Katzpur
Not your average Mormon
Sorry for my delay in answering, Snowbear, but it looks like you got some good explanations from everyone else.Snowbear said:Why, Katz? Seems to me that of someone has repented and knows that God has washed them clean of their sin, they can honestly, from the heart, answer in the affirmative that they are morally clean when the bishop asks that question. Why should further confession to the church and "consequences" imposed by the church be necessary?
About all I can add to what has already been said is that people do occasionally tend to be even harder on themselves than God is. Sometimes, confessing one's sins to an ecclesiastical leader can lift a weight off a person's shoulders. It would be great if people could always be confident that God had forgiven them, but to have another trusted, respected human being there for them during the repentence process can be helpful. To hear the valued opinion of a Church leader can reassure them that God has put the transgression behind Him, may help the person let go of the past and move forward. When a person is struggling under the weight of guilt, he is not always able to see the situation as clearly as someone who can look at it more objectively.
James 5:16 says, "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed." I think that this is what we are doing when we confess serious sins to our bishops.
I'll just leave you with one final thought. According to the Doctrine and Covenants 58:42, "Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord remember them no more." To me, this is an incredible promise. The Bible may say something similar, but I wasn't able to find it there. I just love the idea that God will not only forgive me of my sins. He will actually forget them. I think that's so important for us to understand.