Do we really have to Confess our sins to a priest?

@EARLZHAN (934)
Philippines
October 8, 2009 12:23am CST
For me we don't have to confess our sins to a priest. We are responsible for what we've done and we're the one who should pray and ask forgiveness of our sins to God. This is my point of view about it. How about you?
4 people like this
18 responses
@Pose123 (21635)
• Canada
10 Oct 09
Hi EARLZHAN, The Roman Catholic church has, in some parts of the world at least, stopped the practice of confessing to a Priest. If someone wishes to do so, he/she now has to make an appointment with the priest. The same practice is followed in the Church of England (Anglican) church. I don't know of any other church which has this practice. Blessings.
1 person likes this
@kerriannc (4279)
• Jamaica
10 Oct 09
We are under the new covenant with is Jesus Christ and because of His blood we need to go to no humans to confess our sins. Jesus Christ is our Sacrifical Lamb and because of this whenever we prayed we do it through his Name. There are churches that have priests and statues but it is against the rules of the New Testament. In the Old Testament you will find where priest were made to use animals for our confession but we need not to go back to that route thank God for Jesus Christ.
1 person likes this
@edujccz (929)
• Philippines
14 Oct 09
Diferrent religion have different design ,some says good some says wrong. In the Catholic community, the priest is understood as the holyman, before you become a priest you must be married to the church and do nothing else but works for God of that community. to commit sin is againts God that is why the holyman man works for you to God, you discuss your sin to him, he advises you and if you are really sorry he gives you absolution, together with him he pray and seek forgiveness for you. Spritually being his work, the priest guides you and advise you what to pray and he becomes witness that you are sorry. But today, people forget the true meaning and they confess their sins to God directly without guidance and witness. Being sorry can be uttered everytime but how many times that you are sorry. Only God knows your sin and only him that can see your real heart but with a witness being the holyman, he sees you and when you repeat your sin he knows that you are not sorry at all, but a liar. Mistkes is diffferent from sin, mistakes are to a person therefore it should be address to the other person itself. Have a good day.
@edujccz (929)
• Philippines
14 Oct 09
It is not a reason that man is weak spiritually, that is the role of a priest your holyman in the neighborhood, and constant communication with the priest will make you strong. But who is our having constant communication with? are mostly are our friend who talks nothing but carnal things and this will inflame our weakness to commit sin. The same as when we discuss this issue to a friend , he will say I confess my sins to God directly. Did he advice you spiritually? no. This is only his opinion. But anyway, every reason is correct and only God can judge what is right or wrong.
1 person likes this
@edujccz (929)
• Philippines
16 Oct 09
Too much ego can destroy a man, but with humility is more accepptable to him. Thanks
1 person likes this
@EARLZHAN (934)
• Philippines
14 Oct 09
yeah you got a point but for me confession of sin be directly to God. Man is weak and can really made sins repeatedly but if you fear God and you really want to change you will stop on making the same mistake that you did. Yeah you got a point that a priest can you an advice yes it's true. However, I respect your point of view about this topic.
1 person likes this
@EvanHunter (4026)
• United States
8 Oct 09
If your catholic yes you do but I am not catholic and God knows whats in my heart. Jesus said salvation is as close as your lips (and heart). A lot of time people repent but in their heart the only thing they are ever sorry for is they got caught. A man who is truly sorry will cry out to ask forgiveness and he will be forgiven no matter who is there or where it is done.
@EARLZHAN (934)
• Philippines
8 Oct 09
Yeah your right evanhunter.. I'm not a catholic.. And we have the same thought about this thing..
• India
9 Oct 09
First ascertain who is bothered by your sins--the priest, you, the society, or the one you have offended, or God? Do the confession accordingly. ;) If you have offended someone, I see more sense in you soothing the person you have offended instead of running to God or the priest. Cheers and happy Mylotting
• Philippines
10 Oct 09
you have a point there, (no offense)but i dont agree with "i see more sense in you soothing the person you have offended instead of running to God" According to the bible. What you have done to your brother you are doing it to Him. Therefore you still need to confess or ask for sorry to God.
• Philippines
9 Oct 09
hi. As for me, no. I don't have to confess my sins to a priest. I' ll go to God directly to confess my sins and ask for forgiveness because He is the one who is first and foremost hurt because of my transgressions. But He said that if I ask for forgiveness from Him, I should ask for forgiveness first to the one I have wronged. This is a sign that I admit my mistake and come humbly to him or her. If he can't forgive me, at least I have acknowledged that I am wrong. Then I'll go to the Lord to say sorry because I have hurt my fellow creation whom God loves and cares as I am. But if I say I am sorry, this is not a mere empty words. It should be accompanied by repentance and a level up. That you will not do the same thing again and stand on your word. But if ever I will fall on the same scheme, which I almost usually do, I would ask the same forgiveness and strength to overcome it until the day that I will stand victorious on that hurdle. And when that day comes, there is really a level up and I know that my Dad in Heaven will be so proud of me. Godspeed.
@EARLZHAN (934)
• Philippines
21 Oct 09
Yeah.. your right princess.. Confession of sins to God requires sincerity and repentance... thanks for sharing your idea.. about this topic..
• Philippines
8 Oct 09
As a catholic, I will always confess to a priests. But to other faiths, its different; they confess and ask forgiveness direct to God. Its okay!
• United States
8 Oct 09
fairlady, please dont think me rude, but obviously I disagree with you, and were both here at the same time. Im asking a legitimate question, no baiting I promise. Im ASKING you to teach me something about your belief system. Why do you confess to a priest and not straight to God?
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
7 Dec 09
hi I agree that we just confess to God we do not need an intermediary for we are God's children and because of that' we can connect directly to our heavenly father. also I am a methodist so I do not have priests and need not confess to a mere man but only to my God. Catholics have their own sets of moral values and I respect them but they are not mine. so they 'must respect my Methodist beliefs aas well.
@syankee525 (6261)
• United States
13 Oct 09
well growing up as a cathic yes we are suppose if you are in this faith. but to me i dont think you have to tell your sins to a preist i think if you are more comfortable asking god himself then go for it. to me there is so many different belife and its what works for you because as i see it we are all praying and worshipping god just in a different way, one way isnt better then another
@jaiho2009 (39142)
• Philippines
8 Oct 09
Hello friend, We don't need to confess our sins to any priest for we don't sinned against them.We better confess our sins directly to God and ask forgiveness about it. You are right,we are responsible for our own sins and not anybody to pray for our sins. We confess our sins to the concern one,if we done wrong to someone,we should talk to them or approach them and say sorry for wrong things we done towards them. It is better that way,so,if they accept our apologies,we know we are forgiven.
@EARLZHAN (934)
• Philippines
8 Oct 09
Yeah.. that's what I am pointing out here. But we all have different beliefs and I respect what others point of view about this topic.
@levite (1062)
• Philippines
12 Dec 09
Jesus Christ is our Most High Priest who understands our weaknesses because in many ways He was tempted but did not sin so He can help us sin no more. When we come to God with humility through Jesus Christ our Mediator, God the Father hears us and forgives because it is His Son's sacrifice that pleases Him. God's promise is that when we confess our sins to Him He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. That is God's word and can be trusted unlike man's.
@Fulltank (2882)
• Philippines
8 Oct 09
As a Christian country, one of the holy sacrament of our Christian religion is the confession of sins. No wonder how hard it is to confess to a priest, we have to do it as it was dictated in the doctrines. For us who confesses regularly, I really don't think its a big fuss. But thats only my point of view. Others may tell you the other way around.
@EARLZHAN (934)
• Philippines
8 Oct 09
I respect your beliefs about it. But I think Confession of sins should be done directly to God for we have commit sin against Him not to the priest. And if we commit mistake to one person we can confess to him/her by asking an apology.
• Philippines
8 Oct 09
hi earl! yeah, i a a christian confession must be done directly to God, and the concerned person that we've done wrong. although i respect other's belief wherein they were used confess to a priest as a tradition. but i don't we will be forgiven if the priest say that you are forgiven. how they could say, you're forgiven while someone who is cursing you of what you have done?
@EARLZHAN (934)
• Philippines
8 Oct 09
HELLO yeah you got a point raine..
@Clheer71 (15)
• United States
8 Oct 09
I agree. I don't believe in the whole confession to the priest sort of deal. I think that some may think that "Oh, I'll do this one sin, because I can just "confess" this weekend for it and all will be ok. I believe that we are suppose to be trying our best to not sin at all, however, we are human and make mistakes. I think that by asking forgiveness not only allows us to be aware of our mistakes but hopefully we are learning from them to prevent them from happening again in the future.
@EARLZHAN (934)
• Philippines
8 Oct 09
YEah you got a point friend..
• Philippines
8 Oct 09
Hello again Earlzhan, Since I am a Roman Catholic Christian, this has also been part of the tradition and pinciple in the religion. it's easy to confess your sins and be forgiven but the trouble is how can you keep yourself from doing it again. even if you pary to god and asked for forgiveness, how can you control yourself from doing it again. that, it's not just Gods will but our will
• United States
8 Oct 09
Personally I dont give a darn about yours or anybody elses point of view. I know that sounds haughty, but I promise you its meant in the kindest of ways. You see our points of view do not always align with Gods. What we/I/you think is so very unimportant. But here is the real question, here is what is trully important: What does the Bible say about confessing our sins to a priest? Nothing. Nada. Zilch. We are to confess our sins to God and to those whom we've sinned against. No earthy person can forgive us for our sins, only God. In that light, not only do we NOT have to confess our sins to a priest, it may actually BE a sin TO confess to a priest.
• United States
9 Oct 09
I would agree that there is no requirement to confess one's sins to a priest. One can confess them directly to God. Yet, I think confession could be used as a spiritual practice. If one does confess on a regular basis, then there may be less temptation to commit a sin if one knew they would have to confess it to a priest. It also may help getting a response back. Sometimes you can wait years before you hear from God. So, if you trust the priest and value his advice then I think it could be a healthy practice. Of course, it should never be forced on anyone.
@edxcast (1168)
• Ecuador
9 Oct 09
hello friend, being catholic, part of my belief is confessing my sins to a priest. When we do that, we are confessing to God with a representant of Christ on earth as an intermediary.