1. Only God Can Forgive Sins

The Bible is crystal clear: only God has the power to forgive sins. In Mark 2:7, when Jesus forgave a man’s sins, the scribes asked, “Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?” They were right about one thing—only God can forgive sins. Jesus, being God in the flesh, had that authority, but He never passed it on to priests or anyone else.

In Isaiah 43:25, God says, “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.” Forgiveness comes directly from God, not through a human intermediary like a priest. The Catholic Church’s claim that priests can forgive sins puts them in God’s place, which is a serious error.

2. Jesus Is Our Only Mediator

Catholic confession relies on the idea that a priest acts as a go-between for you and God. But the Bible says there’s only one mediator: Jesus Christ. 1 Timothy 2:5 states, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” No priest, no matter how holy, can take Jesus’ place.

Hebrews 4:14-16 tells us we have a High Priest in Jesus, who sympathizes with our weaknesses and invites us to “come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” We don’t need a priest to confess to—we can go straight to Jesus!

3. The Misuse of John 20:23

Catholics often point to John 20:23 to defend confession: “Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.” They say this gives priests the power to forgive sins. But let’s look at the context.

In John 20, Jesus is speaking to His disciples after His resurrection. He’s giving them the authority to preach the gospel, which includes telling people their sins are forgiven through faith in Christ. This verse isn’t about a priestly power to absolve sins but about the apostles’ role in spreading the message of salvation. When someone believes the gospel, their sins are forgiven by God, not by the apostles or their supposed successors.

The Catholic Church twists this verse to claim priests have divine authority, but the Bible never says the apostles passed this role to anyone else. As https://www.bible.ca/ points out, the idea of apostolic succession (priests inheriting the apostles’ authority) has no scriptural basis. It’s a man-made tradition.

4. Confession to God, Not Man

The Bible teaches us to confess our sins directly to God. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Who is “he”? God, not a priest. Psalm 32:5 also shows David confessing his sins to God: “I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.”

There’s no mention of confessing to a priest anywhere in Scripture. In fact, James 5:16 says, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.” This is about believers encouraging and praying for each other, not about a formal sacrament where a priest has special power.

5. Penance Is Unbiblical

Catholic confession includes penance—acts you do to “make up” for your sins. This contradicts the Bible’s teaching that salvation and forgiveness come by grace through faith, not works. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Jesus paid the full price for our sins on the cross. Hebrews 10:10-12 explains that Christ’s one sacrifice was enough: “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Adding penance suggests Jesus’ sacrifice wasn’t enough, which is a dangerous error.

6. The Historical Problem

The Catholic Church claims confession to priests has always been part of Christianity, but history tells a different story. According to https://www.bible.ca/, the practice of private confession to a priest didn’t become widespread until the Middle Ages, centuries after Christ. Early Christians confessed their sins to God or, in some cases, publicly to the church for serious sins, as seen in Acts 19:18. The formalized sacrament of confession, with priests granting absolution, is a later invention, not a biblical practice.

This shows that confession, as Catholics practice it, is rooted in tradition, not Scripture. Jesus warned against following man’s traditions over God’s Word in Mark 7:13: “Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered.”

7. The Danger of Trusting Priests

Putting priests in the role of forgiving sins can lead people to trust in men rather than God. The Bible warns against this. Jeremiah 17:5 says, “Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.” Priests are sinners just like everyone else (Romans 3:23). They don’t have special powers to forgive sins or mediate between you and God.

Worse, the confessional has been abused throughout history. Priests have sometimes used their position to manipulate or exploit people. While not all priests do this, the system itself sets up a dangerous dynamic by giving men authority that belongs only to God.

8. True Forgiveness Through Christ

The Bible offers a simple, beautiful truth: forgiveness is available to everyone through faith in Jesus Christ. Acts 4:12 says, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” When we repent and trust in Jesus, our sins are forgiven—no priest, no penance, no sacrament needed.

Romans 5:1 assures us, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” That’s the gospel: forgiveness and peace come through Christ alone, not through a church ritual.

Conclusion

The Catholic doctrine of confession doesn’t hold up to biblical scrutiny. Only God can forgive sins, Jesus is our only mediator, and forgiveness comes through faith, not works like penance. The practice of confessing to priests is a man-made tradition, not a command from God. As believers, we can go directly to God through Jesus, confess our sins, and receive His forgiveness freely.

If you’re questioning Catholic teachings, check out https://www.bible.ca/ for more resources on comparing Catholic doctrine to Scripture. Most importantly, read the King James Bible for yourself and trust God’s Word over man’s traditions.