Bible Question: should we go to confession and confess our sins to a priest or should we go directly to God? |
Bible Answer: When it comes to confession, believers are told in 1 John 1:9 to confess their sins (to God in the context of the passage) and that God is faithful and just to forgive our sins as we do so. James 5:16 speaks of confessing our trespasses “to one another” in particular instances, but this is not the same as doing it to a priest as the Roman Catholic Church teaches. Priests / pastors / church leaders are nowhere mentioned in the context of James 5:16. The Roman Catholic Church bases their practice of confession to a priest on Catholic tradition - and point to the Bible passage in which Jesus tells his disciples (and His church) that whatever they shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatever they shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven (Matthew 16:19; 18:18). However, confession of sin is nowhere mentioned in that passage. Again, the concept of confession of sin to a priest is nowhere taught in Scripture. © Copyright 2002-2006 Got Questions Ministries. |