The answers I most often received could be divided into four categorical questions:
1) Confession is just a conspiracy conceived by a medieval papacy to control the church.
2) Confession isn't scriptural. The Bible teaches that man need only go directly to God and ask forgiveness. Confessing to a man (priest) isn't necessary.
3) I don't know how to confess and I don't want to be embarrassed by not knowing what to do when I get to confession.
4) I really don't know what to confess once I'm in the confessional.
The first two of these responses are entirely false and will, in the course of this text, be clearly shown as such. The last two represent the change which has taken place in our fast paced society demonstrating that often the Church's traditional methods of teaching these things have become bypassed in our current society.
If confession was a conspiracy of the medieval papacy, then why is this rite for dispensing the sacrament of penance also practiced by the Eastern Orthodox churches who broke communion with the Roman Church in 1054, many years before the so called medieval conspiracy. Even churches such as the Neostorian, Syrian-Jocobite, and Coptic churches which were separated as early as 325 A.D. have this rite. These so called oriental rite churches have not been under the influence of the papacy since the earliest centuries of the Church. Obviously confession is much more ancient in origin than the middle ages, and developed without the influence of the Roman papacy.
First, let us understand that in the traditions of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, the sacrament is Penance, or the sacrament of correction, not the sacrament of confession or the sacrament of the confessional. Merely going through the rite of confession and grocery listing one's sins, does not fulfil the conditions of the sacrament of penance. Penance requires 1) True sorrow for having offended God by the sinful act. 2) Confession of the sin to both God and man. 3) Having the intent to try to go and sin no more. Without these three steps true penance has not been achieved, and absolutions would be ineffective.
Now back to the Scriptural case. Even in the case of Daniel chapter 9, this confession is one made by Daniel to God concerning the entire nation of Israel's sin of turning from His law and not the personal confession of Daniel. The fact that the prophet Daniel rendered this confession into writing, made it such that it was to be read by men, therefore was also a confession to man. The word "confess" means as it does throughout the whole Bible, the open acknowledgement of sin. God commands that we " confess" or openly acknowledge our sins.
After the first sin God asks Adam "Hast thou eaten of the tree?" and Eve, "What is this that thou hast done?" Why would God who knows all need to ask any such questions? He asked the question to elicit the confession, "I did eat." And the confession of Adam is followed by the promise of a Saviour through whom Adam and Eve will receive forgiveness of the sin they have repented and confessed. It is significant that no such question was asked of the serpent, confession could not help that which had already been judged and condemned by God.
Cain after murdering Abel, is questioned by God. Cain refuses to confess his sin and answers instead, "Am I my brothers keeper?" Cain refused to confess the sin of killing his brother, the first such instance of a man refusing to confess his sins, and nowhere in the Bible is there any suggestion that Cain was forgiven.
In the story of Joseph in the 42nd chapter of Genesis, a man chosen of God, Joseph, treats his brothers in a manner evidently designed to lead them to repentance and confession, and it does not fail. Openly before one another and before Joseph, who stands to them at the moment in the place of God, Joseph's brothers make their confession with a detail that dwells on the aggravating circumstances of their sin. "We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear." (Gen 42:21)
In Exodus, Pharaoh has a short lived repentance which leads him to confess to Moses and Aaron, "I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you. Now, therefore, forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and entreat the Lord your God that he may take away from me this death only." (Exodus 10:16-17)
At this point in the Old Testament, God had not yet created a specific ministry, therefore no confession before a minister of God. God later in the wilderness ordained a covenanted ministry as a part of the Church of the Old Covenant. In the Church of the Old Covenant He makes a law of regular confession to a priest.
The sinner brought his offering to the priest at the door of the tabernacle. There the sinner laid his hands upon the head of the victim (lamb, calf, goat, etc.) and confessed his sin. When he had made his confession the victim was slain and the sinner was sprinkled with its blood, a significant type of promise of the sprinkling with the Precious Blood of Christ in the sacrament of penance. The priest who performed the sacrifice was said to "make atonement" or to "make reconciliation" for the sin.
The plague of the fiery serpents (Num. 21) leads the Israelites to repent and therefore confess to man and God, their sin of murmuring. "We have sinned against the Lord and against thee." And this confession is followed by Moses's prayer for their pardon, and God's provision of a remedy given through Moses.
In the Old Testament when a sin was committed which was too grave to accept a sin offering for, there is a confession and forgiveness. In the 7th Chapter of Joshua, Achan who is guilty of sacrilege and sentenced to death for his offense is told by Joshua, "My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession unto Him; and tell me now what thou hast done." (Joshua 7:19). Achan confesses his sin and takes his penance of death. And who shall doubt that God accepted his contrition, although no reconciliation was possible under the old law, apart from the sinner's death?
Another case is that of king David, confessing his sin to the prophet Nathan. This case is notable for the fact that here alone in the Old Testament is a minister of God allowed to absolve a sin. Most definitely, in the name of God, the prophet Nathan proclaims to the penitent, David, after his confession, "The Lord hath put away thy sin." (2Sam. 12:13)
King Saul, although his penance was short lived, offers another case of oral confession to a minister of God. "Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words." (1Sam. 15:24)
In second King's Chapter 5, Gehazi is asked by Elisha, "Whence comest thou? in order that he might repent and confess his sin. But, Gehazi, as did Cain, refused to confess and answered, "Thy servant went no whither." And instead of receiving a provision of pardon for the sin , receives an immediate sentence of condemnation and punishment.
In 2 Chronicles 30:22 the confession of the Levites is mentioned in Hezekiah's Passover. In Ezra 10:11-12, Ezra exhorts the people who sinned by taking strange wives during the captivity to confess their sin. there is little doubt that these confessions, like the other confessions in the Sacred Scriptures were made openly to God and man.
Up until the coming of Christ, God's law of confession, the acknowledgement by the sinner of his sin before both God and man, stood clear. Revelation and the experience of the people of Israel alike pointed to the conclusion stated in Proverbs; "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but who so confesseth and forsaketh them shall find mercy." (Prov. 28:13)
The New Testament period begins with the ministry of John the Baptist who was sent to prepare the way for the Saviour by preaching repentance. Naturally and necessarily, this repentance involved confession. (Mk. 1:5) Not the secret acknowledgement to God alone of the protestant doctrine, or as Proverbs refers to it, "He that covereth his sins..."; but, the confession which God commands, the confession to both God and man. John the Baptist heard the confessions of thousands, gave them counsel according to their needs, baptized them in the Jordan, and points them to another, coming after him, "Who taketh away the sins of the world."
It is interesting that one group alone refused to go to confession at the invitation of John the Baptist, and that is the Pharisees, who were the chief persecutors of Christ. (Luke 7:30)
Christ opened His ministry with a like call to repentance. Scripture reveals only here and there His dealings with individuals, but it does reveal Him in one conversation with a sinner in which He set Himself to bring her sins clearly before her. Christ accused the Samaritan woman, that she might be led to accuse herself, to make a contrite confession of her sins. (John 4)
Who can doubt that, ministering to a people familiar with confession to God and man, Our Lord, to whom so many sinners were so wonderfully attracted, heard the confessions of many who came to Him, burdened with the pain of sin and seeking to find from Him pardon and peace? Sinners had gone in the thousands to confess to John the Baptist, and had been pointed by him to a greater one who would take away the sins of the world. If it is said that there is no record to justify this conclusion, then I reply that there is no record either of private confession to God alone. Remember the Apostle John wrote in his Gospel, "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written everyone, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written." (John 21:25) Therefore much of Christian doctrine and practice is dependent upon the teachings of the Apostles who were with Christ and observed these things and taught them carefully to their successors. This is sacred tradition, which does not contradict scripture and teaches the necessity of confession to both God and man. Protestants cannot make such a claim to support their doctrine of secret acknowledgement to God alone, as there are no scriptures to support this nor have they any sacred tradition. Protestants came into existence only in the 17th Century, and had no apostolic tradition. What more, they by their own doctrine reject any form of tradition, and claim to rely solely upon scripture. Which is unique, in that scripture is sacred tradition which was at a later date rendered into writing. Yet, scripture, clearly does not teach their doctrine of secret acknowledgement to God alone. We Christians would never know that Christ also had those who came to Him as disciples baptized, except for just two verses in St. John's Gospel. (John 4:1-2)
the acts of the apostles, recording the seeding of the Church in various places, is naturally more concerned with the admission of members by baptism, and their outward organization, than with the reconciliation of individuals who, after baptism, had fallen away into sin. But, there was one case in which some of the Christians at the Church at Ephesus had fallen into error. These Christians as a result of their penitence "came and confessed and showed their deeds" (Acts 19:18) This action shows plainly that in the Apostolic age of the Church it was natural for those burdened with sin to confess to those whom the Lord had given authority to absolve sins in His name.
In the Epistles, there is little mention of confession of any kind, the few references to it make it very clear that the confession of a sinner is to be made to man as well as God. St. James writing directions for time of sickness, bids Christians, "Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another." (James 5:14-16). As does the Apostle John in 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." It is clear that confession and confession to both God and man is the way of the early Christian Church.
It will be said that there are few texts to justify the practice of confession as understood by Christ's Holy, Catholic, Orthodox, and Apostolic Church. My answer is that there aren't even a few in support of confession as understood by protestants. Furthermore, in light of the protestant contention that it is wrong to confess to a priest, who is , after all, but man, these texts are all that is needed. It cannot be wrong to do what God in His Sacred Scripture has taught men to do. It was not Satan who moved the thousands to confess their sins to John the Baptist; and it was not the Holy Spirit who kept the Pharisees from confessing. Thus, today Christ's Church still teaches--Repent, confess. The Holy spirit pleads with men to receive the message and obey it. The voice that spreads confusion, doubt, and dissuades men not to repent and confess is not His: it is that of His enemy.
Denied the position that it is wrong to confess to man, a position impossible for those who believe the Bible to be the Divinely inspired word of God, the other common protestant objection is raised that they cannot believe in the power of the priest to absolve. In the Old Testament Nathan was given authority to absolve David. This alone should be proof enough. But, the protestant doubts clings to the scripture, "Who can forgive sins, but God alone?" (Luke 5:18) Yet, this is self defeating. These words are not spoken by Our Lord or his disciples, but by the Pharisees who refused to repent and confess their sins. The Pharisees spoke these words to Our Lord when He absolved the man sick of palsy. And Our Lord answered that he claimed to absolve not as God, but as the Son of Man. He vindicated his claim by healing the sick man both in body and soul. Which caused the multitude to praise God "which had given such power unto men. "(Matt 9:5)
Christ claimed to exercise His power by an authority as one sent by the Father. He conveyed to his first ministers of the new covenant in explicit and unequivocal terms, "As My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you. Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained."(John 20:21-23) Plainly Christ was sent by the Father with the poser to forgive and retain sins and equally plainly, He gives the same powers to His Apostles. The power, moreover, to transmit to others, their successor Bishops and presbyters (elders or priests), a like authority and power, since Our Lord Himself was sent with this power. When a priest is ordained by a Bishop, who is a successor bishop of the apostles, he clearly gives to the new priest the authority to forgive and retain sins. This authority given by God to man is unmistakably clear, and seems perverse to attempt to deny it.
Yet, I have heard two such arguments, one being that this authority given by Christ to the apostles is only mentioned in the Gospel of John and that the so called synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke don't relate this important function. the argument states that since only one Gospel states this, that it must not be so.
To believe this is to deny that the scripture is the divinely inspired word of God. Only two Gospels were attributed to the Apostles as their authors, that of Matthew and John. Yet most biblical scholars agree that these books were more likely rendered into writing by the disciples of these Apostles, and that only Luke actually authored his Gospel. St. Matthews was believed to have been largely derived from the "M" document, which there was some historical references to in ancient times, but has been lost. It was reported to have been a collection of the sayings of Jesus as written down by St. Matthew. The Gospels of Luke and Mark were believed to also have drawn heavily from this "M" document, thus their synoptic (from a single view) character. The Gospel of John is credited with being the last of the Gospels rendered from oral tradition into writing. It is believed to have been compiled by one of St. John's disciples, from the teachings of St. John. This Gospel was not written to the same audience as the other three, but to an already existing church. It addressed many questions which had already come to the surface in the new Church, and St. John being the last of the Apostles to die, lived long enough to address these questions not addressed by the other Gospels. These different episodes in the Life of Christ was to give a fuller view of the ministry of Christ, and to address the questions of the early churches, such as the real presence of the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist, and the authority to forgive and retain sins given to the Apostles and their successors.
The second argument was that Christ gave His apostles the authority to forgive sins, but not to hear confessions. I answer that the Gospel says Christ gave the authority to His apostles to forgive and retain sins. If the apostles had the authority to retain or refuse to forgive sins, what was the purpose, unless it was for the purpose to bring a sinner to real repentance or to protect the Church from some grievous sinner who threatened to spread his disease to others. I can see how the apostles could forgive sins without hearing confessions, by giving some sort of general absolution; but, how can they refuse to forgive a sin unless they know what it is that they are refusing to forgive.
If a man is only to make a secret confession unto God and not before God and man (priest/bishop) how could the apostles and their successors refuse to forgive the sin, an authority Christ clearly gave them, they knew nothing about? The only way an apostle could decide whether to forgive or retain a sin would be to hear from the sinner what that sin was.
Thus, it is obvious from Holy Scripture that confession before a man/priest is God's plan and commandment. That confession is required as a part of a sinner's repentance; God did give authority to man in the form of His apostles and successor bishops to forgive sins, and that confession in the Christian Church is apostolic in origin and not some middle ages papal conspiracy.
One last argument merits mention. I have many times heard a protestant friend or minister refer to St. James as the Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Jerusalem, or some other protestant church. If this is so they why do St. James's alleged protest successors fail to follow his apostolic admonitions? Why can they show no historic existence of their group before the 17th century? Why do so many of their doctrines not appear in the history of the Christian Church until after the 17th Century protestant reformation? Why do their doctrines such as insubstantiation, private confession to God alone, and non sacramental character of the Church all trace back to Calvin, and not the Apostles? Finally, such ministers and laity would get quite an argument out of the Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, who can historically show he is the successor to St. James, and that he adheres to the admonitions of St. James holding no doctrine that was not held by the apostolic church.
There are several forms of confession depending upon one's rite. Both rites involve essentially the same thing, preparation by prayer and examina- tion of conscience, confessing the sins and receiving absolution. Usually formulas for using the rite of confession are found in missals, prayer books, cards available in the church, etc. If you cannot easily find one, feel free to ask the pastor for such, he should be most willing to provide you with one or direct you to a source for one. The Orthodox Eastern rite has primarily one form of the sacrament, it is very easily found in a number of prayer books, such as A Pocket Prayer Book for Orthodox Christians available from the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America in Englewood, New Jersey. This handy prayer book has an excellent examination of conscience, daily prayers and the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, is pocket sized and costs in the neighborhood of $1.25 per copy. The western rite formula will vary slightly with the western jurisdiction. Those coming from Old Catholic backgrounds will tend to use older Roman formulas usually available in most old missals. The Orthodox Catholic Church in America, 2450 N. 50th St., Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53210 publishes a short booklet on the formula of the sacrament of penance based on the older Roman rite corrected for Orthodox usage, information on obtaining such can be received from the above address. I am not sure which rite the Western Orthodox jurisdiction which follows the St. Germain rite uses, but information can be obtained by writing Fr. Daniel at 806 South Euclid St., Fullerton, California 92632, or contacting him on the Axios BBS electronic bulletin board at (714) 526-2387 if you have received this text on a download on a personal computer.
The essential steps of a good confession are:
1) Pray: Ask God to help you make a good confession.
2) Examination of conscience: There are many forms for this. The one in the Antiochian prayer book mentioned above is excellent, a shorter one is available in the Catechism of the Orthodox Catholic Church of America, and others are available in missals, service books, and prayer books available at most Orthodox Churches. An Examination of conscience is simply asking yourself questions which help you recall your sins. If you have trouble remembering your sins between the time of your act of examination of conscience and the time you confess, then take a small note pad and make a few brief notes during your examination of conscience, nothing in detail, just a few words which will help you remember, then take your notes with you to confession. This practice has been used by religious orders for centuries as well as by Christians in mission areas where there is an absence of a resident priest and it may be many months between times when confession is available.
Examination of conscience is something which all Christians should do regularly. Doing this daily is most beneficial as it helps make you aware of the many ways in which each of us sins almost daily, and by thus being more aware of our sins, we are able to better resist future temptations to sin.
3) An act of contrition: a prayer to God acknowledging that you are truly sorry for your sins and desire to mend your ways and try to sin no more. This prayer also contains a statement of intention to confess your sins at the first opportunity. Unless you are really sorry for the sins you have com- mitted either out of your love for Christ (contrition) or fear of punishment of hell (attrition), and truly desire to mend your ways and try hard to live as Christ wants you to live your sins cannot be forgiven. Because as did Cain, you do not admit you did wrong and try to cover the sins you have committed. Every Christian should make an act of contrition after each examination of conscience. For by this statement that we are sorry for what we have done to offend God and our true intent to both confess our sins at the first opportunity, and desire to mend our ways, we protect ourselves in the event that we should meet with sudden unexpected death. Christ knowing our intent to seek forgiveness according to His will and law will be merciful unto us even though we have been unable to finish the process.
It is very important that each Christian realize that at any time we have committed a grove, major, serious sin, such as murder, blasphemy, sacrilege, theft, or any other sin which we did know was wrong, but still went ahead and deliberately broke God's law, in spite of the fact we were well aware that it was offensive to God at the time we committed the offense, then we should not wait until the next regular scheduled parish confession, but make an appoint- ment with a priest to make our confession immediately, so that we, while tightly in Satan's grasp, do not fall further away from the grace and way of Christ. The majority of people who have fallen away from the faith have done so because they failed to make proper and regular use of confession and the sacrament of penance, and Satan has led them farther and farther away from the truth of Christ. Satan leads them so far away that they become so blinded by his lies that they can no longer see the truth of Christ.
4) The confession: Go to the place, whether it is before the altar, or in a confessional, or other place designated by the Church of priest, and confess according to the rite you belong to. Even if you don't know the ritual, go. No priest will turn away a true penitent who comes to be relieved of the burden of guilt and anguish on their soul because of sin. If you don't know anything else to say, just say, "I am sorry for all my sins." then tell the priest what these sins are. If it is your first confession, or it has been a long time since you last went to confession, and you are feeling a little lost, then tell the priest this, and he will assist you by asking you ques- tions and helping you examine your conscience. Another type of confession is a general confession, this is especially useful to those penitents who have been a long time away from the sacrament, or who desire to go back and confess again the sins of their past life for which they are truly sorry, or may have overlooked or hidden back. In this case let the priest know that this is a general confession, ask for his help in making it, and he will assist you by asking questions to help you examine your conscience. The priest does not stand in confession as an audience to applaud your ritular performance, he stands there as a physician and guide, to assist you in cleansing your soul.
If you have any doubts about the faith or teachings of the Church, or don't understand some teaching of the Church, you should tell the priest this so he may instruct you or advise you.
If you have any personal or spiritual problems you would like to discuss with the priest, then it is also good to cover these. But, be aware that not all personal problems can be adequately covered in confession, and the priest may have to ask you to contact him at another time or to contact another priest outside confession for further advisement on these things.
Depending on rite, the priest will now give you some counsel and advise on how you might go about avoiding the occasion to commit these same sins again. He may suggest some spiritual reading or spiritual exercises to help strengthen your souls desire to avoid temptation in the future. Penance is more usually given in the Western rite than the Eastern, and is simply some prayers or spiritual exercises to assist you in walking the right path. It may require you to make restitution if you have taken or damaged the property of others, this is a requirement before absolution for such sins can be considered effective. If you are given a penance and do not understand it, or for some sound reason cannot perform it, then tell the priest this and ask for another penance, or ask questions about what you don't understand. The priest may ask you to say an act of contrition, even if you've said one before going to confession, you should do this again as another demonstration of your sorrow for your sins.
Finally the priest will give you absolution. this may take any one of several forms depending upon your rite. If the priest assigned you prayers for penance, you should, if possible, say these in the church before leaving. Be assured that in making a good confession you have restored life and grace to your soul and you have well pleased God.
We all have sins to confess, but Satan would desire us to believe otherwise, so he gives many temptation to think we have not sinned or to become lax and not remember them. Here a good prayer to God asking for strength and guidance to make a good confession and a sincere examination of conscience is the best weapon against Satan's lies. Don't be afraid. The priest is there to help you, and as Christ's representative he wants you to please God and make a good confession.
Remember, you have but one soul. When you sin, you bring death to the grace on your soul. Without the wedding garment of grace you will have no place in the wedding feast when Christ is united with his bride the Church. (Matt 22:1-14)
When your soul looses grace because of sin the only way to restore it is to:
1) Acknowledge (confess) your sin to both God and man (priest).
2) Be truly sorry you have sinned.
3) Be truly desirous of mending your ways and trying to live the life Christ wants you to, obeying His laws and commandments and those of His Church.
4) Confessing your sin to one who has authority in the name of Christ to absolve. (Bishops and Priests)
"For the Son of Man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." (Luke 9:56)
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