I was baptized. My family and I raised catholic. However, as I have been growing in Christ, there has been something that has been bothering me.

I have been reading a lot about catholic vs christian doctrine and the differences, the major one, being Confession.

I find myself leaning towards the christian belief that the confession of sins to a priest is not necessary for salvation because the price for salvation
has already been paid by Christ, and confession to a priest is basically saying that Christ's sacrifice was not enough.

However, Jesus breathed on the disciples/apostles (disciples and apostles are the same right? not sure.) and gave them the power to forgive sin. Priests are the the descendants of disciples.

Let's take a look at scripture.
Matthew 9
6 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” 7 Then the man got up and went home. 8 When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man.

THE SON OF MAN = Jesus Christ, am I correct?

However, http://www.catholic.com/tracts/the-forgiveness-of-sins, claims

For sins committed after baptism, a different sacrament is needed. It has been called penance, confession, and reconciliation, each word emphasizing one of its.aspects. During his life, Christ forgave sins, as in the case of the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1–11) and the woman who anointed his feet (Luke 7:48). He exercised this power in his human capacity as the Messiah or Son of man, telling us, "the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins" (Matt. 9:6), which is why the Gospel writer himself explains that God "had given such authority to men" (Matt. 9:8).

Scripture is showing the Son of man, Jesus Christ, has the power to forgive sins. Jesus Christ gave this power to the disciples. Priests are descendants of the disciples (correct?)

THE BIG QUESTIONS

Could it have been that Jesus Christ breathed on the disciples/apostles so they could forgive sins
through BAPTISM and not CONFESSION? Are we not free from sin after baptism and accepting Jesus Christ as our lord and savior?
Where in the bible does it say that BELIEVERS have to confess sins in order to receive salvation?

Where in the bible does it say that we have to confess sins to a priest to be forgiven of our sins?

There is only one place in the bible
that talks about confession, and it was in John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Wasn't John talking to the group of unbelievers who said they had no sin?

Let's get this cleared up guys, I want to have a good discussion about this. After all, this is our lives we are talking about. This can not be taken lightly.

This post was edited by DCEVO on May 26 2012 05:22am

Also, lets take a look at this website. It talks about Christian sanctification.

http://www.battleinchrist.com/what%5Fdoes%5Fit%5Fmean%5Ffor%5Fa%5Fchristia.htm

There are two basic components for understanding sanctification (set apart for God) as mentioned in the New Testament. The first aspect is called "Positional Sanctification" which is the regeneration of the Holy Spirit given to a person at the moment of conversion to Christ. This sanctification places you permanently into the family of God and guarantees your full redemption. It is a gift from God to the person who accepts Christ as their savior. At this point, the believer has been set apart for God and has received His gift of eternal life. Therefore, Positional sanctification is freely given and is passively received by the one who has accepted Christ.

The second aspect of sanctification is called "Progressive Sanctification." God wants the Christian to fellowship with Him, in other words, to live by His truth and His Spirit that He placed within them. This is actively received into manifestation by the Christian because it requires the will and action on the part of the believer to follow after Christ. The regeneration of the Holy Spirit in the believer is also called the "new man" or the new nature placed within the believer. It is God's will that every Christian actively be sanctified in Him, which means to walk in the new nature that one has already received.

HOW CAN WE GROW AS CHRISTIANS IF WE ARE STILL SIN-CONSCIOUS? BEING SIN CONSCIOUS COMES FROM THE BELIEF THAT JESUS CHRIST'S SACRIFICE WAS NOT ENOUGH.

Now, lets look at it in another way. There are sins we are conscious of and sins that we have forgotten. There are mortal sins and venial sins. Mass and the Eucharist/communion destroys the venial sins. Confession destroys the mortal sins. Of course we cannot remember all the sins we have done. But according to Catholic doctrine we must confess the mortal sins that we know we have done, and if we remember more, then we go to confession again. We go to mass and receive the body and blood of Christ for our venial sins.

We cannot remember all of our sins. We cannot grow in Christ if we are sin-conscious (do not sin again and go to confession to remove the consciousness of sin and to receive salvation - catholic).
Christians-not sin conscious because sins have already been paid for with the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and that is enough for the payment of sins past, present, and future.

WAS NOT THE LAW DESTROYED WITH JESUS CHRIST'S SACRIFICE? ARE WE NOT UNDER GRACE?

This post was edited by DCEVO on May 26 2012 05:23am

Why do you personally feel uncomfortable with sharing your shortcomings with another individual?

CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS HYPOCRISY? LOOK AT THIS.

http://www.catholic.com/tracts/do-catholics-worship-statues

READ THAT. PLEASE. READ THAT.

Anyone have anything to say about that?

Can you see the hypocrisy?

THEY ARE TRYING TO JUSTIFY NOT OBEYING SCRIPTURE.

Let's look at scripture.

Exodus 25:18-20

New International Version (NIV)

18 And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. 19 Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. 20 The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover.

The Lord commanded that this be made.

Just like the Lord commanded us to follow scripture.

Exodus 20:4-5 (New International Version)

New International Version (NIV)

4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,

1 Chronicles 28:18-19

New International Version (NIV)

18 and the weight of the refined gold for the altar of incense. He also gave him the plan for the chariot, that is, the cherubim of gold that spread their wings and overshadow the ark of the covenant of the Lord.

19 “All this,” David said, “I have in writing as a result of the Lord’s hand on me, and he enabled me to understand all the details of the plan. ”

NOTICE HOW THE ONLY STATUES THAT WERE MADE WERE MADE BECAUSE THE LORD COMMANDED THEM TO BE MADE?

This post was edited by DCEVO on May 26 2012 06:22am

It is not about me feeling uncomfortable with sharing my shortcomings with another individual. This is about me growing in Christ. This is about separating doctrine of man from doctrine of God. This is about my salvation. This is about your salvation.

This is about all of our salvation.

Matthew 15 (NIV)

8 “‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
9 They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules. ’[c] ”

This post was edited by DCEVO on May 26 2012 06:16am

Ah I get it, you're basically saying it's okay for you to sin.

James 5:16 -- New American Standard Bible (NASB)
16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

Read 5:13-17 for more info, or the entire chapter 5.

I'm just going to respond to you with scripture.

Revelation 22:18-19

New International Version (NIV)

18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.

In that verse we are instructed to confess our faults to each other. Not to God.

James 5:16

New International Version (NIV)

16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

This verse does not mention confessing our sins to a priest.

priest [priːst] feminine, priestess (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/priest)
n
1. (Christianity / Ecclesiastical Terms) Christianity a person ordained to act as a mediator between God and man in administering the sacraments, preaching, blessing, guiding, etc.

Since when do we need a mediator?

Please, if you have an answer, tell me.

Could it be the only role of a priest should be to baptize?

Hebrews 10

11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. 14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:

16 “This is the covenant I will make with them
after that time, says the Lord.
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds.”[b]

17 Then he adds:

“Their sins and lawless acts
I will remember no more.”[c]

This post was edited by DCEVO on May 26 2012 06:50am

That doesn't really address my last post at all, but okay.