Often times, people ask God for forgiveness for the things they have done, and they go on living feeling the guilt. They know God is forgiving, but they can't believe they are forgiven. God forgives like no human, like nobody else. His mercy is un-matchable. But to not believe in His forgiveness is to not have strong faith in God. "Lord, help my unbelief"
Jesus told his apostles that whose sins you forgive are forgiven, thus creating the sacrament of Penance. Today in the Catholic Church, that same sacrament is celebrated, and Catholics know that when the priest says the words of absolution after the penitent has confessed his sins and made a sincere Act of Contrition, the penitent's sins are forgiven. And as crazy as it seems that anything can be forgiven that easily, they must leave with confidence and faith in God's divine mercy, knowing that they are forgiven, and determined not to commit those same sins again.
But to do all this and not believe you are forgiven is to commit the sin of doubt and not believing in God with strong faith.
Often times, people ask God for forgiveness for the things they have done, and they go on living feeling the guilt. They know God is forgiving, but they can't believe they are forgiven. God forgives like no human, like nobody else. His mercy is un-matchable. But to not believe in His forgiveness is to not have strong faith in God. "Lord, help my unbelief"
Jesus told his apostles that whose sins you forgive are forgiven, thus creating the sacrament of Penance. Today in the Catholic Church, that same sacrament is celebrated, and Catholics know that when the priest says the words of absolution after the penitent has confessed his sins and made a sincere Act of Contrition, the penitent's sins are forgiven. And as crazy as it seems that anything can be forgiven that easily, they must leave with confidence and faith in God's divine mercy, knowing that they are forgiven, and determined not to commit those same sins again.
But to do all this and not believe you are forgiven is to commit the sin of doubt and not believing in God with strong faith.