What's with Catholicism & good works, anyway? Christianity is about salvation by grace, isn't it?

So, sure, everyone should do good works, but it should come from obedience to God's commands, and not as the way to get to heaven. The reason Christ died was to provide a way for us to get to heaven, by being able to go right to him with our sins, and not to a priest.

14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

I think that Catholics would probably say this is how they view the role of works in their salvation. Works will not save you, only the grace of God through the Atonement of Christ, but the Lord expects us to try to be as good as possible.

Sure, good works are great to do, WHF, but I'm fairly sure Catholics believe that good works are how to get to heaven.

The reason Christ died was to provide a way for us to get to heaven, by being able to go right to him with our sins, and not to a priest.

Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Remember what I wrote earlier. The priest isn't the one doing the forgiving. God is. You're confessing your sins to God with the "moral support" so to speak, of a priest.

That all makes sense, Didy. Thanks. Now I do have one more question: Why should I stay a Protestant if Catholicism pretty much sounds the same, but certain things are just "executed" differently.

I'm not dissing him! I'm just pointing out that I need not rely on anyone else for guidance before the Lord Jesus Christ.

That being said, I do acknowledge the saints for leading such glorious examples of Christlike living; I have a Saltire flag hanging in my room.

I would add to that that a pastor or a priest is in fact an authorized agent to speak on God's behalf. Why? Because, in a very real sense, we represent the Body of Christ (the Church itself). The authority to forgive sins is actually given to all Christians, but as those called specifically to care for God's flock, it is typically the pastor or priest who does the forgiving. But I think I've made this point before.

"Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us."

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16:19).

And here is the important one (because it is within the context of a discourse on confronting and forgiving sin: Matthew 18:15-20.

The Scriptures teach that we, the Church, are the Body of Christ. We are agents of His forgiveness here. It may have been popular belief among the rabbis of Jesus' day that people cannot forgive sins, but didn't Jesus prove them wrong by both forgiving and then healing a paralytic? Granted, Jesus, being God, had that right, which they did not recognize, but he has called us as his people to his ministry of reconciliation. Therefore, as his agents on earth, we are authorized, in fact commanded, to bring reconciliation and forgiveness into people's lives. So, yes, we Christians are to forgive sins, on account that he has given us his athority to do so.

Actually, that John 20:23 passage supports my position and seems to contradict yours. Thank you for bringing it up, though. I can't believe I left it out. But you're going to have to do some major big-time explaining to show my why it's NOT Jesus giving them authority to forgive sins, because that certainly seems to be what he's doing there.

Douglas, I can understand your concern. It seems fair that only God can forgive sins. However, what you seem to be missing is that God can, and in fact does, use people to carry out what he does on earth. When someone is baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, it may be a human agent doing it, but it is in fact God who is accomplishing it. The same is true when the Word of God is proclaimed. It may be a human agent who speaks, but it is God who uses it to reveal truth to those who hear.

And, yes, when sins are absolved, as shown in John 20:23, it may be a human agent speaking the words, but it is God himself who works forgiveness in those who receive them.

Woah. You're right. I still think, though, that this is referring to a sort of accountability thing, where we can lay our sins out in the open for other people, and they can give encouragement, and bring them before God in prayer. In that way, yes, humans can help in the bringing of sins before God.

I just want to add something here. As long as the human agent is not saying something like "I have forgiven your sins, they have been washed away" or something like that, it's alright.

But the human agent should encourage the sinner to take it up with God as well, as this is what needs to be done to be truly and completely forgiven.

For example, on Sunday morning, during the Confession part of our service, I say, "As a called servant of God's Word, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." I am in fact forgiving them, but I also identify that I do so as God's agent, not under my own right or power. Nevertheless, I do believe that real forgiveness takes place in the event.

This is all good stuff, but, I believe that it would be beneficial to the individual to go to God with their sins as well as this group forgiveness. This form of group forgiveness seems a bit like an easy out for some of the people in there.

I just want to add something here. As long as the human agent is not saying something like "I have forgiven your sins, they have been washed away" or something like that, it's alright. But the human agent should encourage the sinner to take it up with God as well, as this is what needs to be done to be truly and completely forgiven. You need to talk to God and apologize for your sin personally.