Apostolic Succession-
JOHN 20:22,23 Can The Church Forgive
Sins?
John
And when He had said this, He breathed on them
and *said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
"If you forgive the sins of any, their sins
have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been
retained."
------------------------------------------------------------------
Can The Church Forgive Sins?
Commentary From a Scholarly Reader
Scholarly
defined Open Dictionary
Scripture tells us that God alone can
forgive sin, although it appears for
a while the Apostles could by virtue of the holy spirit. (
John 20:22-23 ) :
Now some churches interpret the above scripture, so that
the church believes it takes on the role of the Apostles ( i.e. a proxy role )
, and so believe it has the ability to allow or disallow sin.
This would be a very powerful tool if it existed, and
would be dangerous in the wrong hands.
So we ask two questions :
- Can a church take on the apostles roles?
- How do you prove or disprove using scripture?
DO SOME CHURCHES BELIEVE THEMSELVES TO BE THE CURRENT PROXY OF THE
APOSTLES....
Yes the Catholic Church does; but lets look at how did
the apostles understood and applied this?
There is no record in the Bible of a
single instance in which an apostle listened to a private confession and then
pronounced absolution.
Now the requirements for being forgiven by God are set out in the Bible.
The apostles, under the direction of holy spirit,
could discern whether individuals were meeting such requirements and could on
this basis declare that God had either forgiven them or not forgiven them.
See Acts 5:1-11, In
Context- also 1 Corinthians 5:1-5 [In Context- and 2 Corinthians
2:6-8. [In Context
What Jesus said to his disciples at John
The disciples mentioned were principally the faithful apostles. ( verse 24.) 18:24
By blowing on them and saying, “Receive holy
spirit,” Jesus symbolically gave them notice that soon holy
spirit would be poured out on them. Jesus went on to say that they would
have authority concerning forgiveness of sins. Reasonably, his two statements are
linked, one leading to the next.
On the day of Pentecost, Jesus poured out holy spirit.
Those who received the spirit were born again as spiritual sons of God with the
hope of being co-rulers with Christ in heaven. (John 3:3-5; 3:3-
3:4- 3:5.Romans 8:15-17 8:15-
8:16-
8:17 ; 2 Corinthians
1:22) 1:22. But that
outpouring of spirit did more. Some recipients gained miraculous powers. By
that means some could speak in foreign tongues that they did not know. Others
could prophesy. Yet others could heal the sick or raise the dead to life. See 1
Corinthians 12:4-11. [In Context|
Since Jesus’ words at John 20:22 pointed to this outpouring of holy spirit on
the disciples, his connected words about forgiving sins seem to mean that the
apostles had divinely provided to them through an operation of the spirit a
unique authority to forgive or retain sins.
One memorable case which involved apostolic authority to forgive or retain sins
involved Ananias and Sapphira, who played false to
the spirit. Peter, who heard Jesus utter what we read at John
What Jesus said at John
Jesus gave his disciples authority to expel from the congregation unrepentant
perpetrators of grave sins. At the same time, Christ gave his followers
authority to extend mercy and forgive repentant sinners. Jesus certainly was
not saying that his disciples should confess every sin to a priest.
BUT SCRIPTURE TELLS US THAT GOD ALONE CAN FORGIVE SIN
This is true. When we also look at Matthew 18:15-18 [In Context|and everything else that
the Bible teaches about confession and forgiveness, what must we conclude? That
at John 20:22, 23, Jesus gave his disciples authority to expel from the
congregation unrepentant perpetrators of grave sins.
THE APOSTLES HAD THE ABILITY TO FORGIVE ( OR
NOT ) PEOPLES' SINS.
God granted the apostles special powers in this regard, yes, but the apostles
only and these powers died with them.
The Catholic church base their claim on Apostolic
succession, saying the Pope is a direct descendant of the apostle Peter, but
there is *no* evidence to back their claim whatsoever.
It
is a purely man made tradition, and is definitely not found in the Bible. And
God specifically warns us against following man made tradition.
“And
he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep
your own tradition."
( Mark 7:6-9 )In
Context| 7:6
-7:7-
7:8-
7:9
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Sbt- Simple answer
The simple easy answer is --Whatever the Apostles could and could not do –--there is no
scriptural evidences that the ones they (the Apostles) passed the gifts on to –
Could
pass them on to others ---
affect on us today –-is through their contribution to the Completed Holy
Verses---
The Completed Bible---That Not Even They--- most of the Apostles---got to see The
Completed Holy Verses----
As We All Have Access To Today
!!!
ADDITIONAL CROSS REFERENCES
Open 1Cor13-8.htm
for ten Bibles at once
Love never fails; but if there are gifts
of prophecy, they will
be done away; if there are tongues,
they will cease; if there is knowledge,
it will be done away.
Matt 6:5-6:6 Study [In Context|
"But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret,
and your Father who sees what is done in
secret will reward you.
Matt
6:12
'And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Study [In Context|
"For
if you forgive
others for their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 "But
R221 if R222 you do not forgive others, F104 then your Father will not
forgive your transgressions.
Ps
32: 32:5
I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I did not
hide; I said,
"I will confess my transgressions to
the LORD "; Open LORD
And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.
(8804) ytySk (8686)-)l (8804) ynw(w
j(ydw) (8686) yt)Jx
yt)Jx aw( t)&n (8765) hT)w hwhyl
y($p yel( hdw) yTrm)
. hls
Mal 3:6
"For I,
the LORD, do not change; therefore
you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.
)l bq(y (8804) eT)w (8804) ytyn$
)l hwhy
yn) yK
. etylk
19 namely, that God R185 was in Christ reconciling the
world to Himself, not R186 counting their trespasses against
them,
and He F34 has committed F35 to us the word
of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors R187 for Christ,
as R188 though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled R189
to God.
21 He made Him who knew R190 no sin {to be} sin R191 on our behalf, so that we might
become the righteousness R192 of God in Him.
y=Repentance§ion=0&translation=nas&sr=1&Enter=Perform+Search
=Repent§ion=0&translation=nas&sr=1&Enter=Perform+Search
=Repented§ion=0&translation=nas&sr=1&Enter=Perform+Search
Our
Blessing is the Completed Bible which includes future healing of individuals
and the Nations
TheGreatHopeRev21-22-7.htm plus Compare Miracles.htm Study JesusMainMessage.htm
and
MEEKinheritTheEARTH.htm
Matthew6-9.htm
“You must love your neighbor
as yourself.”—MATTHEW 22:39.- Best Article Found For 2006 No10.htm
JOHN
20:22,23
BCC -> Commentary on 20:22
DSN -> Synopsis on 20:22
GEB -> Study Notes on 20:22
GSB -> Study Notes on 20:22
JFB -> Commentary on 20:22
MHC-COM -> Commentary on 20:22
MHC-CON -> Commentary on 20:22
PNT -> Commentary on 20:22
RWP -> Study Notes on 20:22
TFG -> Commentary on 20:22
TSK -> Commentary on 20:22 TSK -> Entry for 20:22
WEN -> Notes on 20:22
NTB -> Holy Spirit; Jesus, The Christ; Trinity
TTT -> Apostles, The; Gift of the Holy Spirit, The
EBD -> Sabbath
SBD -> John, Gospel of
WJD -> Devotional
using 20:22
WJD -> Devotional
using 20:22
Burton
Coffman
· Darby's
Synopsis
· Geneva
Study Bible
· Jamieson,
Fausset, Brown
· Matthew
Henry Complete
· Matthew
Henry Concise
· People's
New Testament
· Robertson's
Word Pictures
· The
Fourfold Gospel
· Treasury
of Scripture
· Wesley's
Explanatory Notes
With SBT’s Commentary Notes -learn not to exceed what is written
Open 1Cor13-8.htm
for ten Bible at once
Love never fails; but if there are gifts
of prophecy, they will
be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will
be done away.
o
Compare ( Mark 7:6-9 ) In
Context| 7:6
-7:7-
7:8-
7:9
o
Compare SbtsCommentaryNotes.htm
o
( Study HowTheBibleBooksWereChoosen.htm )
Be on the Alert For
Those Using unbiblical words or word expressions to describe YHWH and Who His Son
is that
are not According to what is
written in the original inspired Words of God --Study --SbtsCommentaryNotes.htm
Examples in 22.htm / 21.htm Base 1.htm
ABOUTUS. -Eph 6:12
Sbt doesn't claim perfection but Bible Translators and Publishers
will be accountable to Jehovah for their intentional errors (Open Intentional
fallacy )in Scripture (One Example in Rev3-14.htm
)-- and it is every true Christians
duty to let one another know what they have learned and share it with others --that's why Sbt was brought
forth--Not to Judge and execute penalty --that's Jesus'
Job 2Thess1-6-9.htm
but to bring (Sbt gives) You access to both Best Bibles Plus Websites with Verse by Verse
Trinitarian/Oneness Commentaries
Plus Compare BestnonTrinitarianOnenessBibles. some with built in Commentary—
Preview--CommentaryNote.htm with
the BottomLine
The word that made Jesus God
open Homoousion.htm
Plus BestBibleDictionariesPLUS.htm and HiddenTruthsPLUS.htm
OPEN John1oneWebsiteBeliefnet.htm
Sbt Does Not Get
Into Criticisms of Individuals or Groups or organizations. Unscriptual Traditions –Is the Main Concern
Quoting Christ
is not Criticisms—it is a Christian’s Duty--
Study Ephesians
6:10-18 - [Verse
12 in Original Greek]
The
Library Advocates that each person thoroughly examine their Churches
Statement
of Faith or Beliefs and agree with it before becoming a member
See C/h STATEMENTsAboutManyChurchesBeliefsUpdated.htm
WITH LOVE FOR THE TRUTH—THE WHOLE TRUTH—
–SO HELP US
SBT1-The
TETRAGRAMMATON.htm
Testifier----BiblePublishersAccountableToWho.htm
The Expository Library index.htm
The Expository Library 20.htm
SBTis Strictly an Extended
See PlusOthers.htm
For People To Compare Bibles Mostly See ABOUTUS.htm and Preface.htm
If You go to a
Congregation that Teaches all the Above ---You can feel Safe and not Sorry
about that--
SBT is only a Reference Library—Not The Salvation Congregation !! Read! Heb10-23-26.htm