One among the authorities granted to the church by Lord Jesus Christ was the key authority of the church, which was the authority to remit (making free) or to retain (making to carry) the sins. When Lord Jesus Christ came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am? They replied, Some say John the Baptist: some, Elijah; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" (Matt. 16:13-15)(NKJV). And representing the apostles Simon Peter made the first Christian declaration saying, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Further, to this response, Jesus Christ discusses about His church with great clarity: "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona: for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I say also to you, That you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." (Matt. 16:17-19). We read these verses referring to the authority to bind and loose once again when the Lord mentions about the method of excommunicating a person who disobeys the church (Matt. 18:15-18).

When the Lord was resurrected, the same evening, He came into the house where His apostles were assembled with the doors locked, and stood in their midst. Showing Himself to them so, He sends them with a command:

"Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I 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 whosoever sins ye retain, they are retained" (John 20:21-23)(KJV). This is a commandment and authority that Lord Jesus Christ gave to His apostles after His resurrection (Acts 1:1). This is the key authority.

Apostles are authorized to remit (pardon) the sins of those who are repentant and remorseful of their sins and open for them the door to the kingdom of heaven and apostles are also authorized to close the door (retain the sins) to those who are unrepentant and remorseless of their sins. See also John 3:3,5. The Lord said, "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; If you retain the sins of any, they are retained." That is, the scriptures say that what is done by the apostles in the true church on earth, is also being done in heaven. Likewise Ap.Paul also said, "if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ" (2 Cor. 2:10)(NKJV).]

It is necessary for the people (believers) to openly confess their sins in the midst of the congregation or in front of an authorized minister of God and obtain remission of sins (Matt. 3:5-6; Acts 19:18; James 5:14-16; I John 1:7-10). Unless one openly confesses his sin that torments him with a true sense of remorse, he cannot free himself from that sin. There is no need of an intermediary for a soul to accept Jesus Christ as his savior. But to be saved, it is necessary to declare Jesus Christ, to openly confess sins and receive immersion baptism. Only then one will obtain remission of sins; he will be saved; his sin will be forgiven and he will be washed of his sin.

A person first obtains remission of sins and gets saved only through baptism. See Mark 16:16; Acts 2:37-38, 8:37-38, 22:16. When a person so baptized and saved commits sins, he must confess those sins and obtain remission of sins (John 20:23). Apostles are authorized to forgive (to loose) the sins of those who confess their sins to them and to make them carry (to bind) the sins that are not so confessed (John 20:23). He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy (Prov. 28:13)(NKJV).

Some Protestant Christians cry foul when they hear this doctrine and say that this is the doctrine of Roman Catholics and that we are attempting to reestablish the doctrine broken by Martin Luther, thus spreading false propaganda about Martin Luther and deceiving gullible Christians. Martin Luther opposed only the sale of indulgences and not the doctrine of confession as such nor did he oppose the authority to forgive sins. Martin Luther had very clearly mentioned in his precious book 'Catechism' that the authority to forgive sins is the key authority of the church. Those who read this book and those of the Lutheran church would know what we are talking about. But since Lutheran church also fell from faith, this authority could not be implemented nor the people could be taught on confession. Like the views of Dr.Goebbels (propaganda minister under Hitler's Nazi regime), that if a lie is preached for sufficient number of times, it will be accepted as truth, don't preach falsehood in the name of Martin Luther! Truth never dies, and what dies is not truth! We speak the truth. "But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing" (I Cor. 4:3).

Some people who claim to be walking in the light of scriptures interpret the verse John 20:23 that it refers to forgiving one another's sin. To excuse the errors of those who apologize is a Christian ethic which is mentioned in Matt. 18:21-35. On the other hand, what is given in John 20:23 is an authority to forgive sins. The Lord said, "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; If you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

Suppose a man goes to someone to apologize after doing a great wrong against him. If the affected person is not willing to forgive, the person who apologized may perhaps receive pardon from God. But in John 20:23, Lord Jesus says, "what is not forgiven by you will remain unforgiven" (The Lord Jesus says He too will not forgive). A few others like the scribes who killed Jesus, say "Who can forgive sins but God?". Yes, God the Father has authority to forgive sins. Jesus Christ also has authority to forgive sins. Apostles also are authorized to forgive sins; Jesus Christ also was an apostle (John 20:23; 2 Cor. 2:10; Heb. 3:1).

The true church has the authority (Matt. 18:15-20; I Cor. 5:3-13; 2 Cor. 2:7-10). Generally the Christian world abounds with false teachers. We think they are so, since they are not of the church. From a small time preacher to a renowned one, they all seem to preach various opinions such as: "Believe in Jesus Christ. Wherever you are, pray and confess your sins to Jesus directly. Your sins will be forgiven; you will be saved. You are already saved and the church is not necessary."

But, in all the four gospels of the New Testament, nowhere it is mentioned that any man had confessed his sins to Jesus and there is no mention made by any of the apostle or preacher advising anyone to confess his sins to Jesus. Only in one place, Zacchaeus declared what he intended to do, saying, "Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold" (Luke 19:8). That too is not a confession but just a good declaration made in the midst of the people.

Lord Jesus Christ is God. As He saw people, He said "Son! Daughter! Your sins are forgiven." "There is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him" (Heb. 4:13). It is only to the minister of God who may not know your sin that you need to confess. You must confess your sins to the apostle or to a true authorized minister of God. To tell lie to the minister of God is to tell lie to God Himself; To hide anything from the minister of God is to hide it from God Himself. Look at the story of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-10). Therefore by confessing and praying to Jesus just before going to bed or from anywhere you are, your sins are not going to be forgiven. It is only when you repent of your sins, believe in Lord Jesus Christ and accept Him, join the church and are baptized, that your sins will be forgiven; You will be washed of your sins in and out and you will be saved (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38, 22:16). Don't heed the men who forsake the scriptures, twist the word of God and breathe out their own opinions. See the word of God which alone is going to judge you. "He who rejects Me and does not receive My words, has that which judges him - the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day" (John 12:48). "the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin" (I John 1:7).

Therefore only the church that has this key authority is the true church. Even in Roman Catholic church, confession was started to be practiced as a ritual only from 13th century onwards and not from the beginning. We preach to you, on the basis of scriptures, the doctrine of the early church, as found in the Bible and which we have received from Lord Jesus Christ.

Are you in fellowship with the true church? Does your church have an apostle with authority to forgive sins? Are you freed and cleansed of all your sins? If you are not, we declare to you that from every thing from which you could not be freed through the ritualistic ordinances that you observe, you will be freed from all such things, by Lord Jesus Christ, through New Jerusalem Church (Acts 13:38-39).

The church has the authority to forgive sins which is the key authority. Jesus Christ alone gave this commandment (John 20:23; Acts 1:1).

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 16:19).