IS in fact LORD! It doesn't say "if you MAKE Jesus Lord", but rather it says "confess that Jesus IS LORD". Many Arminians, but even some Calvinists seem to believe that Jesus must be made Lord of one's life, but the truth of the matter is that He is Lord over all, and we are to submit to His Lordship.
Can you confess without a priest, and if so, how does the process differ from traditional confession"?
Yes, you can confess without a priest through a practice known as direct confession. In direct confession, individuals can confess their sins directly to God without the intermediary of a priest. The process differs from traditional confession in that there is no formal sacrament or absolution given by a priest, but rather a personal and direct communication with God seeking forgiveness.
To whom do priests confess?
Priests typically confess to another priest or a spiritual advisor, as part of the sacrament of reconciliation in the Catholic Church.
Who was the first recorded person to confess Jesus being the son of god?
In Matthew 16:13-20, Peter was the person to confess Jesus as the Son of God.
