St. George Co­­­­­­­­ptic Orthodox Church

Sacrament of Repentance and Confession

What the Bible teaches about confession

• Christ gave His apostles the authority to forgive sins. On the evening of His resurrection He breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them" (John 20:22-23). He had promised, "Whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 18:18).
• God asks us to confess, not to hide. In the Old Testament God told His people, "he shall confess that he has sinned" (Leviticus 5:5), and King David confessed to Nathan the prophet, "I have sinned against the Lord" (2 Samuel 12:13). "He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy" (Proverbs 28:13).
• Confession was practiced from the beginning. People confessed their sins to John the Baptist at the Jordan (Matthew 3:6), and the first believers "came confessing and telling their deeds" (Acts 19:18). St. James wrote, "Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed" (James 5:16).
• It is a return to the Father. Like the prodigal son, we come home and say, "Father, I have sinned" and are received with joy (Luke 15:18-24).
• It brings healing and peace. "I acknowledged my sin to You... and You forgave the iniquity of my sin" (Psalm 32:5). The priest is a physician of the soul who guides us as well as absolves us.
• It prepares us for Holy Communion. "Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup" (1 Corinthians 11:28).

What true repentance includes

1. A contrite heart and sorrow for sin.
2. A firm intention to change.
3. Faith in Christ and hope in His love to forgive.
4. Confession of sins before the priest, followed by the prayer of absolution.

Confession at St. George