To Whom Do We Confess Our Sins?

[catlover]

Is it sufficient to say your sins aloud to God by oneself,or does one need to confess to a fellow Christian, or a priest?

Secondly, this may sound awful, but I am sure I have comited sins I have forgotten, if I don't mention the sin specifically am I forgiven?

 

[edie19]

Is it sufficient to say your sins aloud to God by oneself,or does one need to confess to a fellow Christian, or a priest?

Secondly, this may sound awful, but I am sure I have comited sins I have forgotten, if I don't mention the sin specifically am I forgiven?

#1 it is sufficient to confess our sins to God - we don't need anyone else to hear them.

#2 Since we can sin w/o realizing that we do so, no we don't need to confess our sins individually. (Romans 8:26-27)

 

[catlover]

#1 it is sufficient to confess our sins to God - we don't need anyone else to hear them.

#2 Since we can sin w/o realizing that we do so, no we don't need to confess our sins individually. (Romans 8:26-27)

Thank-you!

 

[Peaceful Dove]

I am positive that for a great number of Christians, it is perfectly fine to go directly to God, all by ones self to confess.

For others of us, we choose to obey the authority the Lord has put over us, namely our Church authority and go to God with a Priest.

I believe Christians are always to obey the authority the Lord has put there, I think this is scriptural, too.

What may be good for one is not necessarily good for another.

 

[Optimax]

Is it sufficient to say your sins aloud to God by oneself,or does one need to confess to a fellow Christian, or a priest?

Secondly, this may sound awful, but I am sure I have comited sins I have forgotten, if I don't mention the sin specifically am I forgiven?

Confess your sin to God according to this verse.
1 Jn 1:9
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
KJV

He is such a good God that when you confess the ones you know about, He takes the next step and cleanses you from all.

So we always run to God not from Him when we sin and confess what we know we did, and He forgives us of all that we did and totally cleanses us.

Remember that when we confessed it was not when God found out about it, He knew It when we did it.
When we confessed it is when we got rid of it.
That great isn't it!

 

[Splayd]

Whenever we sin, we sin against God. He's the one we need to confess to and ultimately He's the only one who can forgive us of that. A private confession between you and your creator is sufficient.

With that understood - when our sins affect others, it's only right that we confess to them and seek their forgiveness too. True repentance is not just a simple confession of one's sin. It includes the heartfelt endeavour to rectify the situation and a determination not to commit it again.

As to general confessions to fellow christians or priests - James reccommends that we confess our faults to one another. This can and should include areas of sin that we struggle with. We can join together to help each other through those struggles, offering guidance, advice and prayer. Sometimes we don't recognise the magnitude of our sin until it's been confessed before another. We tend to dismiss or diminish things we do at times, but simply sharing it with someone else can really open our eyes to the folly of it all. I heartily encourage confessing sin to another Christian.

Bear in mind that while we can personally forgive each other the sins done to us and while we can help each other deal with sin, only God can utlimately and completely forgive you of any sin. Sin should always be confessed to Him.

As to sins we have forgotten - I believe God has too. I wouldn't stress about them too much. I can guarentee you that none of us will confess to God every single sin we commit. We are constantly missing the mark and that's what sin means. We sin not just by the things we do, but by the things we don't do. Understanding that God will forgive us even of those things is not to make light of them. We should readily confess of any sin that comes to mind, when and as it does. We are to strive to overcome the sin and that's not going to happen if we don't learn to recognise and repent of our sin, but God isn't sitting in heaven with a running tally thinking "Hmmm... Sally still hasn't confessed of that sin she did 3 years ago. That might be the one thing that keeps her out."

 

[Peaceful Dove]

Whenever we sin, we sin against God. He's the one we need to confess to and ultimately He's the only one who can forgive us of that. A private confession between you and your creator is sufficient.

With that understood - when our sins affect others, it's only right that we confess to them and seek their forgiveness too. True repentance is not just a simple confession of one's sin. It includes the heartfelt endeavour to rectify the situation and a determination not to commit it again.

As to general confessions to fellow christians or priests - James reccommends that we confess our faults to one another. This can and should include areas of sin that we struggle with. We can join together to help each other through those struggles, offering guidance, advice and prayer. Sometimes we don't recognise the magnitude of our sin until it's been confessed before another. We tend to dismiss or diminish things we do at times, but simply sharing it with someone else can really open our eyes to the folly of it all. I heartily encourage confessing sin to another Christian.

Bear in mind that while we can personally forgive each other the sins done to us and while we can help each other deal with sin, only God can utlimately and completely forgive you of any sin. Sin should always be confessed to Him.

As to sins we have forgotten - I believe God has too. I wouldn't stress about them too much. I can guarentee you that none of us will confess to God every single sin we commit. We are constantly missing the mark and that's what sin means. We sin not just by the things we do, but by the things we don't do. Understanding that God will forgive us even of those things is not to make light of them. We should readily confess of any sin that comes to mind, when and as it does. We are to strive to overcome the sin and that's not going to happen if we don't learn to recognise and repent of our sin, but God isn't sitting in heaven with a running tally thinking "Hmmm... Sally still hasn't confessed of that sin she did 3 years ago. That might be the one thing that keeps her out."

Whenever we sin, we sin against God but we also sin against the Body of Christ the Church. "When one member suffers, we all suffer".

When a Priest goes with us to God, to bring to mind our sins, repent and confess, he not only is there representing the Lord but also representing the Church.

You must remember, for a Catholic this is a Sacrament, much like Baptism, Confirmation, Marriage, Eucharist, Holy Orders and the Prayers for the Sick. In each and everyone, God is pouring out the Grace, the Priest is either a tool or in the case of Marriage, a witness.

 

[Splayd]

Whenever we sin, we sin against God but we also sin against the Body of Christ the Church. "When one member suffers, we all suffer".

When a Priest goes with us to God, to bring to mind our sins, repent and confess, he not only is there representing the Lord but also representing the Church.

You must remember, for a Catholic this is a Sacrament, much like Baptism, Confirmation, Marriage, Eucharist, Holy Orders and the Prayers for the Sick. In each and everyone, God is pouring out the Grace, the Priest is either a tool or in the case of Marriage, a witness.

Did you read my whole post?
In the next paragraph I said "when our sins affect others, it's only right that we confess to them" and then in the paragraph after that I said that we can join together (I specifically included priests here) to support each other in prayer.
I'm not sure what you're trying to correct me on here. I actually teach the Sacraments to Catholic students and understand Reconcilliation. It's not necessary that a Priest always be involved. More importantly I think it's important to note that while a Priest can forgive you for sinning against them or the body, the ultimate forgiveness from God does not come from them. Rather they partition God with you.

 

[£amb]

#1 it is sufficient to confess our sins to God - we don't need anyone else to hear them.

#2 Since we can sin w/o realizing that we do so, no we don't need to confess our sins individually. (Romans 8:26-27)

This I agree with also.


Splayd, I understand what you're saying because in James 5:16 it tells us "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

 

[Peaceful Dove]

Did you read my whole post?
In the next paragraph I said "when our sins affect others, it's only right that we confess to them" and then in the paragraph after that I said that we can join together (I specifically included priests here) to support each other in prayer.
I'm not sure what you're trying to correct me on here. I actually teach the Sacraments to Catholic students and understand Reconcilliation. It's not necessary that a Priest always be involved. More importantly I think it's important to note that while a Priest can forgive you for sinning against them or the body, the ultimate forgiveness from God does not come from them. Rather they partition God with you.

Whooops!
I didn't mean this to be for you but for another poster.
Teaches me to post when I am so tired.
Apologies, repentance, penance, metanoia, etc....

 

[Splayd]

Whooops!
I didn't mean this to be for you but for another poster.
Teaches me to post when I am so tired.
Apologies, repentance, penance, metanoia, etc....

I hate it when that happens

No worries and God Bless