Is Confession Biblical?

 

Ann: Hello pastor, I have not seen you for some time now.  Where have you been?  Have a seat please.

Pastor: Praise the Lord. The Bible verse is ‘Peter traveled and ministered the churches all over’.  I too visited different churches.

Ann: Any reason in particular for the trip?

Pastor: See, there was some contentions and splits in the church. I went there to patch up the problems.

Ann: Ok, are the problems solved?

Pastor : No, some are still rebellious. See, there were differences between even the Apostles. There is biblical verse to prove it.  The disciples of Jude are here too.

Ann : But you claim that all your church members are ‘sons of God and are filled with the Holy Spirit and talk in tongues. Then how come such contention?

Pastor : Rebels? Factions and rebels could be with any one.  There is biblical proof for all this.

Ann: But the Bible says “The community of believers was one heart and  one mind” (Acts 4:32)

Pastor :  Ann, You are trying to trick me. I don’t like it!

Ann : (Smiling), No, Pastor.  I have no tricks.  I am going to the church for confession.  I was in prayers and preparation for it.   Then Tom told me that you are here.

Pastor: You are going for confession? Really?  People  like You?  You have some Biblical awareness and still you practice this stupidity? Why this confession and what is the use?

Ann: Confession is truthful repentance and acknowledging our sins.  Its use is that our acknowledged  sins are absolved.

Pastor: Praise the Lord. If I confess my sins to you, will my sins be absolved?  Is that what you are saying?

Ann: No, for that you have to confess to a priest who has the authority to absolve sins.

Pastor: Only God has the authority to absolve sins. To say that some priest or some bishop has the authority to forgive sins,  is heresy and non-biblical.  There is no evidence of it in the Bible. You may say it is in the canon or it is tradition, to deceive the nave. It is cheating the innocents and is un-biblical.

Ann: Why because this is not in the Bible?

Pastor: Yes.  Bible is the word of God.  Any thing not proved in the Bible is heresy. Bible is the basis of the faith.

Ann: Apostles Paul says that foundation of truth is the church ( 1 Timothy 3:15). But you say, that is not correct, and the foundation of faith is the Bible. Which one is true?  Any way let us leave it there. What you are telling me is that if there is biblical proof, you will agree to confession, and to priest’s power to absolve sins.

Pastor: If there is Biblical proof, I will agree. Praise the Lord.

Ann: Ok, we will examine the Bible verses. But before that I have to ask you some thing.  Are we all saved by cruxification of our Lord?

Pastor: No doubt in it. The salvation has been given to us free. There are Biblical verse to support this.

Ann: So, was that salvation only for those people who lived with Jesus Christ or was it also for the people who would be born in the future?

Pastor: Salvation by Jesus Christ is forever. That is for the people who lived with Him and also for who would be born in the future. It is given to us free by our Lords great love and mercy. 

Ann: So what you are telling me is this.  Salvation is given free to all mankind by the mercy of our Lord and so we all are saved. True? If this is the case, why then did Jesus Christ instituted the sacrament of Holy Communion or Qurbana; for Jesus Christ remain in us and we in Jesus Christ? (John  6:56) Then why did He command to ‘do like this till the end of ages?’ Then why did he command us to go and preach to the world and to baptize all in His name?

Pastor: That is … That is because our Lord commanded that way.

Ann: I know  that it is Lord’s command. Isn’t everyone saved?  Then why was the need for such a command? Jesus Christ died for us on the cross and we all are saved. Why then such a command? This is because our Lord instituted a visual means of Holy Communion for us to remain in Jesus Christ and for Christ to remain in us and thus, we are eligible for salvation.  Isn’t it why we partake in it?

Pastor: Yes.  I did not say it is not wrong. This is in the Bible. But our subject is if the priest has the authority to absolve someone’s sins. Do you have proof for it? Don’t just tell me that it is a sacrament and so forth. You are digressing from the subject.

Ann: I am coming to the subject.  Do you know what sacrament means? They are the visible acts instituted by God for receiving the invisible blessings from God.  The woman with a Hemorrhage did a visual act of touching His tassel and she received the invisible grace of God and she was healed of her disease (Mathew 9:20).  When our Lord touched (visual act) the leper, he received the invisible grace of God and was healed  This is the principle of the sacraments.

Pastor: Does God institute sacraments? How can you say like this? Who said? Where is the proof?

Ann: Isn’t baptism a God instituted sacrament? Didn’t God instate Holy Communion or Qurbana a sacrament? This is why I said sacraments are God instituted.

Pastor: That is all true. Show me proof for confession.

Ann:  I will show you. Prophet Elisha told Naaman who was a leper, to go and wash seven times in the Jordan to heal his disease. But Naaman was angry at this advice because it was not what he thought  would be the ideal way to heal his disease. He thought, there is so much good water in Damascus; why go to Jordan to wash. With this he turned about in anger and left.  So what did his associates say? (2 Kings 5)

Pastor: If you want to be healed, you have to do exactly as the prophet asked him to do.

Ann: That is true. So when he acted exactly as per what the prophet said, his disease was healed or rather his sins were absolved. Like that confession is a visible act instituted by God for forgiveness of sins.

Pastor:  What are you saying Ann? Did you say God commanded? To whom?  When? Where is the Biblical proof?  The Bible is the book of the Word.  Any thing not in this is heresy. I will listen if you have to say some thing based on the Bible. Jesus Christ can forgive our sins. Anyone who believes in Him and accepts Him as savior, receives salvation and eternal life. If you leave all this ill-practices and come to the communion of the sons of God, then you will have salvation and eternal life. I came to tell you this gospel.

Ann: Oh I see.  Should I join your Protestant church?  Good. I will think about it. If there is proof that priests have authority to absolve sins, I don’t have to come. Do I? Likewise if I prove our case then will you accept the ignorance and come to the true faith?

Pastor: Ignorance for me? Don’t beat around the bush. Show me proof. Confession! What is next? This authority for absolving sins is only for God. No man is God. Did you understand?

Ann: I understood what you said. Read John 20:22,23

Pastor: ”He (Jesus) breathed on them (apostles) and said to them 'Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them and whose sins you retain are retained”

Ann: Pastor do you get this? Are you seeing the Bible verse?  Here the authority of God to absolve sins is given to the apostles. God not only gave them the power but also told them if they have not absolved someone’s sins then those sins will not be forgiven. So this authority that was never given to mankind before, was given to the apostles The apostles gave this authority to the priests appointed by them, and from them to the generations of priests who came after. This is how priests received the authority to absolve sins.  Do you understand?

Pastor: Ok, I agree that they were given the authority to absolve sins. But is there any proof that they really absolved anybody’s sins?

Ann: You can’t even believe what our Lord said. You want proof for everything. Amazing!  Let me ask this. Doesn't the authority to give life and to raise the dead, belong to God?

Pastor: Yes

Ann: Look at these verses

These kinds of  power and authorities were given to the apostles. That is why they were able to raise the dead.  Isn’t it?

Pastor: I agree to all this. These are all in the Bible.

Ann:  Peter restored the life to Tabitha using the power and authority give to him by our Lord. So really  our Lord raised her from the dead through Peter. But we say Peter raised her. Just like that, our Lord forgives the sins when the priest gives forgiveness in the name of God.  Because the power to forgive sins have been given to the priests.  But we say priests forgive sins.

Pastor:  Our Lord told to the Paralytic “Child your sins are forgiven” and to the sinful lady our Lord said “Your sins are forgiven”.  In either of these two incidents our Lord did not ask them to acknowledge the sins or ask them to confess.  Do you have any biblical proof for confession.

Ann: Did I say that one person has to confess to another person and get his sins absolved?

Pastor: Then what did you say? To whom should we confess?

Ann: Let me ask you this? Do you have the authority to try and judge anyone in a civil court of law?

Pastor: I don’t. That is why I said that a man does not have the authority to absolves anyone's sins.

Ann: See, earlier the power to convict or absolve in a court vested with the Kings. Now based on the constitution it vests with the judges. Using that authority they try and give the verdict and enforce it. Like wise the authority to absolve or not to absolve someone’s sins has been given to the priests. So we need to confess to those priests alone.

Pastor: Has any one in the Bible confessed their sins to any one and has their sins been forgiven? Is there any evidence for it?

Ann: We can see lots of such evidence in the Old Testament.

Pastor: So there was confession in the Old Testament?  I am hearing it for the first time. There is no such evidence in the Bible.  No one has confessed their sins.  We have to tell our sins to God. “Then I declared my sin to you; my guilt I did not hide."  I said, 'I  confess my  faults to the LORD': and you took away the guilt of my sin “(Psalm 32:5)

Ann: This is what David said.  Not God. But God has commanded through Moses in Leviticus 5:5-6.  Read it.

Pastor: ”Then who ever is guilty in any of these cases, shall confess the sin he has incurred and as his sin offering for the sin, he has committed, he shall bring to the LORD a female animal from the flock, a ewe lamb or a she-goat. The priest shall make atonement for his sin”

Ann: It is clear here that, the repenting sinner has to confess his sins to a priest and the priest has to offer a sacrifice for his sin. Now Read Deuteronomy 26:3-4

Pastor: “There you shall go to the priest in office at that time and say to him ‘Today I acknowledge to the LORD, that I have indeed come into the land which he swore to our fathers he would give us.  The priest shall then receive the basket from you and shall set it in front of the altar of the LORD your God.”

Ann:  It is clear here that, one’s acknowledgement to the Lord and offering to the LORD are done through the priest. Now Read Proverbs 28:13

Pastor: “He who conceals his sins prospers not, but he who confesses and forsakes them obtains mercy”

Ann:. So, one should repent and confess their sins (to the priest) , or else he will not prosper.  This is God’s command. (We cannot conceal the sin to God any way). Now Read numbers 5:5-10

Pastor: ”The LORD said to Moses “Tell the Israelites: If a man or woman commits a fault against his fellow man and wrongs him, thus breaking faith with the LORD, he shall confess the wrong he has done, restore his ill-gotten goods in full and in addition give one fifth of their value to the one he has wronged. ……Likewise every sacred contribution that the Israelites are bound to make shall fall to the priest”.

Ann:  What is said here is that the sinner should confess and the priest should offer the sacrifice for the sins. His sins are then forgiven. That is Lords command. Now Read 1 John 1:9

Pastor : “If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing”

Ann: Dear pastor, all these verses describe the acknowledgement of sins and subsequent forgiveness by God.

Pastor: Who is the one to deliver or do not deliver from sins? God or man? To whom should we confess? To God or to man?

Ann:  How come you do not get this? Our Lord Jesus Christ received all powers from Father God.  He gave that power to the apostles and who in tern gave the power  to the priests.  Because of this, now in earth, the priests have the power to absolve the sins. And so we have to acknowledge our sins to such priests who received the authority from our Lord. That is Biblical.

Pastor: So absolving sins by priest is same as God absolving the sins?

Ann: Yes.  Isn’t it what the Bible tells us?  Read  2 Cori  2;10

Pastor : “Whomever you forgive anything, so do I. For indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything has been for you in the presence of Christ.”

Ann: The meaning here is if you priests – who are ambassadors of Jesus Christ –  forgives something, Jesus also will forgive.  Read James 5:13,14

Pastor :”Is any one among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint [him] with oil in the name of the Lord. And prayer of faith will save the sick person and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven”

Ann: From this what we can understand is:

  1. The church has presbyters from the beginning.

  2. They should anoint the sick with oil in the name of the Lord

  3. They should pray for the sick

  4. Then their sins will be forgiven

What more evidence do you want to show that priests are vested with God given power to absolve sins?

Pastor: So what you are telling me is that,  there were acknowledgement of sins and confession in apostolic times?  Is there any evidence for it in New Testament?

Ann: Yes pastor, there is evidence. After the resurrection of our Lord, there is no evidence that He ever absolved any one’s sins.  There is a reason for this. He established a church, which was His body, and He was its head. He gave those powers to priests of the church He established. Matthew 3:6 says that  ‘the whole region around the Jordan were going to him (John the Baptist ) and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins”.

Acts 19:18 say “Many of those who had become believers came forward and openly acknowledged their former practices”. So the acknowledgement of sin was from apostolic times. This is called confession.

Pastor: Since apostles got the power from our Lord directly, I can agree that they had power to absolve the sins. But how did today’s priests get this power?

Ann: Dear pastor, the teachings and practices of the Syriac church are all as per the Bible, because the church received it from the apostles. And the faith and practices were passed from generations to generation. I have seen priests that belong to 3-4 generations, and there was no change in the church practices. But it is the people, who take a Bible and memorize few versus without fully understanding it, who fall into heresies.

Pastor: I understand the meaning when I read the verses.

Ann: I did not mean you. But anyway you want to know how today’s priest have this power. Right?

Pastor: Yes. Just straight answer.  No logic. No interpretation

Ann: Logic and interpretation are also some times necessary. Jesus Christ told the parable of the weeds and later the disciples asked Him to explain it for them. So interpretation is not unbiblical. How logically our Lord talked the case of the sinful woman.

Pastor: How can today’s priests receive the power to absolve sins? That is what I want to know. Just tell me that.

Ann: On the day of Passover our Lord instituted the Holy Communion or Qurbana, what did He say to the disciples. He said to do like this ‘till the end of ages’.  Isn’t it?

Pastor: Yes

Ann: But our Lord knows that they would not live till the end of ages. So why did our Lord command like that?  Think of it. How could they do this till the end of ages?

Pastor: Ok, That is, our Lord meant that they or their descendants do like our Lord said till the end of ages.

Ann: That is true. The power they received, for offering the sacrifice, absolving the sins, for baptizing and giving priesthood, has been passed on from one generation to another by laying of hands (apostolic succession).  This is how today priests receive the power to absolve sins.

Pastor: It is written “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, holy nation, a people of his own “(1 Peter 2:9). Then why laying of hands and consecration of priests?

Ann:  What Peter says is that we are all a chosen people with a royal priesthood. Priests are to be chosen from such priestly class of people.

Pastor: There is not evidence for this. I wont agree.

Ann:  No evidence for what? That presbyters are appointed by laying hands?  Read 1 Timothy 4:14.  Before you read, I have to add this. In the Old Testament times, priests were to be chosen from Levites. The Levites were priestly class of people. But not all Levites were priests. Only people who were anointed by laying of hands, were priests. But in the New Testament onwards every believer is in priestly class. That means any one of them, if laid hands from a high priest, can become a priest. That is what Apostle Paul said.  Look at the following verses

 

See this is the same way priests are anointed in Syriac Orthodox church. They spent time in prayer and fasting. And a bishop lays his hands with prayer on a person to become priest.  Graduating from a theological college will not make a person a priest. So in short, Our Lord Jesus Christ gave the apostles the priesthood. Apostles gave priesthood to apostle Paul by laying their hand.  Paul gave it Timothy and Titus. Titus was asked to appoint the priests in all cities. Thus priesthood and all authority has been handed over to present priests by continuation from one generation to the present without a break.

 

Pastor: Do you have to acknowledge every sin to a priest? When our Lord absolved the sins of the paralytic or the sinful lady they did not confess each and every sin to our Lord nor our Lord asked them to do that way.

Ann: That is true. Jesus was God.  So He was able to examine their sins and repentance. He was convinced of their repentance. That is why they were delivered from sins.

Pastor: Can’t we do the same way even now?

Ann:  No. The priests are the ambassadors of God and are human beings who cannot know or examine other people’s secrets. Still they are given the authority to absolve the sins.  In order for a judge to issue a fair verdict, the judge has to hear the case.  Just like this the priest has to know 1) what the sin is? 2) How serious it is 3) is the sinner really repents? 4) Is the person aware of the seriousness of the sin?  etc..  Once the priest evaluates the above issues, then he gives suitable advices and suggestions and absolves the sins in Lord’s name.  So to do all this, he has to know about individual sins. When a doctor treats a patient, he should know about the diseases and its symptoms in detail. Isn’t it?  Likewise a sinner goes to get treated for his spiritual sickness.  For this the priest has to get details of his spiritual sickness. “For the lips the priest are to keep knowledge, and instruction is to be sought from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts” (Malachi 2:7)

Pastor: I have to go now.

Ann: Are you convinced that confession is biblical and is necessary for a believer? Any doubt on it?

Pastor: I heard every thing you said.  Praise the Lord.  I will come back again

Ann:  It is a grave mistake that you criticized the Lord instituted sacrament of the Holy church as heresy and unbiblical. As I told you before, the apostles taught, what is being done in the church because the apostles were initial priests of the church.  Don’t just follow someone who says ‘This is what Christ taught, this is what Christ taught’ or ‘Christ is here or there.’ Don’t follow the blind ways. Our Lord has warned us that during the end times, this is going to happen.

Pastor:  (silent).

Ann:   Now that you understood that confession is biblical and necessary, what I am requesting is that you should come back to the Lord’s church, confess and partake in the Holy Communion. That way you can participate in the real spiritual happiness.

Pastor: Praise the Lord.  Praise the Lord. I will be back again. 

(Pastor leaves)

(Next day pastor comes back)

Ann:  I have a little more doubts about Confession. My question is, do we have to confess to a priest itself?  Do we have to acknowledge our sins one by one? I want to see the Biblical evidence for it.

Ann:  You know that Father God is all-powerful and almighty.  Father God gave all that power to the His Son Jesus Christ (“All power in heaven and on the earth has been given to me” Matthew 28:18).  Christ in turn breathed on the apostles and gave them the power

1.      To forgive or not to forgive the sins,

2.      To baptize

3.      Offer the sacrifices till the end of the world

4.      And power to judge the 12 tribes of the Israelites

 

Pastor:  Yes, all this you told me last time.  You also told me that this authority has been passed from one generation to the next by laying of hands and this happened till this date from apostolic times. And so, today's priests have this power.

Ann: Very true. Therefore only priests have the power to forgive sins.

Pastor: But priests are also human beings. Naturally wouldn't it be difficult and shameful to confess before them?  Isn’t it better to repent and acknowledge the sins to God?

Ann:  It is easy to tell directly to God, without telling to any one. I also agree on it. I wish it could have been that way. But that is not the way God commanded for forgiveness of sins. God commanded us to confess the sins. Shouldn’t we obey God’s command?  “If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrong doing.” This means 1) we have to acknowledge the sins and 2) acknowledge before the proper person. Then God will give forgiveness and deliverance.

Pastor: So if we confess to God directly, we will not get forgiveness of sins?

Ann: After our Lord gave this authority to the apostles, has our Lord given forgiveness directly to any one? Is there any such incident?

Pastor: I think there is no such incident.

Ann: No, because that authority has been given to the presbyters of the church. They are the ones to fulfill that authority. That is what the Bible says.

Pastor: Is there any evidence that presbyters fulfilled that authority?

Ann: Refer Acts 10:4-5 – There was a god fearing man whose name was Cornelius.  He prayed always and gave lots to charity. In his dream an angel of God appeared and told him  “Your prayers and almsgiving have ascended as a memorial offering before God.  Now send some men to Joppa and summon one Simon also called Peter”. When the angel of God left, Cornelius sent men to call Peter. They met peter who had a vision at that time.  Now Holy Spirit told Peter “accompany these men. Because I have sent them”.  Peter spoke at the home of Cornelius.  Then Peter baptized Cornelius and his family.  Now think of it.  Why didn’t God do the baptism or salvation directly here?  God sent people to call Peter to do the God instituted sacrament of baptism.  Here is another incident.

God directly chose and called Saul. But our Lord did not baptize Saul.  Instead God sent him to Annanias so that Saul be baptized. Jesus Christ during His public life has healed so many sick people.  But after resurrection, He commanded the ‘sick should call the priests to pray and anoint in oil”. Why was it? Why couldn’t God do it directly? Dear pastor, our Lord has entrusted, all the powers to celebrate all sacraments, necessary for salvation, to the priests. This is why we have to confess before the priests.  Why is this so difficult?

Pastor: Don’t you feel disgrace, and shame?

Ann:  For the people who really repent, they will not feel any of this. Read Acts 19:18-19

Pastor: “Many of those who had become believers came forward and openly acknowledged their practices”

Ann: From this we see that

Confession of sins is the real sign of repentance. The word of God is this. “He who conceals his sins prospers not, but he who confesses and forsakes them obtains mercy”

Pastor: Once a woman confessed her sins.  He husband heard it and divorced her.  So if we confess these kinds of problems may occur. Isn’t it?

Ann: I have heard about this. This was not in the Holy Church. This was within a group of people who themselves say that they are saved.  The lady, to show that she received the Holy Spirit in aurora of sounds of drums and other sounds, confessed publicly her faults. Her husband divorced her and she had to spend the rest of her life in shame.  But the confession of the Holy Church is not like that

Pastor: But wasn’t this also a confession or acknowledging of the faults?

Ann: First of all she confessed at the wrong place at the wrong time and before the wrong person. There is no word of God to confess in front of their near and dear. Secondly if she really repented then she does not have to live in shame any more.

Pastor:  Then how should one acknowledge the sins?

Ann: First, you have to confess before a priest who has the power to forgive the sins. Second, you have to confess with repentance.  Thirdly, you have to make up your mind that you will not do the sin again.  Fourth, you have to confess in confidential.

Pastor:  All priests are human beings.  The confidential confessions could be leaked from the priests.

Ann:   They are also human beings. No doubt about it.  But have you ever heard, a priest reveling the confidential confession?  It has never happened from the beginning of the church till now.

Pastor: Can’t they revel the confessions to others?

Ann: No they can't.  Because the rule is that they should not even remember about it again. In the past priests were even killed for not revealing the confession details. That is why people believe in the priests.

Pastor:  Ok, Ann.  I have to admit it.  So far I never knew about the confession so much.  I am convinced that confession is a necessity and is Biblical.  I have to go now.  I will talk to you later.  Praise the Lord.

Ann:  Ok, see you then. Bye.

 

St. Ignatious Sunday School, Dallas

http://www.stignatious.com