Originally Posted by
digthemup
Mr Coon
"I balled my eyes out received cleansing, received council, and assurance that is still lasting."
Do you believe that when one earnestly with a contrite heart confesses to God our Father with the same sentiment as above is not forgiven unless the is a man telling him that he has been forgive?
You received counselling, which perhaps is what you needed most in that point of your life, though I believe that in prayer, the Holy Spirit would have given you guidance in finding that counseling, whether through other brethren or professional.
Some people need to 'hear it in words of others' to feel that they are forgiven, but as you said, one that has grown and is well rooted in Christ will feel their forgiveness in their soul and spirit.
"Sit in there and tell the man what is going on and you will be cleansed."
As you wrote this words, did it hit you what I have made in bold?? You confessed to a man, and it made you feel forgiven because of his 'words' and the acts of contrition he told you to perform; yet, when you earnestly from your heart, you confessed to Jesus, God in human form, Christ our Savior, who by His blood at the cross my sins and your sins have forever been forgiven?
Does a man truly have the power to forgive sins? Jesus was clear that only GOD can forgive sins, hence, Christ is the only one that can forgive sins.
Matthew 9: 6- " But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"
"the simple long answer is through all of the sacraments, faith, works, avoidance of mortal sin, mass weekly and holy days of obligation (I am not perfect at this), fasting on feasts requiring fasting, supporting the Church with help or alms."
Unless you have accepted Jesus Christ, who was sent by the Father as our only Savior, and the sacrifice by Christ at the cross, none of the above, which is part of the old law, will ever give you eternal life, which Paul made it clear in many of the epistles, but especially in Romans.
God is very clear on this matter in John 3: 16-18
"16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
John 14:6 - 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.