Hi I am Catholic, but I would prefer to call myself Christian as there are some things I do not agree with the Catholic church. I am wondering what is the best way to ask the lord for forgiveness and to cleanse us from sin. I have been to confession although I have not read anything about this in the bible. Do I need to go to see a priest for forgiveness or do I go straight to our father?
Confession
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S
You need a mentor. Someone who you can be completely transparent with. A person to hold you accountable and to help you identify things you may not be able to see. This person should be of the same sex as you and further along in their Christian walk than you as well as have sound biblical knowledge and will advise you from a biblical perspective. I have a couple of mentors. Each one I lean on for certain things. It's important to have a Godly person (a board of directors if you will) who you go to for big decisions and or...if and when the "wheels come off". However, Jesus is your high priest and only he can forgive your sins.
No man is needed, actually putting any one beside the Messiah between you and the Creator is error.
1 Timothy 2:5, "For One is Yahweh; and One Mediator between Yahweh and men: the Man, Yahshua Messiah."
1 Timothy 2:5, "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."
I personally humble myself get down and openly tell the Creator through the intercessor Messiah, what I have done and ask forgiveness for it, and strength not to continue to give in to it.
1 Yahchanan (John) 1:8-9, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
1 Timothy 2:5, "For One is Yahweh; and One Mediator between Yahweh and men: the Man, Yahshua Messiah."
1 Timothy 2:5, "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."
I personally humble myself get down and openly tell the Creator through the intercessor Messiah, what I have done and ask forgiveness for it, and strength not to continue to give in to it.
1 Yahchanan (John) 1:8-9, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
S
You can and need to go straight to our Father. No priest is needed. You can also confess to someone you trust, or another Christian like James 5:16 advises us "Therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed".
When you confess and REPENT and ask for forgiveness, God forgives you (if you have faith that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and was raised from the dead) but then...you need to forgive yourself !! Which isn't always easy! Keep in mind that once forgiven, it's like saying to God His forgiveness isn't enough if you can't move on. But He can help you as you ask for healing and comfort through prayer !!
When you confess and REPENT and ask for forgiveness, God forgives you (if you have faith that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and was raised from the dead) but then...you need to forgive yourself !! Which isn't always easy! Keep in mind that once forgiven, it's like saying to God His forgiveness isn't enough if you can't move on. But He can help you as you ask for healing and comfort through prayer !!
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The sacrament of confession is clearly in the bible, and clearly in the earliest Christian writings - those of your Catholic Church, naturally. Continue going to confession at your parish, Ella, and then of course receiving our Lord in the Eucharist.
After his resurrection, Jesus passed on his mission to forgive sins to his ministers (the apostles), telling them, "As the Father has sent me, even so I send you. . . . Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained" (John 20:21–23).
"Confess your sins in church, and do not go up to your prayer with an evil conscience. This is the way of life. . . . On the Lord’s Day gather together, break bread, and give thanks (Eucharist), after confessing your transgressions so that your sacrifice may be pure"
(Didache 4:14, 14:1 [A.D. 70]).
"For as many as are of God and of Jesus Christ are also with the bishop. And as many as shall, in the exercise of penance, return into the unity of the Church, these, too, shall belong to God, that they may live according to Jesus Christ"
"For where there is division and wrath, God does not dwell. To all them that repent, the Lord grants forgiveness, if they turn in penitence to the unity of God, and to communion with the bishop"
- Ignatius of Antioch
(Letter to the Philadelphians 3 [A.D. 110]).
After his resurrection, Jesus passed on his mission to forgive sins to his ministers (the apostles), telling them, "As the Father has sent me, even so I send you. . . . Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained" (John 20:21–23).
"Confess your sins in church, and do not go up to your prayer with an evil conscience. This is the way of life. . . . On the Lord’s Day gather together, break bread, and give thanks (Eucharist), after confessing your transgressions so that your sacrifice may be pure"
(Didache 4:14, 14:1 [A.D. 70]).
"For as many as are of God and of Jesus Christ are also with the bishop. And as many as shall, in the exercise of penance, return into the unity of the Church, these, too, shall belong to God, that they may live according to Jesus Christ"
"For where there is division and wrath, God does not dwell. To all them that repent, the Lord grants forgiveness, if they turn in penitence to the unity of God, and to communion with the bishop"
- Ignatius of Antioch
(Letter to the Philadelphians 3 [A.D. 110]).
R
Hello Ella85. I am so happy for you at your time of repentance. You do not need to go to a priest, you just need to Find a quiet time to yourself. away from distraction. And pray to God in prayer. Before you pray, take a deep breath, try calm yourself. and Get into the spirit or prayer. if you don't know how to pray, You could start your prayer like this:
Dear heavenly father. I come to you through the loving name of Jesus Christ. I thank you for saving me, I thank you for your love. I thank you for all what you do to me and for me. I lift this prayer to you father, and ask for your forgiveness, for the things I said, done and thought wrong. I want to change my life from sin. and walk in righteousness with you. I ask for wisdom, and lead me to do what is right by your will. I am sorry father for my sins. and ask for you to work in me.
Heavenly father, I ask that you come into my heart. I believe that you sent your son Jesus to die for me. As I lift my hands to you. I invite you to come, and minister to me. I thank you Father. I Jesus mighty name. Amen.
Believe in your prayer Ella. Thank him before he answers you. that way you are showing that you have faith.
God bless.
Dear heavenly father. I come to you through the loving name of Jesus Christ. I thank you for saving me, I thank you for your love. I thank you for all what you do to me and for me. I lift this prayer to you father, and ask for your forgiveness, for the things I said, done and thought wrong. I want to change my life from sin. and walk in righteousness with you. I ask for wisdom, and lead me to do what is right by your will. I am sorry father for my sins. and ask for you to work in me.
Heavenly father, I ask that you come into my heart. I believe that you sent your son Jesus to die for me. As I lift my hands to you. I invite you to come, and minister to me. I thank you Father. I Jesus mighty name. Amen.
Believe in your prayer Ella. Thank him before he answers you. that way you are showing that you have faith.
God bless.
Brother Jesus love you and want to hear from you directly. Why He need other to speak for you.
You are precious in His eyes. Even the thief, people consider the thief as low class citizen. But when he talk and make petition to the Lord, directly, The Lord grand his petition.
The thief confess his sin and the thief honestly said that he deserve punishment for what he did. And the thief also confess that Jesus doesn't deserve this punishment, Than the thief ask if Jesus remember him in His kingdom,
He make petition directly to Jesus without mediator. And Jesus grant it on the spot.
Do you believe in the bible more then the man made doctrine brother?
The bible give us example how a person make petition directly to the Lord and the Lord did not say, wait a minute, you have to direct you petition to the priest then he will bring it to Me.
Jesus did not look down a thief, He love the thief as long as he confess their sin and interested in repent.
[SUP]39[/SUP] And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
[SUP]40[/SUP] But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
[SUP]41[/SUP] And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
[SUP]42[/SUP] And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
[SUP]43[/SUP] And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
You are precious in His eyes. Even the thief, people consider the thief as low class citizen. But when he talk and make petition to the Lord, directly, The Lord grand his petition.
The thief confess his sin and the thief honestly said that he deserve punishment for what he did. And the thief also confess that Jesus doesn't deserve this punishment, Than the thief ask if Jesus remember him in His kingdom,
He make petition directly to Jesus without mediator. And Jesus grant it on the spot.
Do you believe in the bible more then the man made doctrine brother?
The bible give us example how a person make petition directly to the Lord and the Lord did not say, wait a minute, you have to direct you petition to the priest then he will bring it to Me.
Jesus did not look down a thief, He love the thief as long as he confess their sin and interested in repent.
[SUP]39[/SUP] And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
[SUP]40[/SUP] But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
[SUP]41[/SUP] And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
[SUP]42[/SUP] And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
[SUP]43[/SUP] And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
These answers have helped out a lot. I have been trying to study the. Bible more and want hard facts. I am after the truth rather than following traditions and believing in false teachings. I'm after something more in life, which is why I think it's important to start with prayer and forgiveness in sin (the right way )
YW. Hebrews chapters 9 and 10 would also be helpful, I think. For example, about the dead of the Lord Jesus at the Cross it says: 'Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many'. 'By one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified'. Reading the chapters would help a lot with the context.
The Father only Forgives sins, in Jesus Christ. The passage that talk about confess your faults one to another - is that there is power in confession, repentance and the fellowship of the saints to remind you of Jesus Christ, and what he as done for you.
Is there a good bible preaching church in your area? you can also listen to podcasts to supplement - I suggest Harvest bible chapel - James Macdonald
Nice to see the Holy Spirit stirring your soul away from formalism
Is there a good bible preaching church in your area? you can also listen to podcasts to supplement - I suggest Harvest bible chapel - James Macdonald
Nice to see the Holy Spirit stirring your soul away from formalism
L
"For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the manChrist Jesus," 1 Tim. 2:5
This clearly says that we do not need to go to a priest to confess our sins. Jesus is the mediator, not saints, Mary or priests. This is the Bible, not the traditions of men or priests. For that matter, there are no priests in the New Testament, except for ALL of us!
"and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."
"and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
and they shall reign on the earth.” Rev. 5:10
In the Old Testament, a priest was needed to go into the Holy of Holies, and offer up a sacrifice for the sin of the people. Anyone but the high priest would be struck dead, if they did this. In fact, if the sacrifice was not good enough, the high priest could be struck dead!
But Jesus changed that order, with his death and resurrection!!
"But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) [SUP]12 [/SUP]he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. [SUP]13 [/SUP]For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, [SUP]14 [/SUP]how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God." Hebrews 9:11-14
So Christ is now our high priest, after the order of Melchizedek, and we do NOT need anyone but Jesus to confess our sins to. Although James talks about confessing our sins one to another, that means we confess the sins we have committed towards a person to that person, and ask forgiveness.
The Catholic Church has Christology correct! Jesus is the glorified Lord Lord of Lords and Kings of Kings. But most of the rest of the things about the church, including how you are saved are NOT Biblical.
You are wise to be seeking out the Bible to find out the truth about how we are to live and serve Christ. No church has the complete truth, and the Catholic church is certainly unbiblical in many things.
This clearly says that we do not need to go to a priest to confess our sins. Jesus is the mediator, not saints, Mary or priests. This is the Bible, not the traditions of men or priests. For that matter, there are no priests in the New Testament, except for ALL of us!
"and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."
"and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
and they shall reign on the earth.” Rev. 5:10
In the Old Testament, a priest was needed to go into the Holy of Holies, and offer up a sacrifice for the sin of the people. Anyone but the high priest would be struck dead, if they did this. In fact, if the sacrifice was not good enough, the high priest could be struck dead!
But Jesus changed that order, with his death and resurrection!!
"But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) [SUP]12 [/SUP]he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. [SUP]13 [/SUP]For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, [SUP]14 [/SUP]how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God." Hebrews 9:11-14
So Christ is now our high priest, after the order of Melchizedek, and we do NOT need anyone but Jesus to confess our sins to. Although James talks about confessing our sins one to another, that means we confess the sins we have committed towards a person to that person, and ask forgiveness.
The Catholic Church has Christology correct! Jesus is the glorified Lord Lord of Lords and Kings of Kings. But most of the rest of the things about the church, including how you are saved are NOT Biblical.
You are wise to be seeking out the Bible to find out the truth about how we are to live and serve Christ. No church has the complete truth, and the Catholic church is certainly unbiblical in many things.