Today,
reply is on confession and forgiveness as sacred operations within
the church performed by members of the body who are anointed,
ordained, and sanctified. Believers are to accept accountability,
perform specific duties, and continue as proactive on their own
behalf as the people of Christ, however, believers also must agree
that salvation, forgiveness, and other sacred practices in the
church are not the basis of do-it-yourself (DIY) and man-made
methods. Authentic and divinely lawful aspects of the full spirit
process and substance of the church can only appear through the
performance of covenant duty and unselfish service performed for one
another by those who embody Jesus Christ. Correctly understood, all
Christians are to resemble, reflect, and reveal the character and
likeness of Jesus Christ. Many Christian believers challenge and
resist clergy, hierarchy, and divine priesthood by insisting that
their own conscience, integrity, and merit in Christ must be
acknowledged as primary when their own salvation becomes a focus.
Many err because they covet authority, control, independence, and
separation; others encourage combativeness, comparison, competition,
and condemnation. Even so, a priesthood on the earth modeled after
that in heaven was provided as a divine blessing and gift to Adam
that would manifest the cooperation of divine fullness with mankind.
In addition to sacrifice, expiation, and remission of sin, confession
and forgiveness are among the works of priesthood, rather than the
works of prophecy and revelation. It is written: Philippians 2:
2-8, King James Version (KJV): 2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be
likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one
mind. 3 Let nothing be done through strife or
vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than
themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man
also on the things of others. 5 Let this mind be in you, which was
also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it
not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no
reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in
the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he
humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of
the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given
him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things
in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that
every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the
glory of God the Father. A fighter in the “Yahoo! Answers”
public forum on Religion & Spirituality who uses the ID
“Anonymous” (no profile information appears) posted the
following:
Do
you confess your sins to a priest? Did you know that is necessary for
salvation?
God
can forgive anything if you truly repent through confession.
THE
GOLDEN ARROW: Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not
as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out
your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which
worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be
blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst
of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in
the world; (Philippians 2: 12-15, KJV)
THE
DOUBLE DAGGER: Divine Forgiveness Ministers Grace (07/20/2020);
Acknowledging And Confessing Sin (06/21/2020); Baptism Is Not DIY
(05/28/2019); Let Us Reason Together (08/07/2019); Applying The
Divine Standards (10/02/2018); Confessing Your Own Salvation?
(03/02/2018); Prayer in Public? (02/24/2015)
“Anonymous”,
within the church of Jesus Christ, many account the works of personal
expression (e.g., confession, forgiveness, prayer, repentance) as
pertaining to love, prophecy and revelation, rather than to universal
order, sacred law, and priesthood. Confession and forgiveness are
the outcome and result of grace, rather than ceremonies that declare
condemnation and judgment. In the same way justification and
salvation are not matters of personal freedom or self-promotion, and
must be completed by the workings of divinity, forgiveness for sin is
not a matter of human affection, fellowship, kindness, and self-will
(willpower). Christians are to receive Jesus Christ as a divine High
Priest who makes atonement for sin. Many mature Christian believers
therefore agree that confession and forgiveness are most correctly
acknowledged and practiced within the household of faith using an
anointed priesthood, for there must be a transaction at the point
where heaven and earth connect (i.e., a sacred altar; a consecrated
table). In addition to an openhearted, private conversation with
divinity about ones own errors and transgressions, there must be an
offering and application of spirit substance that include the atoning
blood, character, and personhood of Jesus Christ as it resides within
the priest. Often, the concern for benefits and privileges from GOD
(e.g., authority, blessing, freedom, power and rank) obscures the
demands for celestial operations, divine order, sacred law, eternal
purpose, and the sovereign will of GOD. As a practice that makes
present what we hope, those who are dedicated, disciplined, and
mature through unselfish service, study of the holy writings,
personal sufferings, and prayer should be entrusted as ministers to
the body on behalf of those yet being built up and edified as
developing believers. Consider the following that use language from
the Bible, and a selection from the music ministry of John Michael
Talbot & Terry Talbot:
(1.)
Psalms 32: 1-2, King James Version (KJV): 1 Blessed is he whose
transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man unto
whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there
is no guile.
(2.)
Matthew 9: 2-8, KJV: 2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick
of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto
the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven
thee. 3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves,
This man blasphemeth. 4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts
said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? 5 For whether is
easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise,
and walk? 6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on
earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,)
Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. 7 And he arose, and
departed to his house. 8 But when the multitudes saw it, they
marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.
(3.)
Luke 7: 36-50, KJV: 36 And one of the Pharisees desired him that
he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s
house, and sat down to meat. 37 And, behold, a woman in the city,
which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in
the Pharisee’s house, brought an
alabaster box of ointment, 38 And stood at his feet behind him
weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them
with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them
with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw
it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a
prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is
that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. 40 And Jesus answering said
unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith,
Master, say on. 41 There was a certain creditor which had two
debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. 42
And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell
me therefore, which of them will love him most? 43 Simon answered
and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he
said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. 44 And he turned to the
woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into
thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath
washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of
her head. 45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time
I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 My head with oil thou
didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with
ointment. 47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many,
are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven,
the same loveth little. 48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are
forgiven. 49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within
themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? 50 And he said to
the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.
There
is far more that should be said, correctly examined, and spiritually
apprehended. (For example, (4.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7j10za_3gQ.) Even so, I
trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your
faith.
Image
downloaded 1:17 PM, July 22, 2020 @
https://internationalforgiveness.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/1176903925-there_is_no_love_without_forgiveness.jpg
Washington,
DC
