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NASB | John 20:22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them and *said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 20:22 And when He said this, He breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. [Acts 1:8; 2:1-3] |
Subject: Retain or forgive sins? |
Bible Note: 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 |