Why should Christians confess their sins—and does the Bible really support confessing to a priest or spiritual leader? In this powerful teaching, Sam Shamoun explains why confession is not a man-made Catholic or Orthodox invention, but a deeply biblical principle rooted in Scripture, the early church, and the way God designed the human soul.
Sam Shamoun begins by reminding believers that online teachers are not replacements for the Church. He is not a priest, bishop, pastor, or personal confessor. Christians need real spiritual accountability, mature leadership, the Church, confession, the Eucharist, and fellowship with the body of Christ. Sam Shamoun strongly warns believers not to treat online ministries as substitutes for the sacraments and shepherds appointed by God.
Sam Shamoun then explains why unconfessed sin eats people alive. Even the secular world admits that people need to “open up,” confess, and seek counseling. But Sam Shamoun shows how the world has replaced true spiritual confession with secular therapy, while Christ gives His people something greater: confession, forgiveness, healing, and the Eucharist—the medicine of immortality.
Using James 5:14–16, Hebrews 13:17, and the Didache, Sam Shamoun connects the biblical foundation for confessing sins to one another with the authority of elders, bishops, priests, and spiritual leaders who watch over souls. He explains why God appoints shepherds to pray, anoint, correct, guard, and guide the flock—and why Christians should not confess serious sins to just anyone, but to qualified spiritual leaders entrusted with the care of souls.
This teaching is a powerful answer to Protestant objections against confession, the priesthood, the Eucharist, church authority, and the ancient Christian faith preserved by the Catholic and Orthodox traditions.
⏱️ Timestamps
0:00 Sam Shamoun asks for prayer and speaks honestly about spiritual discipline
1:10 Why online teachers are not your priest, bishop, pastor, or counselor
2:21 Why Christians need the Church, confession, Eucharist, and fellowship
2:36 Is confessing your sins biblical?
3:03 Why unconfessed sin eats people alive
3:54 How the world replaced confession with secular counseling
5:24 The Eucharist as the medicine of immortality
6:20 Why priests and bishops must protect confession
7:10 Why you should not confess your sins to just anyone
8:24 James 5 and the biblical basis for confessing sins
9:46 Hebrews 13 and leaders who watch over your soul
11:41 The Didache, confession, and the early church
⚠️ Important Disclaimer
I am not Sam Shamoun. This channel edits and shares clips from his teachings with permission in order to make his content more accessible and help spread the Word of God. All credit for the teaching belongs to Sam Shamoun.
