Absolution

[Randy Kluth]

This issue was raised in another forum, and I thought I would introduce it here FYI...

Confession is merely the expressed intention to change, which means nothing if change does not follow. Confession saves only if a person follows through with his confession of Christ and begins to live for him.

The authority to release from sin or to convict of sin was given to all Christians by God. We are not doing the actual binding or loosing--just giving a testimony that is so true that God will back us up. When we discern, by the Spirit of God, that someone is truly confessing his sin, and repenting, we can, with the authority of God, declare God's forgiveness. And God will back us up by forgiving that person, restoring him.

We do not ourselves have the power to forgive for eternal life, but only to forgive transgressions made against us ourselves.

 

[marks]

This issue was raised in another forum, and I thought I would introduce it here FYI...

Confession is merely the expressed intention to change, which means nothing if change does not follow. Confession saves only if a person follows through with his confession of Christ and begins to live for him.

The authority to release from sin or to convict of sin was given to all Christians by God. We are not doing the actual binding or loosing--just giving a testimony that is so true that God will back us up. When we discern, by the Spirit of God, that someone is truly confessing his sin, and repenting, we can, with the authority of God, declare God's forgiveness. And God will back us up by forgiving that person, restoring him.

We do not ourselves have the power to forgive for eternal life, but only to forgive transgressions made against us ourselves.

Do you have this passage in mind?

John 20:21-23 KJV
21) Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
22) And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
23) Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

Personally, I think that applied to the Apostles alone. But I also accept it's saying, that the Apostles were able to remit or retain sins of others. Jesus did this, and gave to the Apostles to do this, but I don't see it extending any further.

Much love!

 

[Randy Kluth]

Do you have this passage in mind?

John 20:21-23 KJV
21) Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
22) And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
23) Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

Personally, I think that applied to the Apostles alone. But I also accept it's saying, that the Apostles were able to remit or retain sins of others. Jesus did this, and gave to the Apostles to do this, but I don't see it extending any further.

Much love!

I was actually thinking of the binding and loosing passage, but yes--I would draw upon that passage, as well. I know there is some controversy surrounding the idea of confession, because it became a part of Catholic doctrine and tradition. So this just represents my thought on it--nothing critical. We can just take the truth as is, and go with it. I'm just not into sacerdotalism, or ritualistic redemption.

Matt 16.19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

 

[marks]

I was actually thinking of the binding and loosing passage, but yes--I would draw upon that passage, as well. I know there is some controversy surrounding the idea of confession, because it became a part of Catholic doctrine and tradition. So this just represents my thought on it--nothing critical. We can just take the truth as is, and go with it. I'm just not into sacerdotalism, or ritualistic redemption.

Matt 16.19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Check out Green's translation on that passage:

Matthew 16:19 LITV
And I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven. And whatever you bind on earth shall occur, having been bound in Heaven. And whatever you may loose on the earth shall be, having been loosed in Heaven.

He shows the verb tenses. The disciples were not given carte blanche for whatever they wanted. Jesus was telling them that their judgments on the Law would be in accord with what was already determined in heaven.

Binding and loosing were legal terms denoting either the application of a law (bound) or the release from a law (loosed).

Paul demonstrates this in Romans 7,

Romans 7:2 KJV
For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

Much love!

 

[Randy Kluth]

Check out Green's translation on that passage:

Matthew 16:19 LITV
And I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven. And whatever you bind on earth shall occur, having been bound in Heaven. And whatever you may loose on the earth shall be, having been loosed in Heaven.

He shows the verb tenses. The disciples were not given carte blanche for whatever they wanted. Jesus was telling them that their judgments on the Law would be in accord with what was already determined in heaven.

Binding and loosing were legal terms denoting either the application of a law (bound) or the release from a law (loosed).

Paul demonstrates this in Romans 7,

Romans 7:2 KJV
For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

Much love!

Yes, exactly the point I wished to make. We are offering truth that comes from God, and not from ourselves. And so, when we testify to the Gospel, God stands behind our testimony. It, after all, is *His Gospel!*

When we share the grace of God we can be sure that what we are proposing is true in heaven. It isn't just wishful thinking. Thank you.

I don't think all of us understand the power that we've been entrusted with when we were called to model Christ. Our words are loaded with power, even when they are not acknowledged as such. We are not just advocating for a theory, but for truth, which God backs up with signs and wonders, if He should choose to do so.