The Christian confesses sin directly to God Himself, as Jesus is our Hig Priest, not any here to confess to get absolution from!
John 20
21So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23“If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”
The church is GOD BREATHED, More holy then scriptures, It wrote the scriptures, chose the scriptures. It is the Body of Christ, Bride of Christ.
The problem is you have NO FAITH IN GOD.
PROVERBS 3
5Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
YOU believe your sense of reliability stands a chance against GOD.
God shows up and says I'm going to move your car.
BOB: Where is your tow truck?
God: here take this spoon.
BOB: are you kidding me!?
In other words you demand your expectations of reliability be met and toss God aside.
Giant comes, we need to beat him up. God says don't worry I will beat up the giant!
BOB: Where is your tank and 50cal machine gun?
God: here take this child
BOB: are you kidding me!?
We need to spread the gospel, keep Christian teaching intact and most accurate as possible, to survive through the ages till the last day. God says don't worry I got the perfect tool!
BOB: where is your bible, law book, instruction book, the how to video?
GOD: Here take this church use bread and wine.
BOB: are you kidding me!?
The bread and wine is the best example of the reformation's failure.
We talk to each other, we use communication, it comes in different forms. Some is more reliable then others. They can talk to you, write an email, send you a letter, call on telephone, smoke signals, use various signs and symbols.
The methods are various and it appears some are more RELIABLE then others. I can call you on phone everyday deliver same message, sign language everyday, show a video everyday, stack rocks, use rubber bands, symbolism ect.
Jesus Christ WROTE SCRIPTURE. His book is THE CHURCH, BREAD is his paper, WINE is his ink. And he wants you to send his message same way you receive it.
1 Corinthians 11
23For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
Luke 22
19And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
Jesus' on going command is still alive. The reason the apostles do communion is because communion says so. The reason we do communion is because communion says so.
Paul is not quoting scripture, he is quoting Jesus Christ.
Now if you wanted to send a message down through the ages for ever and ever. A book sounds like a great idea, a video not bad, a cartoon, a painting, a statue, a monument.
God: I will keep the entire Gospel message through the ages forever intact.
BOB: great, Were is your book, where is your video?
God: take this all of you and eat it this is my body, drink this this is my blood, DO THIS in memory of me.
BOB: are you kidding me?
The ONE THING JESUS wrote was thrown in the garbage. Of ALL scripture what Jesus wrote himself ought to be the first thing the very constitution of Christianity.
But pride can't handle the humble method Jesus chose. Its not to Bob's standard of ink and paper. Even blind people and illiterate people can read the message Jesus wrote.
I check with communion to make sure anything in the bible is right. Communion makes the bible official.
Others check the bible to make sure communion is right, BACKWARDS. They say the bible makes communion official.
The minute you "check" the bible, your trying to go over God's head, your already out of bounds of "DO THIS" command your off into "DO THAT".