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James 5:16 - What does confess your sins to one another mean?

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ChubbyCherub

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Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Personally, I'm a very open book and have no fear of judgment because I know that we are all sinners and I do not judge others for their sin but try to instruct them in the ways of Christ.

That being said, I am reading that many are embarrassed or ashamed so this once popular action is not very popular, anymore?

I'm not sure it was ever popular in Protestant churches but I haven't lived since the beginning of when they were formed so am not an authority on this point.

Furthermore, is this why Catholics confess to priests?

Thanks, as always, for helping me! I know I always have lots of questions but you all are very good to me with your assistance.

God bless.
 

Delvianna

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I think it's meant to be on a personal basis just to help with one another. Like, if I were to tell you I was struggling with alchohol. The point is to give me guidance that might help me overcome this sin and not like it's going to absolve me of the sin itself. I think some people believe that it does (catholics for instance), but the context tells me it's just supposed to be a helpful thing and nothing more. Specially because of the last verse:
remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
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ChubbyCherub said:
That being said, I am reading that many are embarrassed or ashamed so this once popular action is not very popular, anymore?
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I think it is, it's just mostly used within intimate circles. Friends or people that you know, instead of like just a random stranger. Might be why it isn't so apparent. Just a guess though.


And yes, this verse among a few others is what Catholics use as to why they confess to a priest.
 
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eleos1954

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If a sin has directly harmed another person, you should confess it to them and ask for forgiveness.

Catholics believe a priest can forgive sins ...

they hold that the priest acts as an intermediary for God, not as an independent authority. This belief is rooted in the authority that Catholics believe Jesus gave to the apostles and their successors to forgive sins in his name. Through the sacrament of Penance or Confession, priests declare the forgiveness of sins, which Catholics believe is God's forgiveness flowing through them.

Bible teaches we can go directly to Jesus.
 
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timf

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James was writing to the faithful remnant of Israel waiting to see if the nation of Israel would finally accept Jesus as king and receive the earthly kingdom. The verses around 16 deal with how they should conduct themselves while they were waiting. The word translated "confess" is not the same word in 1 John 1:9. Instead it carries more of the idea of acknowledgement. The word for faults carries with it the idea of a lapse of uprightness.

The idea I get fro the verse is that those awaiting the kingdom should be transparent, honest, and humble with each other to avoid contention and maintain good will.
 
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concretecamper

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ChubbyCherub said:
Furthermore, is this why Catholics confess to priests?
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Sort of. The Priest stands in as a representative of the faithful so James 5:16 is fulfilled.

Also, at Mass the following prayer is recited by all, which also fulfills James 5:16

I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do; through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
 
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