Confession of Sin

1John 1:3-10

3. That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
5. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

James 5:16

16 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.

Confession of sin and faults is paramount to the Christian. However there is no Scriptural evidence that confession must be done with a “priest”. Since the “office of priest” is not established in the New Testamant, this would be an impossibility. The office of priest is most likely a carryover from Old Testsament Judaism.

John 20:23 refers to the “remission” of sins not “forgiveness” There is a distinct difference. We must read what is written in the Bible. Church traditions and practices should be understood in light of the Scriptures not vice versa.

The book of Hebrews teaches us of the priesthood of all Christians , Jesus Christ humself being the High Priest.

Therefore a person in the office of “Priest” is no more representative of the Church than any other Christian.

Nonetheless, the Scriptures do not expressly declare that confession must be done with a priest. There is one mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ.

Bill Roth

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Confession of Sin

James 5:16