2 thoughts on “Who Can Forgive Sins? (John 20:23)”
Pastor Hammond- I have listened to your YouTube video ‘Who can Forgive Sin?’. I’m not quite sure what the issue is that you address specifically (my way of saying I was a bit confused); but, if you are targeting the practice of a particular belief system we all know about ie: priests etc, then simply if this were so, then the crucifixion of Jesus becomes meaningless, don’t you think; in other words His blood shed for us was for no reason. If we or the apostles or any man had the power to forgive sins then Jesus didn’t have to die; for what purpose did He?
The Lords Prayer simply states “…forgive us out trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”. Those who wrong I think that refers to; simply forgive them.
A person’s sin is always a matter between their heart and the Lord. I think that what Jesus meant in the John 20:23 that when the disciples preached the Gospel if it was received by the listener and accepted then there sins would be forgiven and if not received and believed then their sin is not forgiven, it still remains upon them. But no authority I can see there is given to anyone to forgive sin. I think that is what you were getting at in your discussion, but I have to admit I was a little confused by it. But I’m getting old and slow on the uptake so I apologise if I’m off the mark; “forgive me”.
Greg, you are correct that no one can forgive sins except God. We can forgive other people for their sins against us, but the guilt of the sin can only be removed by God, through the death of Jesus. The target of the video was the idea that human priests are the means by which God forgives sin. The priestly system is no longer necessary because of the death of Jesus.
Pastor Hammond- I have listened to your YouTube video ‘Who can Forgive Sin?’. I’m not quite sure what the issue is that you address specifically (my way of saying I was a bit confused); but, if you are targeting the practice of a particular belief system we all know about ie: priests etc, then simply if this were so, then the crucifixion of Jesus becomes meaningless, don’t you think; in other words His blood shed for us was for no reason. If we or the apostles or any man had the power to forgive sins then Jesus didn’t have to die; for what purpose did He?
The Lords Prayer simply states “…forgive us out trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”. Those who wrong I think that refers to; simply forgive them.
A person’s sin is always a matter between their heart and the Lord. I think that what Jesus meant in the John 20:23 that when the disciples preached the Gospel if it was received by the listener and accepted then there sins would be forgiven and if not received and believed then their sin is not forgiven, it still remains upon them. But no authority I can see there is given to anyone to forgive sin. I think that is what you were getting at in your discussion, but I have to admit I was a little confused by it. But I’m getting old and slow on the uptake so I apologise if I’m off the mark; “forgive me”.
Greg, you are correct that no one can forgive sins except God. We can forgive other people for their sins against us, but the guilt of the sin can only be removed by God, through the death of Jesus. The target of the video was the idea that human priests are the means by which God forgives sin. The priestly system is no longer necessary because of the death of Jesus.