Hi, I have many questions, I think I can start with this: why people need to tell the bishop what’s gong on with your life, or if you have made a bad decision, or you have done something that is against the LDS standards? Don’t we have prayers as a way to communicate with God and Jesus Christ? Why can people just talk to them and truly repent? I have never agree with that in catholic church. But it seems like for LDS people is really important to confess to a person, to a human being just like themselves (with imperfections, and who knows, probably couple sins on their own). Talking to a bishop, therapist for guidance is great. But looking for forgiveness or following whatever this person (bishop) is telling to them to do, it’s hard for me to understand. I mean, who is he to tell you what to do, or what is wrong with what you did? Thank you so much, I’ve learned a lot through this website and I’m looking forward to learn more! Thanks!
One Response to “Hi, I have many questions, I think I can start with this: wh…”
Jorge Prado
2011-01-02 23:10:24
Through prayer, we can communicate with our Heavenly Father. He's anxious to guide and help us.
Hi friend. Let me start by clearing up some misconceptions you might have.
Mormons do not typically share random personal information, bad decisions, or minor sins with their bishops. If they need someone to talk to, the bishop is certainly available, but in general every-day sins are resolved directly with God through prayer. Only the most serious sins need to be confessed to a bishop. In fact, I suspect it is not uncommon for some Mormons to go their entire lives without needing to confess to their bishop.
It is certainly true that the bishop is a human being just like anyone else. This view of clergy is especially common in the LDS Church, since we do not have a separate "clergy class." The bishop is simply a volunteer who is called from the congregation to serve. Every few years, a new bishop, who can be just about any man in the congregation, is called to replace the old bishop. Since there is no professional clergy and the bishop can be any Joe from the congregation, he's definitely not seen as perfect.
A good bishop shouldn't simply use his own wisdom when counseling someone who comes to visit with him. A bishop is called by God to serve the congregation, and those who are called to the Lord's work are entitled to the Lord's help. Bishops are entitled to receive revelation that can benefit those they serve. In this sense, bishops are very different from councilors. Bishops are not trained to do many of the things a good councilor can do. On the other hand, bishops receive divine revelation and so can provide unique spiritual guidance.
A missionary hugging a bishop in Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.
One of the reasons the Lord requires the confession of serious sins is because in the case of a serious sin, like, for example, adultery, the objectivity of the sinner is often compromised, making true repentance/forgiveness difficult. For example, an adulterous husband may try to shift some of the responsibility for his serious sin onto the shoulders of his wife, claiming, for example, that she was not sufficiently affectionate. (As I'm sure you know, people often make the most ludicrous claims to avoid taking full responsibility for their own poor choices.) In this case, the bishop, acting under the direction of divine revelation, could help the adulterous husband accept full responsibility for his actions so he could apply Christ's atoning sacrifice in his life.
Perhaps more frequently, those who have committed a serious sin often have a hard time forgiving themselves, even when they have fully repented. Confessing their serious sin helps reassure them that the repentance process is complete, allowing them to feel the forgiving power of Christ's atonement in their lives.
The vast majority of sins can be confessed directly to God through prayer. It is only rarely necessary to confess sins to a bishop. Nevertheless, confession can be a great blessing and is an important step in the repentance process in some cases. The New Testament hints at the importance of confession when it teaches that the confession of sins was a part of true conversion in ancient times (Matthew 3:6).
Perhaps more frequently, those who have committed a serious sin often have a hard time forgiving themselves, even when they have fully repented. Confessing their serious sin helps reassure them that the repentance process is complete, allowing them to feel the forgiving power of Christ's atonement in their lives.
The vast majority of sins can be confessed directly to God through prayer. It is only rarely necessary to confess sins to a bishop. Nevertheless, confession can be a great blessing and is an important step in the repentance process in some cases. The New Testament hints at the importance of confession when it teaches that the confession of sins was a part of true conversion in ancient times (Matthew 3:6).