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Confession being necessary for forgiveness...

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7ruth

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James 5:16 (New International Version)
16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Do you have to confess your sins to another person in order to be healed?


Also, here is another verse that seems to make it apparent that you need to ask forgiveness from another person in order to be forgiven.

John 20:23 (New International Version)
23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.â€
 
Also, here is another verse that seems to make it apparent that you need to ask forgiveness from another person in order to be forgiven.

John 20:23 (New International Version)
23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.
How does the verse you quoted suggest that one must ask another for forgiveness in order to be forgiven? In the scripture you are referring to Jesus had instructed his disciples that if they forgave others then so too will God forgive them (the sins of the others). It doesn't say that the people must ask the disciples' to forgive them first.

But now take a look at Matt. 6:12-15 (KJV) Here, Jesus tells us that if we forgive others, God will also forgive us. Forgiveness is a big part of His sermon. Turn the other cheek, give your cloak also, and go the extra mile. We are not to wait for others to ask or beg for our forgiveness before we forgive them. We are called to just forgive them, release them and ourselves for the stain, and let go of our grudges.
M't:6:12: And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
M't:6:13: And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
M't:6:14: For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
M't:6:15: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

The verse you quoted does raise an interesting thought. In the verse you quoted from John, it says if the disciples did not forgive others' sins, then God would not forgive them either. Does this apply to us today or just the eleven (or 10 since Thomas wasn't there at the time) and if so, why would God give us the power to choose whether someone else will be forgiven by God? Doesn't the forgiveness from the cross cover all of us?
 
Do you have to confess your sins to another person in order to be healed?


Also, here is another verse that seems to make it apparent that you need to ask forgiveness from another person in order to be forgiven.

The first verse you quote seems to me to tie in with the one that says if you are making an offering (praying), and you remember that you owe someone an apology for something you have done to them, you are to stop praying and go immediately to ask that persons forgiveness and to apologize. THEN, you go back to your offering to God.
I think you are to "confess" your sin to the other who you have sinned AGAINST. Does that make sense?

The second verse you quote I have never quite understood. Maybe someone will come in who can help us with this verse...
 
Hi,

I understand the text in John 20:23 to be understood that if you forgive someone who has sinned against you, those sins are forgiven, but if you do not forgive them, they remain, not on them if they have confessed them to you and obtained forgiveness from God, but on you for not having forgiven them.

1 Timothy 2:5 states that there is "one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus"

Jesus alone is our mediator, advocate or intercessor. We can only obtain pardon through our Saviour, not through some erring mortal. But if we do not forgive others, we will not be forgiven from our Father in heaven. Jesus taught this principle in the Lords prayer also.

God Bless,

Natasha
 
Jesus committed what some thought of as blasphemy when he acted to forgive sins: (Mar 2:5-7 NKJV) - "When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you." And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, "Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

He taught his disciples the parabel of the sower and the seed. We've all heard about how some seed fell on good soil, other seed on hard ground, some was taken by birds and some choked by concerns of the world. He also taught why he spoke in parabels: (Mar 4:11-14 KJV) - "And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables? The sower soweth the word."

In John 20 we see the risen Christ who continues the mission that He was given. He had previously appeared to Mary Magdalene and said, "go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and [to] my God, and your God.

After ascending He came to his brethren and says, "(Jhn 20:21 KJV) - "Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you." It was then that he said, (Jhn 20:22-23 KJV) - "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."

Let's review: Jesus was sent by God. During his three year ministry he forgave sins. After He was risen, Jesus said that He was ascending to "His God" and to "Your God". When he appreared to his disciples he commanded them to, "Take the Holy Spirit with them (as their companion) and that He was sending them even as He was sent.

The word recieve in, "Recieve ye the Holy Ghost" (KJV) is the key element of the message and that together with the fact that he was sending them to continue his mission became the essence of the message of our Risen Christ. Yes, our prayers are answered because we pray according to the Will of the Father and this we do by the Holy Spirit who teaches us all things.

When we look at the meanings of the words translated "Recieve" and "Remit" there ---> another mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven is revealed. Divorce from sin and acceptance of the Holy Spirit was being preached by the Risen Christ. It is the same message we hear in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles.
 

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