Contents
1. Introduction
2. LUTHERAN
3.
ROMAN CATHOLIC
4. PURPOSE OF MIRACLES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
5.
THE
"KEYS" AND "BINDING AND LOOSING
6.
MEDIATOR BETWEEN
GOD AND MEN
7.
COMPARISON OF
JOHN 20:23 TO OTHER SCRIPTURE
8.
WORD AND
PRACTICE
9. FAITHFUL MINISTRY OF THE GOSPEL ACCOMPLISHES REMITTANCE OF SIN
10. SOME CLOSING THOUGHTS FOR CONSIDERATION
11. CONCLUSION
12. Bibliography
Introduction
An argument that
Christians often use to demonstrate that Jesus is God according to the Bible is
that he had the authority to forgive sins. However, according to the Gospel of
John (cf. John 20:23) the disciples also had the authority to forgive sins. In
light of this fact, why don’t Christians also accept the Divinity of the
disciples seeing that they too forgave sins like Jesus?
This question
has surfaced numerous times down through the years. Two of the most prominent adherents to this
position are the Evangelical Churches of America (ELCA) and the Romans Catholic
Church. There are a few others, but
these are the most influential in this practice. One must remember--when you have placed your
confidence in any priest or minister as mediator between yourself and God, you
have acknowledged them as being equal with Christ. You have then placed yourself in a position
to be susceptible to any other false teaching that is presented. For any minister or priest to declare that
you must go through him to obtain forgiveness of sins is ludicrous, apostate,
and diametrically opposed to the Word of God.
Let us examine the claims of both from their own writings,
"Absolution and Penance."[1]
LUTHERAN
The following is taken and quoted from
the writings of the Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America
and published by the Concordia Publishing House in Saint Louis, Missouri.
The preacher says:
"Do you promise that with the aid
of the Holy Ghost you will henceforth amend your sinful life? Then declare by saying: I do promise."
The preachers says:
"Finally, do you believe that
THROUGH ME, a called servant of God, you will RECEIVE THE FORGIVENESS OF ALL
YOUR SINS? Then declare so by saying: I
do believe. As you believe, even so may
it be unto you."
The preacher says:
"Upon this your confession, I, BY
VIRTUE OF MY OFFICE, AS A CALLED AND ORDAINED SERVANT OF THE LORD, announce the
grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord
Jesus Christ I FORGIVE YOU ALL YOUR SINS in the name of the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy Ghost, Amen."
The question
many have asked is, "Does the Lutheran preacher forgive his wife's sin
also? Does he forgive his children's
sins, and does he forgive HIS OWN?"[2]
ROMAN CATHOLIC
Similar ideas
appear in almost all catholic literature describing Penance. The following quotes are from the Father
Connell's Confraternity Edition, New Baltimore Catechism. "Penance is also
a sacrament instituted by Our Divine Savior in which sins committed after
Baptism are forgiven through the absolution of the Priest." "The
Priest has the power to forgive sins from Jesus Christ, who said to His
Apostles and to their successors in the priesthood: 'Receive the Holy Spirit;
whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; whose sins you shall
retain, they are attained." (John 20:22,23).
"No man, by his own power and authority,
could possibly forgive sins. Only God
can do that because sin is an offence against Him. But the priest, as God's representative, can
forgive sins because God has given him the power to do so." (Matthew
18:15-18).
"Our Savior could indeed have decreed
that men should receive the Pardon of their sins by going directly to God with
contrition. But a sacrament,
administered by men in the name of God, is a more assuring and a more effective
"The power to forgive sins by pronouncing these words of absolution is
given to the priest at his ordination. In
order to exercise this power the priest must have jurisdiction, or be
authorized to ACT AS A SPIRITUAL JUDGE OVER THE PERSONS HE ABSOLVES."[3]
THE PRIEST FORGIVES SINS WITH THE WORDS:
"I absolve thee from thy sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and the the Holy Ghost, Amen."
One might notice under "b."
that the Catholic Church acknowledges that no man has the power to forgive
sins, but God only; they then transfer that power to their priests. The following Scriptures are used to support
their position:
Matthew 9:5-8,
"For whether is easier, to say, Thy
sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath
power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,)
Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. And he arose, and departed to his house. But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled,
and glorified God, WHICH HAD GIVEN SUCH POWER UNTO MEN."
Matthew 18:15-18, "Moreover if thy
brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and
him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with
thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word
may be established. And if he shall
neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the
church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. 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."
John 20:21-23, "Then said Jesus to them
again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 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."
Matthew 16:19, "And I will give unto thee
the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth
shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be
loosed in heaven."
PURPOSE
OF MIRACLES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
Christ performed hundreds of miracles,
beginning with His first miracle of turning the water into wine in John
2:1-11. Not all miracles were
recorded. John tells us in John 20:30, "And
many other signs (Greek: semeion, miracles) truly did Jesus in the presence of
his disciples, which are not written in this book."[4]
The purpose of the miracles that are
recorded, is given in verse 31. "But these are written, that ye might
believe that Jesus (His humanity) is the Christ (deity, i.e., God in human
flesh), the Son of God (by the virgin birth); and that believing ye might have
life through his name."
In John 1:11 it is recorded that, "He
came unto his own, and his own received him not."
Christ declared to Israel that He was
their Messiah (John 1:41), Saviour (Luke 2:11), Sin-bearer (Matthew 1:21), and
King (Matthew 2:2); but the religious leaders wanted nothing to do with
Him. In Hebrews 2:3,4 the Word of God
declares,
"How shall we escape, if we neglect
so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was
confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them (Israel)
witness, both with SIGNS AND WONDERS, and with DIVERS MIRACLES, and gifts of
the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?"
In Matthew 9:1-8 Christ had healed a man
sick of palsy (a paralytic) as proof that He had the power to forgive sins
also. Anyone can say, I will forgive
your sins, but the miracle of healing was "proof positive" that He
was truly the Son of God! In Matthew
10:8, this power of healing and other miracles would also be given to the
Twelve Apostles, and to The Seventy in Luke 10.
As we are going to see from Scriptures, no human being was ever given
the power to forgive sins. The message
of the Twelve Apostles was that Christ was to bear our sin on the cross, and by
the power given to them to perform miracles their message was substantiated as
authentic. In Matthew 10 they were to go
ONLY to the nation of Israel. In verses
6 and 7...
"...go, rather to the lost sheep of
the house of Israel. And as ye go,
preach, saying, THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND."
The power given them is recorded in
verse 8...
"Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers,
raise the dead, cast out devils (demons): freely ye have received, freely
give."
Nowhere in Matthew, Chapter 10, do you
find they were given power to forgive anyone's sins. Their message and commission was to preach
that..."the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
The reason the Kingdom was "at
hand"--the King was here. When any
Jew believed this message their sins were forgiven. Matthew earlier stated in 1:21 that...
"He (Christ) shall save his people
from their sins." (Note John 1:29).
The Seventy in Luke 10 were given the
same power to perform miracles (verses 9,17,19,20). Notice carefully, as you read Luke 10, NOWHERE
do you find the Seventy being given the power to forgive sins. Their message to their own nation was that
Jesus Christ was their Saviour and Messiah.
"Dr. Luke" stated earlier in Luke 2:11,
"For unto you is born this day in
the city of David a SAVIOUR, WHICH IS CHRIST THE LORD." Christ's
crucifixion and resurrection was God's payment for our sins. Paul declared this in writing to the
Ephesians...[5]
"In whom we have redemption through
his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace."
(Ephesians 1:7)
Every minister that loves the Lord Jesus
Christ will not draw attention to himself, let alone claim the power to forgive
sin. He will declare as Paul did to the
Corinthians in 1st Corinthians 2:2 and 1:31...
"For I determined not to know anything
among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." (2:2) "...He that
glorieth, let him glory in the Lord (not in himself)." (1:31)
To the Seventy who preached Christ and
Him crucified, the Lord said concerning their hearers in Luke 10:16... "He
that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he
that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me." Keep in mind, it was the
message they preached that would be accepted or rejected. The message would save or condemn, and that
God's Word is truth (John 17:17).
Ezekiel stated that God's Word would be done; i.e., whatever God says He
will back it up from Heaven... "...but the word which I have spoken shall
be done, saith the Lord GOD." (Ezekiel 12:28)
THE "KEYS" AND "BINDING AND
LOOSING"
The same
guarantee of God backing up His Word from Heaven, is in Christ's Words to Peter
in Matthew 16:19... "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of
heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and
whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Vine's
Expository Dictionary of Greek New Testament Words has this to say in reference
to the Word "bind": "The Lord's Words to the Apostle Peter in
Matthew 16:19 as to binding, and to all the disciples in 18:18 signify, in the
former case, that the Apostle, by his ministry of the Word of life, would keep
unbelievers outside the kingdom of God; and admit those who believed." The
"keys" spoken of in Matthew 16:19 were first used by Peter on the day
of Pentecost, as recorded in Acts 2.
Nowhere did Peter or the Eleven ever even HINT that they could or would
forgive anyone's sins! The whole chapter
is a testimony concerning Christ, the resurrection and His forgiveness. Here are Peter's words in verse 21... "
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord
shall be saved." (Acts 2:21) They were saved because of the Word of God
Peter preached. They were then baptized
as a public testimony of their faith.
Notice Peter's Words in Acts 2:41... "Then they that gladly
received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them
about 3,000 souls."
Peter used the
"keys" (symbolic of God's Word) again in Acts 10. God sent Peter to the Gentile named
Cornelius, to show the Jews that the Gentiles could be saved also. Read Chapter 10 and nowhere do you find Peter
EVER claiming the power to forgive anyone's sins. Peter directed the lost to Christ and Him
alone. Here are Peter's Words in Acts
10:43... "To him (Christ) give all the prophets witness, that through his
(Christ's) name whosoever BELIEVETH IN HIM (Christ) SHALL RECEIVE REMISSION OF
SINS." Unlike Peter, some clergy, through pride, love to claim this power
for themselves and love to mediate between God and man. In doing so they outright deny and resist
God's Word. 1st Timothy blatantly
declares in 2:5... "For there is one God, and ONE MEDIATOR BETWEEN GOD AND MEN,
When God's
servants preach His Word on earth, it will divide--those who believe it are
saved and, those who do not are lost.
His Word is so powerful it will divide as a sharp. two-edged sword
(Hebrews 4:12). Isaiah 55:11 declares
that His Word will not return unto Him void and empty. Those in Matthew 16:10 that are bound on
earth are those who have believed the Word and are saved. They have the promises of the omniscient and
omnipotent God, that in Heaven He will make good the promises that He gave on
earth. The same goes for those who
reject God's Word (John 3:36). Even
though many do not believe in Christ, the Word of God or Hell, it will not
alter God's faithfulness to His Word when He pronounces their end sentence in
Matthew 25:41...[6] "...Depart
from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his
angels."
Then they will realize that, not in all
the New Testament nor in Peter's two epistles, was there the vestige, either
claimed or exercised, of Peter forgiving anyone's sin. Who will you believe--man or God? Romans 3:4 makes it perfectly clear
concerning God's Word... "God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man
a liar..."
COMPARISON OF JOHN 20:23 TO OTHER SCRIPTURE
" Whose
soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye
retain, they are retained." -John 20:23
John 20:23 is the verse relied upon as
the strongest to support this position of the Lutherans and Roman
Catholics. This they claim is their
right and power given to them by God to forgive your sins.
To obtain the
correct teaching of Verse 23, as any Bible student knows, you must compare all
other Scriptures that pertain to the same subject or verse in question. When all Scriptures pertaining to the same
subject AGREE, then you have the correct teaching of that subject or
verse. If not, then you have a wrong
interpretation or application of the verse or subject in question. This would then lead to a false teaching perpetuated
upon the unsuspecting congregation.
Since all Scripture is given by "inspiration of God" (2nd
Timothy 3:16), there can be no error or contradiction in God's Word. This is why Peter declared in 2nd Peter 1:20
that... "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any
PRIVATE INTERPRETATION."
The Word
"prophesy" is the Greek "propheteia" and defined by Vine's
Expository Dictionary of Greek New Testament Words: "Signifies the
speaking forth of the mind and counsel of God.
Though much of the Old Testament prophecy was purely predictive, it is
the declaration of that which cannot be known by natural means. It is the FORTH-TELLING OF THE WILL OF GOD,
WHETHER WITH REFERENCE TO THE PAST, THE PRESENT, OR THE FUTURE." This does
not mean that one cannot understand the Scriptures for themselves. It does warn against anyone building a
doctrine on one, isolated, verse without comparing all other verses on the same
subject. This is why the Holy Spirit
inspired Paul in his second epistle to Timothy, verse 2:15, to emphasize the value
of studying the Word of God for yourself. "Study to shew thyself approved
unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, RIGHTLY DIVIDING the word
of truth."[7]
Rightly dividing
comes from the Greek Word "orthotom" and means "teaching
Scripture accurately." Our study
thus far has shown that only God, Who is Christ in human flesh, can forgive
sins. Now let us compare John 20:23 with
some other Scriptures concerning forgiveness of sins, and a preacher or priest
trying to place himself as mediator and intercessor between God and man.
A mediator is
one who goes between God and man. There
have been and still are myriads of men, either claiming they are the Christ, or
that they possess special powers above others in order to be man's
representative to God. Maybe you are one
who actually believes your minister or priest can forgive your sins; thereby
instilling in you the confidence that you are now ready for eternity. Let us examine the BIBLE and see if you have
been misled or if their claims are substantiated. Here is God's Word on the subject...
1st Timothy 2:5, "For there is one
God, and ONE MEDIATOR between God and men, the man CHRIST JESUS."
Romans 8:34, "Who is he that condemneth?
It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the
right hand of God, WHO ALSO MAKETH INTERCESSION FOR US.
John 14:6, "Jesus saith unto him, I am
the way, the truth, and the life: NO MAN COMETH UNTO THE FATHER, BUT BY
ME."
Hebrews 7:25, "Wherefore he is able also
to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him (Christ), seeing he
(Christ) ever liveth to MAKE INTERCESSION FOR THEM."
1st John 2:1, "My little children, these
things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an
ADVOCATE with the Father, JESUS CHRIST the righteous:
Isaiah 53:12, "...and he (Christ) bare
the sin of many, and made INTERCESSION FOR THE TRANSGRESSORS."
One would have to outright deny the Word
of God and call Jesus Christ a liar by not acknowledging that Christ, and He
alone, is the only One Who can forgive our sins. Isaiah 53:5,6 describes the lost condition of
man and what our Wonderful Saviour did for us.
No wonder He is a jealous God!
"But he (Christ) was wounded for
our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our
peace was upon him (Christ); and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have
turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him (Christ) THE
INIQUITY OF US ALL."[8]
The only One who can forgive sins is the
One Who paid for our sins and that is Jesus Christ. The only true and absolute peace a person can
posses concerning eternal life comes from Jesus Christ and His payment for sin. Paul makes this perfectly clear in Romans
5:1...
"Therefore being justified by
faith, we HAVE PEACE with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Scriptures are vouchsafed in plenty for
those who have a sincere desire to know the truth. Tradition has propagated upon humanity, the
most dastardly evil employed by some of the clergy to convince the unsuspecting
that they have the power of Jesus Christ to forgive your sins. The following Scriptures will unmask the veil
of error and illuminate the truth of God's Word:
Mark 2:10, "But that ye may know
that the Son of man (Christ) hath power on earth to forgive sins..."
Luke 5:20, "And when he (Christ) saw
their faith, he (Christ) said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.
Matthew 9:6, "But that ye may know that
the Son of man (Christ) hath power on earth to forgive sins..."
Ephesians 4:32, "And be ye kind one to
another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake
hath forgiven you."
Colossians 2:13, "And you, being
dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened
together with him (Christ), having forgiven you ALL TRESPASSES."
1st Corinthians 15:3, "For I delivered
unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our
sins according to the scriptures."
1st Peter 3:18, "For Christ also hath
once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he (Christ) might bring
us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit."
John 1:29, "The next day John seeth Jesus
coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin
of the world." (I don't see anything in this verse that indicates the
priest or minister is the one who takes away sin).
Romans 11:27, "For this is my covenant
unto them, when I (Christ) shall take away their sins."
Acts 13:38, "Be it known unto you
therefore, men and brethren, that through this man (Christ) is preached unto
you the forgiveness of sins."
This is what every Lutheran minister and
Catholic priest should be preaching; i.e., that through Jesus Christ, and Him
alone, is the forgiveness of sin. Our
question is, and should be yours also, why are they not directing their
parishioners to Christ instead of themselves?
I, personally, have asked hundreds of people belonging to these two
organizations to question their minister or priest, asking them why they cannot
go directly to Jesus Christ for forgiveness?
Most often their answer is, "I wouldn't dare do something like
that." My reply, "Why not, are
you scared to? You have a right to
question your pastor or priest on ANYTHING they teach."
Sad to say, the clergy of these
organizations have almost promoted themselves to the level of a god in the eyes
of their people, a practice so entrenched that it would be a "sin" to
question their authority! We find the
prophet, Jeremiah, experienced the same problem, so nothing has changed in over
2,500 years!
"The prophets prophesy falsely, and
the priests bear rule by their means; AND MY PEOPLE LOVE TO HAVE IT SO: and
what will ye do in the end thereof?" (Jeremiah 5:31)[9]
Acts 13:39, " And by him (Christ)
ALL THAT BELIEVE are justified (declared righteous) from all things, from which
ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." (Please note: By believing
in Jesus Christ, we are justified.)
Ephesians 1:7, " In whom we have
redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches
of his grace."
Remember--nowhere in the New Testament
can you find one case where any of the Apostles ever forgave anyone's sin. They always pointed their listeners to Jesus
Christ. If not one of the Apostles ever
made that claim, then those today claiming that power have placed themselves
above the Apostles, and equal with Jesus Christ Himself.
Luke 7:47,48,50
"Wherefore I (Christ) say unto
thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven..." (vs. 47)
In verse 48, Christ assures this woman
her sins have been forgiven:
"And he (Christ) said unto her, THY
SINS ARE FORGIVEN."
In verse 50 the Lord gives the reason
the woman's sins were forgiven. It is on
the same basis that our sins are forgiven, our FAITH IN HIM, and not in a
minister or priest. No priest or
minister ever died for your sins, but Christ did.
"And he (Christ) said to the woman,
Thy FAITH hath saved thee; go in peace."
The Lord Jesus Christ forgave sins while
He was on the earth, and is still the only One Who can forgive sins today. Every preacher and priest is a sinner
themselves, and needs forgiveness.
Notice God's indictment on mankind in Romans 3:23...
"For all have sinned, and come
short of the glory of God."
My Bible says "ALL have sinned";
and I cannot find where it says, "ALL, but preachers and
priests." "Coming short of the
glory of God" literally means falling short of being as righteous as God,
Himself. Therefore, Romans 3:24,25 tell
us how and why we have remission of sins...
"Being justified freely by his
grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth
to be a propitiation through faith in his (Christ's) blood, to declare his
righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance
of God."
Where do you find anything about a
minister or priest being able to remit your sins? Ask your minister or priest if they are
trusting Jesus Christ as the payment for their sin. The clergy go to Heaven the same way the
congregation does; that is through Christ and Him alone. If the answer is "Yes," then ask
them why you cannot go directly to Christ the same as they?[10]
The only One Who can forgive sin is the
One Who is sinless. 2nd Corinthians
declares that Christ was without sin...
"For he hath made him (Christ) to
be sin (i.e. the payment for sin) for us, WHO KNEW NO SIN; that we might be
made the righteousness of God in him." (2nd Corinthians 5:21)
Would any minister or priest dare to
claim they are sinless? Remember, only
the One Who is without sin can forgive those who are sinners, and that is
Christ Jesus. By making the claim they can
forgive sins, they are actually placing themselves on equality with Christ and
being sinless themselves. I personally,
have talked to many and all deny they are sinners, but become a little offended
that one should question their self-appointed authority. Even though they deny this, their
solicitation for sinners to come to them for forgiveness is an indictment
against themselves by their own
WORD
AND PRACTICE.
1st John 1:8-10, "If we say that we
have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." (vs. 8)
"If we confess our sins, he
(Christ) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from
all unrighteousness." (vs. 9)
"If we say that we have not sinned,
we make him a liar, and his (Christ's) word is not in us." (vs. 10)
The first chapter of 1st John is written
to Christians who sin AFTER they are saved.
John is addressing the Christian's service--not salvation. His fellowship with Him and not his
Son-ship. His power for Christ as a
witness--not his position with Christ in Heaven. Let us closely analyze what the preceding
verses actually say.
Who are we to confess sins to? Answer: Jesus Christ.
Who is faithful to forgive our sins? Answer: Jesus Christ.
Who is able to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness? Answer: Jesus Christ.
Should any Lutheran minister or priest even
hint that they, themselves, are without sin, God says they are SELF DECEIVED
(v.8), and make God a liar (v.10).
I
have been a pastor for 34 years and it is beyond my comprehension to even think
I could forgive someone's sins. What a
blessing it has been and still is to direct people to our Wonderful Saviour,
Who will forgive any and all sins. John
6:37 declares,
"...and him that cometh to me
(Christ) I will in no wise cast out."
There are multitudes of Scriptures in
addition to what we have already quoted.
Isaiah 43:25; 44:22; 53:5,6; Micah 7:18,19; Exodus 34:7; Daniel 9:17-19;
and Psalm 130:1-4, could have been quoted, as well as many, many others.
FAITHFUL
MINISTRY OF THE GOSPEL ACCOMPLISHES REMITTANCE OF SIN
What follows in
an examination of the verse most commonly used by Lutheran ministers and
Catholic priests to justify their "power" in claiming they can
forgive your sins. By this, they place
themselves as the mediator between you and God.
"Whose soever sins ye remit, they
are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are
retained." (John 20:23)
As we compare other verses with John
20:23, we can easily see the only way a Christian, clergy, or layman, can remit
sins is by presenting the WORD OF GOD.
The Word will judge those who reject it, as Christ stated in John 12:48.[11]..
"He that rejecteth me (Christ), and
receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the WORD that I have spoken,
the same (i.e., the Word) shall judge him in the last day."
Psalm 138:2 relates how important the
Word of God is:
"I will...worship toward thy holy
temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for THOU
HAST MAGNIFIED THY WORD ABOVE ALL THY NAME."
The reason the WORD is magnified above
His name is that we today would not know the surety of God or His name, if it
weren't for the WORD OF GOD.
When a Christian witnesses to a lost
person with the WORD of God, as recorded in John 3:16 and 36, that person then
has a choice to make. If they accept
Christ, they have everlasting life.
Should they reject Christ until death, they will then experience the
wrath of God in Hell, just as the Word of God has stated in John 3:36...
"He that believeth on the Son hath
everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the
wrath of God abideth on him."
When one believes God's WORD, their sins
are then remitted, not by the preacher or priest, but by the WORD OF GOD which
promises them eternal life. Should they
reject God's WORD, they will retain their sin.
Only by presenting God's Word as a faithful witness for Christ, do we
have a part in another person's salvation.
This is what Christ meant in John 20:23 when He told His disciples
that...
"Whose soever sins ye remit, they
are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are
retained."
The Greek Word for "remit" is
"aphiemi" and literally means "to send away." Vine's Expository Words in the Greek New
Testament explains the use of this verb as such.
"Scripture makes clear that the
Lord's Words could not have been intended to bestow the exercise of absolution
which the Scripture declares is the prerogative of God alone. There is no instance in the New Testament of
this act on the part of the Apostles.
The Words are to be understood in a "declarative" sense; the
statement has regard to the effects of their ministry of the gospel, with it's
two-fold effects of remission or retention."
SOME
CLOSING THOUGHTS FOR CONSIDERATION
Search the New
Testament through and you will not find where any of the Apostles ever claimed
the power or authority to forgive anyone's sins. The Apostles always directed the Lost to
Christ, and Him alone, as the One Who paid for sin and offers forgiveness to
all in return for their faith.
Fact: The minister or priest who asks you to
trust him as God's representative to forgive your sins has placed himself as
mediator between you and God. God's Word
in 1st Timothy 2:5 states, in no uncertain Words...
For there is one God, and ONE MEDIATOR
between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."
If you are one who is trusting the
Lutheran preacher or Catholic priest to forgive sins, instead of Jesus Christ,
you will spend eternity separated from God.
Christ encountered these same types of religious leaders in His day and
levied a stern rebuke against them.
Consider Matthew 23:13...[12]
" But woe unto you, scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye
neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go
in."
An analysis of this verse will show the
strength of Christ's Words against these RELIGIOUS LEADERS:
The Scribes. In New Testament times the Scribes were the
students, interpreters, and teachers of the Old Testament Scriptures, and were
held in high esteem by the people.
They were also called lawyers in Matthew
22:35. They were avowed opponents of
Christ, and were publickly denounced by Him for making the Word of God of none
effect through their tradition.
Pharisees. The name means "separated" and they
were called "separatists" because they had separated themselves from
the ambitious political party in their nation.
They were the exponents and guardians of the written and oral law, and,
in belief, were the "conservatives" in distinction from the
Sadducees. Their religious orthodoxy was
spiritually dead and barren. These were
the religious leaders--just as you have today!
Christ called the Scribes and
Pharisees "Hypocrites" because they were aware that what they were
teaching the people was not true. Christ
knew this and that is why He labeled them correctly. Your minister may appear to be very humble and
sincere on the surface, but when he tells you that he can forgive your sins,
his true character is then exposed.
Christ had this to say in Matthew 23:27...
"...for ye are like unto whited
sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, BUT are within full of dead
men's bones, and of all uncleanness."
If you believe the false teaching of
today's modern "scribes and pharisees," you will not enter the
Kingdom of Heaven. "...For ye shut
up the Kingdom of Heaven against men..." (Matthew 23:13)
These false teachers are not saved and will
not enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but Hell awaits their entry. "...For ye neither go in
yourselves..." (Matthew 23:13)
Who do these ministers and priests
confess their sins to? Do they forgive
themselves? Have you ever heard one of
these clergymen telling their congregation who they profess their sins to? If you support these churches with your
money, you surely have a right to know how the Lutheran ministers or Catholic
priests get their sins forgiven. Why not
ask them?
Have they presented themselves to you as being
without sin? I should hope not, but if
that is the case with some, then, according to 1st John 1:8, God would indict
them with "First Degree LYING."
" If we say that we have no sin, we
deceive ourselves (not others), and the truth is not in us."
In Luke 23:43,
it was Jesus Christ Who forgave the thief on the cross next to Him. He didn't call for the religious leaders or
the priest, did he? Only Christ could
assure this thief that his sins were forgiven and give him the absolute
assurance that "TODAY SHALT THOU BE WITH ME IN PARADISE." Who are you going to trust for your
salvation, the Lutheran minister, the Catholic priest, or JESUS CHRIST?
For the ministers and priests who
assume the power to forgive your sins by claiming Matthew 9:8...why do they not
claim and practice the power God gave the Apostles in Matthew 10:8?[13]
"Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers,
RAISE THE DEAD, cast out devils (demons): freely ye have received, freely
give."As Christ stated in Matthew 9:5...
"For whether is easier, to say, Thy
sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?"
If these Lutheran ministers and Catholic
priests can legitimately forgive your sins, let us see proof of their claim
such as: (a.) healing the sick, (b.) cleansing lepers, (c.) RAISING THE DEAD! Notice
the paradox. The Apostles had and exercised
the powers given them by Christ in Matthew 10:8; but, NEVER claimed to possess
the power to forgive anyone's sin. The
Lutheran and Catholic clergy claim the power to forgive your sins; yet, are
unable to exercise the power to heal the sick, raise the dead, etc. If they posses the power the Apostles had,
let us take them to the nearest hospital and let us witness the healing of
every person in that hospital. If they
fail, you have exposed a false teacher who pretends to be humble, pious, loving
God and etc. This would all be so
convincing until compared with the Word of God.
Again, may I submit, IT IS MUCH EASIER TO SAY TO SOMEONE, "I
forgive your sins" than to say "Arise and walk." Put them to the test and you will find their
claims and teaching to be fraudulent.
Whether in the secular or ecclesiastical
arena, men have always craved to have power over others. Christ indicted the religious leaders for
their pride. Here are Christ's Words in
Matthew 23:5,6,28...
"But all their works they do for to
be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of
their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in
the synagogues." (vs. 5,6)
"Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous
unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity."[14]
CONCLUSION
There is only
one Person Who can forgive your sin.
There is only one Person Who paid for your sin. There is only one Person Who is your
Mediator, and there is only one Person Who can give you eternal life. That Person is the LORD JESUS CHRIST. Whether you go to Heaven or Hell depends on who
you want to believe, the Lutheran preacher, the Catholic priest, or THE LORD
JESUS CHRIST.
"Jesus saith unto him (or you), I
am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by
me." (John 14:6)
"These things have I written unto you
that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have
eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." (1st
John 5:13)
Personally, if I was visiting a church
where the preacher got up and stated he would forgive my sins, I would get up
and walk out immediately. I would not
subject myself or my family to that type of brainwashing; but would find myself
a good, Bible-teaching church where Jesus was exalted--not the preacher!
Our prayer is that you will accept the Lord
Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour, and have the peace and assurance that
you have a home in Heaven when life is through.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1.
Beale,
G. K., and D. A. Carson. Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old
Testament
2.
Grand
Rapids, MI; Nottingham, UK: Baker Academic; Apollos, 2007.Casey, Maurice,
3.
The
Solution to the Son of Man Problem, New York, NY: T & T Clark
Int’l,2007.Doughty, Darrell. J., "The Authority of the Son of Man (Mk
2.1-3.6),"
4.
Zeitschrift
für die Neutestamentliche Wissenschaft und die Kunde der Älteren Kirche, vol.
74 (1983), pp.161-181.Goldingay, John,
5.
Word
Biblical Commentary:Daniel 30, Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1989.Guelich,
Robert, Word Biblical Commentary 34a: Mark, Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1989
6.
Historical
Jesus in Recent Research, Edited by James Dunn, Scot McKnight, Winona Lake,
IN:Eisenbrauns, 2005.James Edwards, “The Authority of Jesus in the Gospel of
Mark,”
7.
Journal
of the Evangelical Theological Socitey 37/2, (June 1994),.Lopez, Kathryn,
“Standing Before the Throne of God,”
8.
Constructions
of Space II: The Biblical City and Other Imagined Spaces, ed. John Berquist and
Claudia V. Camp, New York, NY:T & T Clark Int’l, 2008.Marcus, Joel, Mark
1-8,
9.
New
York, NY: Anchor Bible; DoubleDay, 1999.Martina E. Martin, in “It’s My
Prerogative: Jesus’ Authority to Grant Forgiveness and Healing onEarth,”
10.
Journal
of Religious Thought 59/60, 1/2 1:
67-74, 2006. Negev, Avraham..
11.
The
Archaeological Encyclopedia of the Holy Land
. 3rd ed. New York, NY:Prentice Hall Press, 1996.
12.
NIV
Archaeological Study Bible , ed. By Walter Kaiser Jr. Grand Rapids, MI:
Zondervan, 2007.
13.
Theological
Dictionary of the New Testament . Edited by Gerhard Kittel, Geoffrey W.
Bromileyand Gerhard Friedrich. electronic ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans,
1964-.
14.
Zondervan
Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke , edited by
ClintonArnold, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan 2002.16
[1]
Beale, G. K., and D. A. Carson. Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old
Testament
[2]
Grand Rapids, MI; Nottingham, UK: Baker Academic; Apollos, 2007.Casey, Maurice,
[3]
The Solution to the Son of Man Problem, New York, NY: T & T Clark
Int'l,2007.Doughty, Darrell. J., "The Authority of the Son of Man (Mk
2.1-3.6),"
[4]
Zeitschrift für die Neutestamentliche Wissenschaft und die Kunde der Älteren
Kirche, vol. 74 (1983), pp.161-181.Goldingay, John,
[5]
Word Biblical Commentary:Daniel 30, Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1989.Guelich,
Robert, Word Biblical Commentary 34a: Mark, Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1989
[6]
Historical Jesus in Recent Research, Edited by James Dunn, Scot McKnight,
Winona Lake, IN:Eisenbrauns, 2005.James Edwards, "The Authority of Jesus
in the Gospel of Mark,"
[7]
ournal of the Evangelical Theological Socitey 37/2, (June 1994), pp.
217-233.Lopez, Kathryn, "Standing Before the Throne of God,"
[8]
Constructions of Space II: The Biblical City and Other Imagined Spaces, ed.
John Berquist and Claudia V. Camp, New York, NY:T & T Clark Int'l,
2008.Marcus, Joel, Mark 1-8,
[9]
New York, NY: Anchor Bible; DoubleDay, 1999.Martina E. Martin, in "It's My
Prerogative: Jesus' Authority to Grant Forgiveness and Healing onEarth,"
[10]
Journal of Religious Thought 59/60, 1/2
1: 67-74, 2006. Negev, Avraham..
[11]
The Archaeological Encyclopedia of the Holy Land . 3rd ed. New York, NY:Prentice Hall Press,
1996.
[12]
NIV Archaeological Study Bible , ed. By Walter Kaiser Jr. Grand Rapids, MI:
Zondervan, 2007.
[13]
Theological Dictionary of the New Testament . Edited by Gerhard Kittel,
Geoffrey W. Bromileyand Gerhard Friedrich. electronic ed. Grand Rapids, MI:
Eerdmans, 1964-.
[14]
Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke ,
edited by ClintonArnold, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan 2002.16
