Penance: Meaning, Practice, and Biblical Perspective

Penance can be self-imposed, undertaken voluntarily as an act of devotion or a menial task to express sorrow for sin. More formally, it is central to the sacramental system of the Roman Catholic Church, where after confession of sin to a priest, a penance is assigned — such as reciting prescribed prayers a specific number of times, fasting, or spending time before an altar. Other branches of Christianity have, to varying degrees, also embraced penitential practices, though the sacramental framework is most developed within Catholic tradition.

The practice rests on the belief that God gave the apostles authority to forgive sins, and that this authority was passed on to their successors — the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church. The verse most commonly cited is, "If you forgive anyone their sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven" (Jn 20:23). Yet this verse makes no mention of confession of sin to a priest, nor does Scripture anywhere indicate apostolic succession. The New Testament apostles never acted as though they possessed the authority to forgive a person's sin.

Another verse sometimes appealed to is, "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed" (Jas 5:16). Again, there is no mention of church leaders in this context, nor any suggestion that confession to others carries with it the forgiveness of sins. The passage speaks of mutual confession and prayer among believers, not sacramental absolution.

The recognised understanding of John 20:23 is that the apostles were given the responsibility of declaring that those who believed the gospel were forgiven, while those who did not obey the gospel faced judgement (Act 16:31; 2 Thes 1:8; 1 Pet 4:17). As they proclaimed salvation in Christ and exercised church discipline, they operated in the authority Christ had given them (Act 4:12; Rom 1:16; 1 Cor 5:4-5). Sin must be acknowledged, confessed to the Lord, and repented of (Lk 15:7; Act 11:18, 20:21). After repentance — a change of heart and direction — restitution, where appropriate, is a valid expression of sorrow for sin.

Although a penalty or menial task may help the sinner grasp the seriousness of the offence, the Bible teaches that forgiveness of sin cannot be purchased or earned. Performing good works or punishing oneself will not make restitution for sin. In summary, the practice of penance as a means of atoning for sin or appeasing God is unscriptural and nowhere taught in the Bible, because it focuses on man's works rather than the blood of Jesus and our relationship with Him.