Only Christ Has the Power To Forgive Our Sins
B. Only Christ Has the Power To Forgive Our Sins
1. Mark 2:10 "But that ye may know that the Son of Man (Christ) hath power on earth to forgive sins,..."
2. Luke 5:20 "And when he (Christ) saw their faith, he (Christ) said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee."
3. Matthew 9:6 "But that ye may know that the Son of man (Christ) hath power on earth to forgive sins,..."
4. Ephesians 4:32.
"And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you."
5. Colossians 2:13.
"And you, being dead in your sins and the un-circumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him ( Christ) , having forgiven you ALL TRESPASSES."
"For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;"
7. 1 Peter 3:18.
"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he (Christ) might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit."
8. John 1:29.
"The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. " (I don’t see anything in this verse that indicates the priest or minister is the one who takes away sin.).
9. Romans 11:27.
"For this is my covenant unto them, when I (Christ) shall take away their sins."
10. Acts 13:38. Be it known unto you, therefore, men and bre-thren, that through this man (Christ) is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:” This is what every Lutheran minister and Catholic priest should be preaching. "Through Jesus Christ, and Him alone, is the forgiveness of sin." Our question is, and should be yours also, why are they not directing their parishioners to Christ, instead of themselves?
I, personally, have asked hundreds of people be-longing to these two organizations to question their minister or priest, asking them why they cannot just go directly to Jesus Christ for forgiveness? Most often their answer is, "I wouldn’t dare do something like that." My reply is, "Why not, are you scared to? You have a right to question your pastor or priest on ANYTHING they teach."
Sad to say, the clergy of these organizations have almost promoted themselves to the level of a god in the eyes of their people—a practice so entrenched that it would be a "sin" to question their authority! We find the prophet, Jeremiah, experienced the same problem, so nothing has changed in over 2500 years!
"The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; AND MY PEOPLE LOVE TO HAVE IT SO: and what will ye do in the end thereof?” (Jeremiah 5:31).
11. Acts 13:39.
"And by him (Christ) ALL THAT BELIEVE are justified (declared righteous) from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." (Please note: By believing in Jesus Christ we are justified.) 12. Ephesians 1:7.
"In whom we have redemption through his (Christ's) blood, the forgiveness of sins, ac-cording to the riches of his grace;"
Remember, nowhere in the New Testament can you find one case where any of the Apostle's ever forgave anyone's sin. They always pointed their listeners to Jesus Christ. If not one of the Apostles ever made that claim, then those today claiming that power have placed themselves above the Apostles, and equal with Jesus Christ, Himself.
13. Luke 7:47-48; Luke 7:50 a. Luke, Chapter Seven, gives us the account of an extraordinary event that happened while our Lord was having dinner at a Pharisee's house. The woman that was there, Scripture says, "which was a sinner," began to weep and wash the Savior's feet with tears, and anoint them with oil from a box of ointment, and then to wipe them with her hair. Not only did Jesus shock the Pharisees by allowing her to touch him; but, He forgave her sin!
"Wherefore I (Christ) say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven..." (v.47). b. In Luke 7:48, Christ assures this woman her sins have been forgiven:
"And He (Christ) said unto her, THY SINS ARE FORGIVEN." c. In verse 50 the Lord gives the reason the woman's sins were forgiven. It is on the same basis that our sins are forgiven—our FAITH IN HIM—and not in a minister or priest. No priest or minister ever died for your sins, but Christ did.
"And he (Christ) said to the woman, Thy FAITH hath saved thee; go in peace." The Lord Jesus Christ forgave sins while he was on the earth, and is still the only One who can forgive sins today. Every preacher and priest is a sinner themselves, and needs forgiveness. Notice God's indictment on mankind in Romans 3:23, “For ALL HAVE SINNED, and come short of the glory of God;” My Bible says "ALL have sinned"; and I cannot find where it says, "ALL, but preachers and priests." "Coming short of the glory of God" literally means falling short of being as righteous as God, Himself. Therefore, Romans 3:24-25 tell us how and why we have remission of sins.
"Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (v.24). Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his (Christ's) blood, to declare his righteousness far the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.” (v.25). Where do you find anything in these verses about a minister or priest being able to remit your sins? Ask your minister or priest if they are trusting Jesus Christ as the payment for their sin. The clergy go to Heaven the same way the congregation does; that is through Christ and Him alone. If their answer is "Yes," then ask them why you cannot go directly to Christ the same as they? The only one who can forgive sin is the One who is sinless. 2 Corinthians declares that Christ was without sin.
"For he hath made him (Christ) to be sin (i.e. the payment for sin) for us , WHO KNEW NO SIN; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Would any minister or priest dare to claim they are sinless. Remember, only the One who is without sin can forgive those who are sinners, and that is Christ Jesus. By making the claim they can forgive sins, they are actually placing themselves on equality with Christ and claiming to be sinless themselves.
I, personally, have talked to many and all deny they are sinless; but become a little offended that one should question their self-appointed authority. Even though they deny this, their solicitation for sinners to come to them for forgiveness is an indictment against themselves by their own WORD AND PRACTICE.
14. 1 John 1:8-10.
"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." (v.8).
"If we confess our sins, he (Christ) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (v.9).
"If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his (Christ's) Word is not in us.” (v.10). The first chapter of 1 John is written to Christians who sin AFTER they are saved. John is addressing: The Christian’s service, not his salvation.
His fellowship with Christ, and not his Son ship.
His power for Christ as a witness--not his position with Christ in Heaven.
Let us closely analyze what the preceding verses actually say. Who are we to confess our sins to?
Answer: Jesus Christ. Who is faithful to forgive our sins?
Answer: Jesus Christ. Who is able to cleanse us from all un-righteousness?
Answer: Jesus Christ. Should any Lutheran minister or priest even hint that they, themselves, are without sin, God says they are SELF-DECEIVED (1 John 1:8). and make God a liar (1 John 1:10).
I have been a pastor for 40 years and it is beyond my comprehension to even think I could forgive someone's sins. What a blessing it has been and still is to direct people to our wonderful Savior, who will forgive any and all sins. John 6:37 declares, "...and him that cometh to me (Christ) I will in no wise cast out."
There are multitudes of Scriptures in addition to what we have already quoted. Isaiah 43:25; Isaiah 44:22; Isaiah 53:5-6; Micah 7:18; Exodus 34:7; Daniel 9:17-19; and Psalms 130:1-4, could have been quoted, as well as many others.