THE CHURCH BASES ITS DOCTRINE ON CONFESSION TO A PRIEST ON TWO VERSES:

matt 16:19 will give you keys --- whatever you bind --- shall be bound in heaven --- whatever you loose --- shall be loosed in heaven

jn 20:23 if you forgive sins of any --- they have been forgiven --- if you retain sins of any --- they have been retained

JN 20:23:

--- SIN IS FORGIVEN OR RETAINED DEPENDING ON HOW ONE REACTS TO THE GOSPEL

--- CHRIST WAS ORDERING APOSTLES TO PROCLAIM GOSPEL --- OFFERING FORGIVENESS OR CONDEMNATION TO THOSE WHO WERE TO HEAR

lk 24:47 repentance for forgiveness --- should be proclaimed historical context is EXACTLY THAT OF jn 20:23 --- compare jn 20:19-28 to lk 24:36-44

act 10:43 Peter himself refers to same scene:

--- in v41 he describes scene of jn 20:19-28 and lk 24:36-44

--- in v42 apostles were ordered to preach and testify --- whoever believes in his name receives forgiveness of sin

act 13:38-39 Paul --- through Him forgiveness of sin is proclaimed to you --- everyone who believes is freed from all they could not be freed from --- by law

NEW TESTAMENT DOES NOT RECORD ANY INCIDENT OF AN APOSTLE HEARING CONFESSION --- BUT IT REPETITIVELY RECORDS APOSTLES PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL FOR FORGIVENESS OF SIN AND SALVATION !!!

--- doctrine of confession only declared during 4th Lateran Council in 1215 --- by pope Innocent III

--- before this nothing in writings of church fathers --- check it out !!! --- augustine, origen, nestorious, tertullian, jerome, chrysostom, athanasius --- no reference whatever to confession

--- doctrine probably drawn from testimonies before local church groups --- to restore offenders --- to inspire others

testimonies still practiced today --- but in no sane way can they be construed as confession --- as taught by the church today

MATT 16:19

--- LOOSING AND BINDING DOES NOT REFER TO FORGIVNESS OF SIN

--- IT REFERS TO DISCIPLINARY ACTION IN A LOCAL CHURCH

matt 18:15-17 full context --- confront the erring brother

take 2 or 3 witnesses

take him before the church

then loose / bind

VERY CLEARLY --- DISCIPLINARY ACTION !!!

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH ABOUT CONFESSION?

1 jn 1:9 confession TO GOD --- not to any man

lk 18:12 tax collector and pharisee --- God be merciful to me a sinner --- SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO GOD

1 tim 2:5 one God --- ONE MEDIATOR --- CHRIST

why do we need to go through any man?

1 jn 2:1 if we sin --- we have AN ADVOCATE IN CHRIST

if we have Christ mediating --- why do we need any man?

mk 2:5-10 who can forgive sin but GOD ALONE?