New Apostolic Church: Forgiveness of Sins – A Biblical Comparison

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Last Updated on 24. February 2026 by Andi

How does the New Apostolic Church (NAC) understand the forgiveness of sins – and what does the Bible really teach about it?

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• How I Experienced It
• The Teaching of the New Apostolic Church
• The Biblical Teaching on Forgiveness of Sins
• Direct Comparison: NAC ↔ Bible
• Pastoral Reflection
• Summary
• FAQ
• Appendix – All Quoted Bible Verses

Introduction

For many New Apostolic Christians, forgiveness links closely to the Sunday service: After a joint confession of guilt by praying the “Our father”, an apostle or minister declares forgiveness “in the name of Jesus.” If no Apostle attends, this absolution happens “on behalf of the Apostle”.

This practice roots itself deeply in New Apostolic spirituality. Believers experience it as a recurring act of purification. But what exactly does the New Apostolic Catechism teach? And how does that compare to the New Testament?

This article examines both the Church’s doctrine and the biblical view. In addition I will also highlight the central role that Jesus Christ plays in the biblical understanding of forgiveness. My goal is to offer sound theological and pastoral guidance in the light of Scripture, not to criticize for criticism’s sake.

How I Experienced It

I spent 41 years in the New Apostolic Church. During that time, I never felt sure that my sins were truly forgiven. Our teachers claimed that we needed forgiveness each week during the services. We also believed only ordained ministers with apostolic authority could grant this. This teaching blocked me from recognizing the full significance of Christ’s finished work on the cross. We lived from one Sunday to the next, waiting for repeated forgiveness.

At some point, I realized the absurdity. If forgiveness depends on a weekly priestly declaration, it doesn’t last long. One wrong thought, and we would fall from grace again.

A former Chief Apostle once said the best moment for the rapture is immediately after the pronouncement of forgiveness. He believed God would then surely accept us. How absurd! The biblical truth is much more liberating: Jesus forgave all our sins – past, present, and future – by his death on the cross. We receive this through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, along with a new heart that loves God.

This opens the door to a living relationship with God. You no longer depend on an institution or its ministers. After turning to Jesus, I experienced true freedom and assurance of salvation. I knew for certain that God accepted me and would bring me home after my death or when Jesus comes again. Jesus himself is that assurance. Let’s see later what the Bible actually teaches.

The Teaching of the New Apostolic Church

The Catechism of the New Apostolic Church states that an apostle or a authorized priest grants forgiveness during the service. According to the NAC catechism (8.2.12), forgiveness “precedes participation in Holy Communion”. Ministers proclaim it “in the name of Jesus Christ and in the commission of the apostle.” Believers view this liturgical act as a way to be cleansed and made worthy for the Lord’s Supper.

The Catechism bases this on John 20:23. In this verse, Jesus tells the apostles, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven.” The NAC concludes that this authority passed through the apostolic ministry to the present day.

This teaching links closely to the doctrine of the living apostolate. Only this office possesses such authority. Without the apostle, no valid forgiveness exists within the Church’s understanding.

Consequently, forgiveness becomes a recurring event: Believers must regularly receive absolution because sin separates them from God. The Catechism explicitly rejects the idea that once-for-all-forgiveness through faith is sufficient. Instead, the Church portrays forgiveness as something its ministry must continually mediate.

The Biblical Teaching on Forgiveness of Sins

According to the New Testament, ministers and rituals do not mediate forgiveness. Instead, it comes through personal repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. This repentance – metanoia – means a complete turn toward God.

Repentance and Turning to God

Jesus emphasized repentance as the prerequisite for salvation: “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:5, ESV). Peter urged in Acts 3:19 “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out.” Repentance is more than confessing individual sins. It is a radical turn toward God’s grace.

Paul describes his calling in Acts 26:18 as opening eyes so people may turn from darkness to light, that they may receive forgiveness of sins. Forgiveness requires both repentance and faith. Whoever turns to God receives forgiveness as a gift through the once-for-all work of Jesus. The result is a changed heart. No ritual or sacrament is necessary.

The Basis of Forgiveness

The Bible claims that forgiveness rests solely on the finished sacrifice of Christ: “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

Paul writes in Colossians 2:14 that Jesus “canceled the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” Forgiveness does not rely on recurring priestly acts, but on the perfect sacrifice of the Son of God.

Complete and Lasting Forgiveness

The Epistle to the Hebrews teaches that Christ’s sacrifice is eternally valid: “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14). New Testament forgiveness is complete: it covers past, present, and future sins.

Sin no longer defines their standing of a born-again believer. God justified us once for all. When we stumble, we maintain fellowship by confessing to Him:

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

The New Testament distinguishes between two aspects:

• • Judicial forgiveness: Granted once at conversion; it makes you a child of God.

• • Parental forgiveness: The ongoing cleansing that maintains fellowship with God the Father (cf. 1 John 1:9; John 13:10).

Direct Comparison: NAC ↔ Bible

Common ground: Both acknowledge Christ’s role and the importance of repentance.

Key Differences

Aspect	New Apostolic Church (NAC)	Biblical Teaching (New Testament)
How to receive forgiveness	Liturgical absolution by ministers.	Personal repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
Basis of forgiveness	Christ’s sacrifice plus repeated absolution.	The once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Timing of forgiveness	Before Holy Communion in service.	At conversion (foundational) and continuously through confession.

Pastoral Reflection

The difference carries profound consequences. If you believe forgiveness is bound to a ritual, you will always depend on humans. However, the cross removed the separation from God forever.

Through Jesus, the believer may have full assurance: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1, ESV).

This assurance liberates you. It creates a relationship of trust rather than fear. A believer lives in the confidence that Jesus’ blood has fully covered all sin. No church or priest can produce this peace, only faith in the risen Lord.

Whoever belongs to Him can rest: “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).

Summary

• • Forgiveness of sins is not mediated through apostles or priests, but directly through Jesus Christ.

• • It is grounded in the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ on the cross.

• • Repentance and faith open the way to forgiveness and new life.

• • Those who believe are justified once for all and may live in peace with God.

• • Confession serves to maintain fellowship, not to re-establish salvation.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How does the New Apostolic Church understand the forgiveness of sins?

In the New Apostolic Church (NAC), forgiveness is granted during divine services by an apostle or a minister acting with the apostle’s authority. The Church views this as a recurring act of purification that precedes Holy Communion.

What is the biblical basis for forgiveness according to the New Testament?

The New Testament teaches that forgiveness comes through personal repentance (metanoia) and faith in Jesus Christ. It rests solely on the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ on the cross, rather than through repeated liturgical acts or human mediation.

Is forgiveness of sins permanent or recurring in the Bible?

The Bible distinguishes between two aspects: Judicial forgiveness is granted once at conversion, making a person a child of God forever. Ongoing “parental forgiveness” (1 John 1:9) serves to maintain daily fellowship with God, but it does not mean one loses and regains salvation every week.

Do I need an apostle for my sins to be forgiven?

While the NAC teaches that the apostolic ministry is necessary for valid absolution, the Bible states that Jesus Christ is the sole mediator between God and man. Forgiveness is available directly through Him to anyone who repents and believes.

Sources

• • Catechism of the New Apostolic Church

• • Holy Bible – English Standard Version (ESV)

Appendix – All Quoted Bible Verses

Luke 13:5 (ESV): “No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

Acts 3:19 (ESV): “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out.”

Acts 26:18 (ESV): “…that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified
by faith in me.”

Ephesians 1:7 (ESV): “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.”

Colossians 2:14 (ESV): “By canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”

Hebrews 9:28 (ESV): “So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time… to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”

Hebrews 10:14 (ESV): “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.”

Colossians 2:13 (ESV): “And you, who were dead in your trespasses… God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses.”

1 John 1:9 (ESV): “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

John 8:36 (ESV): “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Romans 8:1 (ESV): “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Do you want to know more about the New Apostolic Church in comparison with the Bible? See here my category New Apostolic Church Criticism & Biblical Analysis