The Ministry of the Keys
I was talking to someone and I told him that our pastor forgives our sins. He told me only Jesus, who is God, can forgive sins. How and where can I tell him about the keys? Thank you!
You can point your friend to Matthew 18:15-20: “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
“Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
Also, John 20:21-23: “Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ And with that he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.’”
The pastor is announcing God’s forgiveness of sins to the assembled worshipers. Those worshipers can announce God’s forgiveness of sins to others in their everyday lives. It is certainly a blessing that God speaks the gospel message through people.