ABOUT FORGIVENESS OF SINS (6)

1. Introduction

a) Sin is disobedience to God's commandments, either by doing what is forbidden or failing to do what is required. (Mark 7:20-23, Galatians 5:19-26)

b) In the Bible, sin is a serious evil that disrupts our relationship with God. (Matthew 5:29-30, Mark 9:42-48, Romans 8:7-8, Romans 6:23)

2. Process of Forgiveness

i) Nearly all Christians agree that repentance and forgiveness of others are key elements of forgiveness, and that forgiveness comes from God. However, there are some doctrinal differences about the process of forgiveness.

a) Catholic Doctrine

i) Jesus had the power to forgive sins (Matthew 9:2, Luke 5:20). Jesus granted that authority also to His apostles (Matthew 16:18-19, Matthew 18:18, John 20:22-23). 

ii) In Catholic doctrine, that authority is now vested in the Church through the bishops as successors of the apostles. The Church exercises that authority to forgive sins, through its bishops and priests, in the sacrament of Reconciliation (also known as confession or the sacrament of Penance). 

iii) A sinner confesses his or her sins to the priest who assigns a penance (often some prayers to recite) and grants forgiveness and reconciliation with the Church "in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit." The sacrament of Reconciliation is practiced in Catholic and Orthodox churches, although some other Christian churches also have rites of individual confession.

b) Protestant Doctrine

i) Severe penances, such as fasts, pilgrimages and floggings, were often imposed in early Church history. In the Middle Ages, the Roman Church fell into the corrupt practice of selling "indulgences" to reduce the severity of such penances in exchange for monetary contributions to the Church. This was a major factor leading to the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. Protestants rejected the Roman Catholic Church's sacrament of Penance, its claims of apostolic succession, and its authority to mediate forgiveness of sins (1 Timothy 2:5). 

ii) Authority on doctrine was placed in "Scripture alone" rather than in the Church. For most Protestants, the Church is instrumental in bringing people to repentance, but forgiveness of sins comes directly from God.