No Middle Man: The Freedom of Confessing Straight to Our Savior
A conversation with a sweet lady left me feeling sad. She asked, "I'm a Catholic Christian. Can I still go to heaven without confession to a priest?" I didn't realize some people might think this. Is this what they're taught in church?
The Bible clearly states that Jesus taught his disciples to pray straight to God, recognizing Him as their sole spiritual Father. Let's look at what the Bible says on this subject.
Who is worthy of being called "holy"? While humans are sometimes called "holy" as a reflection of God's nature, they're not inherently or absolutely holy like God. The Old and New Testaments support this:
1 Samuel 2:2 - "There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God."
Revelation 15:4 - "Who shall not reverence thee, oh Lord, and glorify thy name? For thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest."
We can see that pastors, priests, or laymen in the church aren't viewed as "holy" according to God's Word. Only one is worthy of being called "holy," and that is our Lord Jesus Christ.
Neither is any man capable or worthy of forgiving our sins. Human blood isn't sinless, and the perfect sacrifice required the purest, sinless blood of Jesus Christ. The Bible confirms this in:
*1 John 1:7 and Hebrews 9:22 - Jesus' blood is the only atonement for sin.
*Ephesians 1:7 - Redemption and justification come through Jesus' precious blood.
*Hebrews 9:22 - Without the shedding of blood, there's no forgiveness of sins.
I especially love 1 Peter 1:18-19 - "You were redeemed... not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect."
In Matthew 23:9, Jesus instructs us to "call no man your father upon the earth: for One is your Father, which is in heaven." This verse is part of Jesus' teaching to recognize God as our sole spiritual Father.
The Old Law couldn't:
1. Justify or set us right with God. Sin separates us from our Father in Heaven.
2. Remove guilt and condemnation. God doesn't categorize sin; all sin separates us from God until we confess to Jesus.
3. Make people holy. The Old Law couldn't transform people from within or make them holy and righteous.
Jesus' sacrifice provided a way for our sins to be forgiven and forgotten, giving us a brand new start and a new life in Christ. When Jesus washes away our sins, God the Father sees us as "justified" because of Christ's sacrifice, not ours.
What it means for us:
Forgiveness: Our sins are forgiven, not just temporarily, but permanently.
Reconciliation: Jesus reconciled us to God, bridging the gap sin created.
A New Life: Through faith in Jesus, we can experience a new life with a righteous standing before God and a clean conscience.
Direct Access to God: We have 24/7 direct, personal access to God, no longer needing intermediaries.
Hope: This is our hope of eternal life and a future with God, made possible by the resurrected life of Jesus.
The New Covenant offers complete forgiveness and the promised indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who sets us free and empowers us to love God from our heart. We're drawn to Christ out of deep love and gratitude for His sacrificial death.
When Jesus died on the cross, the curtain in the Temple was torn down, symbolizing that the way to God is now open for direct fellowship through Jesus. Every sinner can come straight to Jesus in prayer, asking for forgiveness, and He promises to hear and forgive.
"For there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5).
What a joy divine! What a privilege and honor! Loving and leaning on the everlasting arms of God! All of creation is powerless to create a divide between you and the love of God in Christ Jesus.
"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers... shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39).
Thank you, Jesus, for your great and precious sacrifice. I shall never forget it. And the best thing is, any who come to you are always welcome, as you have promised to never turn any away that come to you for salvation. Amen.
The Bible clearly states that Jesus taught his disciples to pray straight to God, recognizing Him as their sole spiritual Father. Let's look at what the Bible says on this subject.
Who is worthy of being called "holy"? While humans are sometimes called "holy" as a reflection of God's nature, they're not inherently or absolutely holy like God. The Old and New Testaments support this:
1 Samuel 2:2 - "There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God."
Revelation 15:4 - "Who shall not reverence thee, oh Lord, and glorify thy name? For thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest."
We can see that pastors, priests, or laymen in the church aren't viewed as "holy" according to God's Word. Only one is worthy of being called "holy," and that is our Lord Jesus Christ.
Neither is any man capable or worthy of forgiving our sins. Human blood isn't sinless, and the perfect sacrifice required the purest, sinless blood of Jesus Christ. The Bible confirms this in:
*1 John 1:7 and Hebrews 9:22 - Jesus' blood is the only atonement for sin.
*Ephesians 1:7 - Redemption and justification come through Jesus' precious blood.
*Hebrews 9:22 - Without the shedding of blood, there's no forgiveness of sins.
I especially love 1 Peter 1:18-19 - "You were redeemed... not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect."
In Matthew 23:9, Jesus instructs us to "call no man your father upon the earth: for One is your Father, which is in heaven." This verse is part of Jesus' teaching to recognize God as our sole spiritual Father.
The Old Law couldn't:
1. Justify or set us right with God. Sin separates us from our Father in Heaven.
2. Remove guilt and condemnation. God doesn't categorize sin; all sin separates us from God until we confess to Jesus.
3. Make people holy. The Old Law couldn't transform people from within or make them holy and righteous.
Jesus' sacrifice provided a way for our sins to be forgiven and forgotten, giving us a brand new start and a new life in Christ. When Jesus washes away our sins, God the Father sees us as "justified" because of Christ's sacrifice, not ours.
What it means for us:
Forgiveness: Our sins are forgiven, not just temporarily, but permanently.
Reconciliation: Jesus reconciled us to God, bridging the gap sin created.
A New Life: Through faith in Jesus, we can experience a new life with a righteous standing before God and a clean conscience.
Direct Access to God: We have 24/7 direct, personal access to God, no longer needing intermediaries.
Hope: This is our hope of eternal life and a future with God, made possible by the resurrected life of Jesus.
The New Covenant offers complete forgiveness and the promised indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who sets us free and empowers us to love God from our heart. We're drawn to Christ out of deep love and gratitude for His sacrificial death.
When Jesus died on the cross, the curtain in the Temple was torn down, symbolizing that the way to God is now open for direct fellowship through Jesus. Every sinner can come straight to Jesus in prayer, asking for forgiveness, and He promises to hear and forgive.
"For there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5).
What a joy divine! What a privilege and honor! Loving and leaning on the everlasting arms of God! All of creation is powerless to create a divide between you and the love of God in Christ Jesus.
"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers... shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39).
Thank you, Jesus, for your great and precious sacrifice. I shall never forget it. And the best thing is, any who come to you are always welcome, as you have promised to never turn any away that come to you for salvation. Amen.
