In every instance, the Bible speaks of confessing our sins to God or the
person one has sinned against, the confession must be done without others
present. On the other hand, confession pertaining to sins done to another
person are permitted to be done publicly when each person are members of the
church, and then only in front of the church body as witness that an effort
was made and rebuffed.
No where does the Bible teach confession of sins to a priest, or
intercessionary individual.
Hosea 5:15 "I will go and return to my place, till they
acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will
seek me early."
Ezra 10:11 "Now therefore make confession unto the LORD
God..."
Psalms 32:5 "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."
Proverbs 28:13 "He that covereth [hides] his sins shall not
prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy."
Matthew 18:15-19 "Moreover if thy brother shall trespass
against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he
shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear
thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or
three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to
hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church,
let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Verily I say unto
you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and
whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say
unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing
that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in
heaven."
Mark 2:7 " Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can
forgive sins but God only?"
Mark 11:25-26 "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have
ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive
you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father
which is in heaven forgive your trespasses."
1John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, [To God, not a priest] He
is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness."
I John 2:1 "And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the
Father, Jesus Christ the righteous..."
1 John 1:7-10 "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the
light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ
his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we
deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he
is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar,
and his word is not in us."
