Bible Discussion Thread

Hi. I was baptized into the Catholic Church as a baby, but no longer attend Mass. Two weeks ago I did go

with a friend, and I went up for communion. A Catholic friend of mine later told me that the custom in the

Church is that you must first go to confession with a priest before taking communion. Is that practice based

on anything in Scripture?

Catholic Sacrament Everything that the R.C. religion teaches is for subjection and bondage to gredd and

works of the flesh and actually has its roots spiritually Mystery Babylon. If you want a good read look up MYSTERY

RELIGION BABYLON. P.S. Jesus Christ is our one and ONly High priest for Sin and Salvation HEBREWS!

I'd like to add to what Chris stated. I am not Catholic nor Roman Catholic, however I took communion with my aunt & former boss (a high ranking political figure). After several times in attending & participating in two different states, whenever I had to accompany my former boss on Sundays, or visiting my Aunt Holidays or Sundays, maybe multiple years. All of a sudden, I was no longer allowed to participate, in either state because I "wasn't Catholic" that seems very wrong on multiple levels. Here's additional scripture:

1st: we're told to exam ourselves, before Communion, not other's to allow or disallow. 1 Corinthians 11:28-31, Roman 14:1-4,

2nd: we are told to confess our sins to one another: James 5:16-17,

3rd: John 6:37,

4th: Matthew 23:9-10,

5th: 1 Timothy 4:1-6, "doctrines of devils" forbidding marriage?

However the Catholic church is well-known for hospitals, ministry to needy 1 John 1:25-27, Matthew 25:31-46,

& we're called to love one another: John 13:35,

Hopefully these are also helpful.

Hi, from what I know, the Catholic Church recommends confession to a priest often, but it is not necessary to have been to confession before accepting communion unless you have committed what the church said is a "mortal" sin, such as murder, adultery, apostasy. But the Scripture says that we have one mediator between God and Man, Jesus Christ. So, by this verse, one does not need to go to a priest to confess their sins to be forgiven. A person can go straight to the God through the name of and faith in in Jesus Christ for forgiveness and redemption. If someone is caught in a sinful habit or has done a grave sin such as murder, adultery, etc., it is fine and recommended that a person seek the counsel of a church leader such as a priest, pastor, elder, or mature Christian for strengthening and support.

Hi. To answer your question simply, it would be, 'there is nothing in the Bible that supports confession to a priest before partaking in communion.'

Since I am not RC, I cannot comment fully without having to refer to the other aspects of the Mass. I don't agree to the communion emblems being spiritually re-constituted into the Body & Blood of our Lord, just as I don't agree to making confession to a priest, whether in relation to the Mass or not.

However, in support of the matter of confession, the main Scripture that the RC Church uses is John 20:23, "Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained." This is used because of the authority Jesus gave to His disciples & then by extension, that same authority was conferred upon the priests who follow in the station of the apostles. If I might expand on that verse: the word, 'remit', sometimes translated as 'forgive', actually means 'to send away, to release'. And the word, 'retain', means 'to hold fast, not let go'.

So, the RC Church then believes that it has the God-given authority to both forgive, or release, the sins of the penitent, as well as to withhold that forgiveness - usually then requiring some type of penance be made. But is all this correct? When we study the intent of John 20:23, no such authority was conveyed to the Christ's disciples, who became His apostles; because only God can forgive us our sins through His Son, & not through man ( 1 Timothy 2:5, "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" - Jesus can only hear our confession & forgive our sins).

Therefore, John 20:23, is the authority given to His apostles to bring out this new Truth by declaring to the Church the gravity of sin & the conditions on which Christ can forgive them - if they truly confessed, the apostles had Christ's Authority to declare the sinner as forgiven (sins remitted) & restored - but not to be a mediator before God.

Thank you to all who took the time to share thoughts and scriptures on my question.

I feel the Holy Spirit's leading more clearly on this. Peace to all who enter here!