If one takes even a cursory look at these verses, you will have to acknowledge that there is such a thing as confession and the forgiveness of sins (or the sacrament of Penance), keeping in mind that St. Paul talks about the ministers of Christ as the dispensers of the mysteries (sacraments) to the faithful.
First, we look at St. John 20; 22-23: And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained...
Second, in St. Matthew 18; 18. Verily 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. Another strong indication that Christ gave His Apostles that enormous power!!
Now there are two other verses in St. Matthew 18; 21 and 22. St. Peter is asking Christ how many times should "I" forgive someone that sins against me; seven times? Christ tells St. Peter not seven times, but seventy times seven.
In other words, as long as someone asks for forgiveness they can (not must) be forgiven.
But why "can" and not must?
When we Catholics go to Confession, we have to meet certain requirements in order for the priest to grant us absolution, among these requirements is that we have contrition (we are sorry for committing that sin), and -- very important here -- we make a firm purpose of amendment not to commit that sin again.
Translation: just because someone asks for forgiveness of sins, doesn't mean that the mentioned sin will be forgiven.
I do realize that we all have weakened natures, that is why Christ gave the power to forgive sins in the first place. He knew us then, and He knows us now. He took on our human nature in the fulness of time that we have an avenue to stay, or come back to Him if we left His good graces. Remember the Prodigal Son? He squandered his fortune; led a morally terrible life, but when he returned home, his father saw that he was sorry for the way he had lived his life, and forgave him!
The forgiveness of sins is not something that falls from the sky, or a sin is forgiven because someone "accepts Christ as his/her personal Savior," no, it is more than that. And I hope that these verses will help those non-Catholics see the real love of Christ in the Sacrament of Confession (Penance).
If there are any questions about what I wrote in this article, please comment and I'll try my best to answer you...
Pray for our country.
PS: all the verses were taken from the King James version of the Protestant Bible; copyright 1897.
Gene DeLalla
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