Question: I need an answer...about forgiveness.

Question: I need an answer for the following question: On September 26 my pastor gave a message titled "The Power to Forgive." I detected a strong reference that as a Christian I had the power to forgive those who had sinned directly against God (i.e., blasphemy). I got the CD of the message and listened to it twice, which verified my concern.

His message was based on several scriptures: Matthew:9:2-8 [2] And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. [3] And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. [4] And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? [5] For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? [6] But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. [7] And he arose, and departed to his house. [8] But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.
See All..., Mark:2:1-22 [1] And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house. [2] And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them. [3] And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. [4] And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. [5] When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. [6] But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, [7] Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? [8] And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? [9] Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? [10] But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) [11] I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. [12] And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion. [13] And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them. [14] And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him. [15] And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. [16] And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? [17] When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. [18] And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not? [19] And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. [20] But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. [21] No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse. [22] And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.
See All... and Luke:5:17-26 [17] And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them. [18] And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him. [19] And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus. [20] And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. [21] And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? [22] But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts? [23] Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk? [24] But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house. [25] And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. [26] And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.
See All.......My main problem, however, was John:20:21-23 [21] Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. [22] And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: [23] Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
See All...: "And Jesus said unto them again, "Peace to you! As the father has sent me, I also send you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained."

Here are some statements that my pastor made: "The purpose of us having the Holy Spirit is to forgive sin. We have been given the authority to say: 'I wipe that from the record.' [And] Jesus said: You are my representation. You have my spirit to forgive sins." The problem is that while being completely convinced that we have the power and the Christian obligation to forgive one another's sin towards each other, (Colossians  3:12-15), does that power include the ability to forgiving sins against the Holy Spirit? This is one of the problems that I have had concerning the priest in the Catholic Church.

Response: We share your concerns. In Mark:2:1-22 [1] And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house. [2] And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them. [3] And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. [4] And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. [5] When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. [6] But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, [7] Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? [8] And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? [9] Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? [10] But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) [11] I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. [12] And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion. [13] And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them. [14] And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him. [15] And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. [16] And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? [17] When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. [18] And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not? [19] And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. [20] But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. [21] No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse. [22] And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.
See All... and the parallel accounts in Luke and Matthew, the Scriptures tells us: "Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?" (Mark:2:7Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?
See All...).

This is a rhetorical question with an obvious answer: Only God has the power to forgive sins. Sins are committed against the Lord. Though we may sin against others, our primary sin is against God first, who has revealed how we are to treat one another.

In Psalm:51:4Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
See All..., David wrote that although his sin was against another person, it was ultimately against God: "Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight." Since sin is against God—because we have broken His laws—then it can only be forgiven by Him. Our forgiving someone for sinning against us, which God commands, does nothing to remove that sin. The only full payment for sin is that which Christ accomplished on the Cross, with the result that: "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgression from us" (Psalm:103:12As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
See All...).

In Mark:2:8-10 [8] And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? [9] Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? [10] But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)
See All..., we read, "And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy)."

The deity of Jesus was often in question by Israel's religious leaders. Jesus bluntly told them that His act of healing was so "ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins" (v. 10). Jesus didn't deny that only God had the power to forgive sins. The point was that He, as the "Son of man," also had that power. Simply put, Jesus is God. These exchanges happen throughout the Gospels (John:10:30-39 [30] I and my Father are one. [31] Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. [32] Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? [33] The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. [34] Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? [35] If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; [36] Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? [37] If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. [38] But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him. [39] Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,
See All..., for example).

John:20:21-23 [21] Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. [22] And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: [23] Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
See All... is given as support for the idea that we can forgive sins. It is also used as a "proof text" for Catholics to support their teaching that Christ instituted the power for "priests" to "sacramentally forgive" sins in His stead.

One must read one's own presuppositions into these verses to support this idea or the idea that believers forgive sins. Furthermore, the Lord Jesus says nothing about passing such a supposed authority on to a select group of individuals like Catholic priests. In fact, the Scriptures are consistent in testimony that only God can forgive sins (Luke:5:21And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
See All...). Finally, our mission is to preach the gospel. The message of the gospel is what makes it possible for someone to have his sins forgiven. Our proclaiming it is the only way that we play a role in the forgiveness of sins.

The Lord Jesus assured them that "he [everyone] that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father" (John:14:12Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
See All...).

In conclusion, it is a great presumption to say that we have been given the power of God to forgive sins. Our proclamation of the gospel to the unsaved and their receiving the same is what leads them to repentance, which brings forgiveness from the God of the Universe against whom they have willfully sinned.