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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Retain or forgive sins? | John 20:22 | Tamara Brewington | 204515 | ||
John 20:21-23 What are these verses talking about? Does this mean that the apostles were being given the power by the Holy Spirit to retain or forgive sins like the Catholic priests believe? And if not what does it mean that they were to retain or forgive sins? And how does this gell with the fact that a person can ask Jesus for forgiveness of any sin except the greatest sin? A bunch of questions I know but these verses kinda shook me... God Bless hat lady |
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2 | Retain or forgive sins? | John 20:22 | Val | 204526 | ||
It just means that after the gospel is preached by them - the apostles; the choice is up to the person. If they do not believe they will die in their sins. If they believe and unite that hearing the word with faith they are forgiven and receive eternal life. I don't know anything about Catholics. Usually people who do not believe in the Lord do not ask for forgiveness so that would be a non issue. Just my thoughts, Blessings Val | ||||||
3 | Retain or forgive sins? | John 20:22 | Tamara Brewington | 204552 | ||
Dear Val, I am trying to see your point here... That the if a person believes and unites with Christ in hearing the word and are forgiven, having recieved the Holy Spirit the apostles perhaps agree with them in Christ? And that if a person does not receive the word then the apostles retain their sins because they have rejected Christ? This rather makes a lot of sense to me... I had in mind perhaps if someone went and said Jesus did His works by the power of the devil don't forgive them. Here is what was niggling around in my brain; we know that only Jesus has the power to forgive sins. So how is that He breathes the Holy Spirit on them and gives them the power to forgive or retain the sins of any? He did do it, but then that means He gave them power He has given to no one since. Catholics believe that the laying on of hands confers the power and the authority of the apostles, starting with Peter, upon whom I will build My church, and that these powers include the forgiveness or retaining of sins. And this is why they confess to the priests and not to Jesus. I believe the apostles may actually have been given the authority to decide as you point out if someone is saved and forgiven, or that Jesus actually gave them the power under His authority to forgive or retains sins, but only to them and not to any successors. I don't know what you think about this and realize that I should be doing some foot work on this in terms of demonstrating that the Bible states that only Jesus has the power to forgive sins. But why would Jesus give them the power to do something only He could do? It is not really necessary for anyone to see if anyone forgives them other than Jesus. But the fact remains Jesus told them to go do something very specific. God Bless, Tamara |
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4 | Retain or forgive sins? | John 20:22 | stjohn | 204556 | ||
Dear Tamara: You wrote pertaining to the power to forgive sin: "He did do it, but then that means He gave them power He has given to no one since." He certainly did not do it. Here is something that I hope clears that up. We need to be very careful with the exposition of that verse! "Ver. 23. Whose soever sins ye remit,.... God only can forgive sins, and Christ being God, has a power to do so likewise; but he never communicated any such power to his apostles; nor did they ever assume any such power to themselves, or pretend to exercise it; it is the mark of antichrist, to attempt anything of the kind; who, in so doing, usurps the divine prerogative, places himself in his seat, and shows himself as if he was God: but this is to be understood only in a doctrinal, or ministerial way, by preaching the full and free remission of sins, through the blood of Christ, according to the riches of God's grace, to such as repent of their sins, and believe in Christ; declaring, that all such persons as do so repent and believe, all their sins are forgiven for Christ's sake:" John Gill http://www.freegrace.net/gill/ God bless John |
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