Do we have to confess our sins to another person?

alexjb

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Do we have to confess our sins to another person? or is praying the prayer of forgiveness the same thing, because I read that you have to confess your sins to another in order to be healed I think?

its just that I do not know who to talk to, and its kinda embarrassing saying that you are sorry for masturbation?
 

chaoticfirefly

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If you're Catholic, there are Confessionals. I don't know if there's anything like that in other denominations.

Your sins are between you and God, and that's it. You pray for forgiveness, as long as you are truly repentant.
 
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alexjb

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If you're Catholic, there are Confessionals. I don't know if there's anything like that in other denominations.

Your sins are between you and God, and that's it. You pray for forgiveness, as long as you are truly repentant.

thanks :) I'm not sure if I'm Catholic or not, but if it says this in the bible I suppose we all have to confess our sins?
 
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Bella Vita

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No God is the only one who needs to be talked to for forgiveness. But talking to another person is good for accountability and growing one another in your walks. It has to be someone you trust and someone who is spiritually mature. Scripture is clear that we are called to walk our Christian journeys together sharing in one another's burdens and praying together and for one another.

For growth yes for forgiveness no...
 
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Ark100

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NO you dont have to.
Whatever it is you need forgiveness from is between you and your Heavenly Father. No one else GETS to forgive sins except GOD ALONE.
NO ONE. Not earthly fathers, not priests, not ministers, no one but GOD.
If you heart is heavy and you feel like sharing your feelings with another, by all means do so but no one else has power to forgive sins except God.
 
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alexjb

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thank you everyone, it just feels that whatever I try and do that God does not seem to want to talk to me or show me any signs that I really need to know about something, and that I wonder that maybe I need to confess my sins to people? I have not really done anything that I need to confess apart from masturbation, but thats embarrassing to tell someone about?
 
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Knee V

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James, in his epistle, tells us to confess to one another. At the end of the Gospel of John we read how Christ granted the Apostles to participate with Him in His ministry of reconcolliation: "Whosever sins you forgive are forgiven, and whosever sins you retain are retained." Through the laying on of hands the Apostolic ministry was passed on to the next generation of leaders, the bishops/presbyters, who share in that same ministry of reconcilliation.

So to answer the question, yes. That, or there is a lot of Scripture to reject.
 
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Knee V

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thank you everyone, it just feels that whatever I try and do that God does not seem to want to talk to me or show me any signs that I really need to know about something, and that I wonder that maybe I need to confess my sins to people? I have not really done anything that I need to confess apart from masturbation, but thats embarrassing to tell someone about?

There are many "embarrassing" things that I confess, the one you mentioned being one of them. But at the end it is always like a weight being taken off my shoulders. Also, there are many sins in my life that I never began to overcome until I started bringing them to confession. It's good stuff.
 
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Ark100

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thank you everyone, it just feels that whatever I try and do that God does not seem to want to talk to me or show me any signs that I really need to know about something, and that I wonder that maybe I need to confess my sins to people? I have not really done anything that I need to confess apart from masturbation, but thats embarrassing to tell someone about?

You have already confessed it here so why do you have to beat yourself about it. Confessing your sins to people has nothing to do with whether God will do something or not. Don't put God in a box
And if you are daily confessing masturbation sins to Jesus, would you rather not ask Him to help you stop it?
There is confession of sins and there is repentance as well. your willingness to repent from sins is what gets God to move and help rid you of that stronghold which that sin has on you.
When you confess to the Lord, repent and ask for help from the Holy Spirit.
You seem to worry a lot and remember worry is something Jesus said not to do.
Many things are racing through your mind and the enemy is also using that platform to fill your mind and thoughts with whatever he can use to get you down.
Stand strong. Say no to condemnation, they are not from God. even when you sin, and you start to feel condemned, say NO. Quote the verse where it says "There is no condemnation for me because I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus"
God has got you. He is with you, but you have too many worries and concerns that you just cant feel Him. God is quiet, and you enter in His presence when everything is calm around you.
God knows everything you are going threough, and He is with you. Remain strong...pray, praise Him, worshp Him. Adore Him, even when things are going wrong.
REMEMBER Its when you praise and love on God so much EVEN IN the midst of your troubles, He will show up.
The biggest issu/problem you have is nothing to God. He can solve all your problems for you. Just trust Him, believe in Him, dont judge God's love by what you see, hear feel or are going through. Know He truly cares.
Join a church if you have none. Constantly commune with God
 
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BFine

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God calls for us to repent of our sins to Him and we
are to be honest and forthcoming with the
folks regarding our failings when our mistakes/sins
involve them.

Whether the offended party forgives you or not
is on them, it doesn't stall or take away the forgiveness
one gets when they have sincerely repented to God of
their offense(s).

Confessing to the injured party is done in order to
restore positive relationship / bring about harmony.
An example of this would be when Joseph's brothers
sent their confession to him via a messenger.
 
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LoricaLady

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I would be reeeealy careful, too, about to whom I confessed sins. Nothing in the Bible says we have to confess to others in order to be healed. Really, there are no conditions put on it at all, that I remember. If we have sinned against another, especially if they know it (!), we certainly should confess and apologize, generally.

If you are thinking that the way to get healing from imperfections, i.e. sin, is to confess, no. Some translations inaccurately say, "If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

But the accurate translation (makes common sense, thinks moi) is "If we turn away from our sins..." That's the way to be forgiven. Of course we can't do that without Messiah. Praying you will turn it all over to Him. There's Someone it is always safe to confess to!
 
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alexjb

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thank you all for your answers :) Sorry I have no clue what denomination I am, all I know is that I was Christened when I was a baby and I believe in the bible and Jesus and God, I have never been taken to church by anyone apart from when I was in primary school so i'm not really sure what denomination I am, but does it really matter anyway?
 
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thank you all for your answers :) Sorry I have no clue what denomination I am, all I know is that I was Christened when I was a baby and I believe in the bible and Jesus and God, I have never been taken to church by anyone apart from when I was in primary school so i'm not really sure what denomination I am, but does it really matter anyway?

No denomination does not matter, but it can help to shape what you believe.
 
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The Fire Rises

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A lot of denominations (even Protestant/Catholic) have a lot more in common than they often realize, I've discovered through reading/research that they're not stark polar opposites that they are sometimes portrayed to be. I honestly don't think the differences that DO exist are completely insurmountable either, but that's a different subject.

As per your question, if you're asking if you HAVE to verbally confess your sins to another person in order to be forgiven and avoid Hell, I would say no. It is very GOOD to do so, and like others have said, it can be very liberating and also motivating. I think it adds a sense of accountability that we may not have otherwise. But what about Christians who sin, and die before they are able to confess those sins to someone? Does that mean that all those years of trusting Christ and walking the narrow path are forfeit and he/she is doomed to eternal torment? I hardly think so. It's about who you put your trust in to atone you of your sins, and there is only ONE who can do that. But that was a really simplified explanation, there are other dimensions to this issue, I would recommend reading up on it and maybe talking to a priest/pastor about it, someone you trust.
 
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Albion

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You don't have to confess to any human--but you can if you wish. As you say, using just an ordinary counselor might not be such a good idea, but any priest of the CofE or one of the Protestant churches will be willing to help, and they're qualified.
 
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aiki

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James 5:16
16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

This verse is stated in the declarative. That is, it isn't given in the form of a suggestion, but a command. This verse makes me think of another:

Proverbs 28:13
13 He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.

I am not suggesting for one moment that the Catholic confessional is appropriate. Not at all. But there is a place for being open and honest about your sin with another brother or sister in the Lord who will pray for you. As the apostle James states, such prayer "avails much."

Selah.
 
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