Through Christ's name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins - Acts 10:43.

FORGIVENESS

Since sin is the breaking of the God's Law, God alone can forgive sin. After David had committed a serious sin he found peace after he confessed to God. 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord, and You forgave my sin' (Psalm 32:5).

Human tradition has distorted the teaching of the Bible. The catholic priests claim the power to judge sinners and give or withhold absolution (a judicial sentence of forgiveness). Catholics have been taught that Jesus himself instituted the sacrament of penance, when he told the apostles: 'If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained' (John 20:23).

It is clear that Jesus gave them power to forgive. But we must ask this question: what kind of power did Jesus give them? Did he make them judges to give judicial sentences? Or did he commission them to forgive by proclaiming the Gospel? The answer is clear if we read the Acts of the Apostles and the rest of the New Testament.

There is no evidence in the Bible that the apostles heard confessions or gave absolution. Rather they preached the Gospel and urged people to repent and believe in Jesus to obtain forgiveness. The apostle Peter preached, 'To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins' (Acts 10:43); and the apostle Paul preached, 'Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins, and by Him everyone who believes is justified' (Acts 13:38,39). The apostles fulfilled their commission by preaching the Gospel. That is how they understood Christ and forgave sins.

If you desire God's forgiveness for your sin, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.

Christians should confess their sins. However they should not confess to a Catholic priest. Confession to a priest is a human invention that was unknown for hundreds of years after Christ. Jesus taught us plainly that we should pray to the Father, 'Our Father in heaven...forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors' (Matthew 6:9,12).

There is another critical mistake in Catholic religion about forgiveness. The Church teaches that God's forgiveness is not perfect. After a person is forgiven he should still perform acts of penance to make satisfaction for his sins. Even after death, most Catholics expect to undergo purification in the fire of Purgatory.

The Bible assures the believers that 'your sins are forgiven for His name's sake' and 'the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin' (1 John 2:12; 1:7). They need not make satisfaction for the sins that Christ took upon himself, and they need not go to purgatory whose sins were cleansed by his blood.

Christians trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness. Knowing that they are forgiven, they live gratefully to the glory of the One who showed them such mercy.