This is Socialism,
whether its National Socialism (Nazism/Fascist) or Marxist Globalist Socialism (Communist).
Two sides to the same coin.
Doesn't say anything about priests.
It says "he" who is Christ.
Anyone coming to Christ or in Christ can confess their sins when repenting before Him.
By following Christ,
one is in the Flock.
You have twisted it.
You are criticizing a mote with a beam in your own eye.
To follow Christ,
one must follow His Doctrine,
and that is the Doctrine the Prophets and the Apostles taught,
and wrote.
The Catechism is of the Antichrist,
the "alter christos".
Confession of sin is very simple.
One is convicted by the Holy Ghost,
having been granted repentance by God,
and his grief will cry out to God for mercy,
at which point God,
in Christ,
will forgive him.
No Prophet or Apostle taught apostolic succession.
I have studied the "issue" extensively.
Having sought the Truth by the Doctrine of the Prophets and the Apostles,
I was made to see the lies of your Antichrist you are following.
Repent,
or you will suffer eternal punishment in the Lake of Fire.
But just a few chapters later (Chapter 18),
Christ was telling all His disciple they had the authority to bind and to loose.
I will not ignore His teaching,
and I fully embrace what He said in those verses,
as you should.
Funny how you ignore that,
selectively.
There was no such thing as priests separated from a laity.
You ignore Peter's words who stated all those in Christ are priests and kings.
Nor is there such a thing as "church fathers".
That's an appellation added later.
In fact,
I believe Christ's words,
Call no man "father"
(in context of a religious figure,
not a natural father with children).
They weren't priests separated from a laity.
"Disciples" are all those in Christ.
Don't you know that?
Being in Christ is being in His Congregation.
That is not separated.
That is a spiritual marriage.
2000 years?
Peter taught that 2000 years ago.
The Papacy decided to change it.
The "church" of which you speak however,
is a product of the Great Falling Away,
as promised by Paul in 2 Thes. 2.
The Congregation in the days of the Apostles would never recognize the perverted entity you claim is "2000" years old.
Claiming it,
doesn't make it so.
One merely need compare it to what those Apostles taught,
who also taught based on the Prophets,
to ensure one were following the Doctrine of Christ.
The doctrine of your apostate church looks nothing like it.
That's why it needs a three legged stool.
The Doctrine of the Prophets and the Apostles isn't sufficient for apostates.
Again,
by following the Doctrine of the Prophets and the Apostles,
one is following that of Christ.
Therefore,
that authority is Christ,
the Prophets,
and the Apostles.
They certainly never taught one needed "authority" to speak their Doctrine.
In fact,
Christ commanded all His disciples to preach the Gospel unto all the nations.
A false prophet would be one teaching something the Prophets and the Apostles never taught.
No,
the Catholic church didn't give it.
The Prophets,
the Apostles,
and Christ gave it.
The Galatians were leaving that Doctrine by becoming Jews.
It's no game.