Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/3297

3297 Remitting or retaining sins.... Jesus’ disciples....

October 17, 1944: Book 43

‘Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained....’ These, too, are Words of Mine which were frequently interpreted differently than I had intended them. Only a person with an awakened spirit who hears My voice and conveys My explanation to you is able to correct this, so that you can liberate yourselves from error and know the truth.... My disciples were endowed with the power of working miracles in My name, of healing, of reviving the dead and thereby proving to people the strength of their undivided belief in Me. Their spiritual state allowed for all supernatural activity, for when My spirit poured into them it filled them with strength and light, with power and wisdom. Hence they were able to spread the truth because they knew it themselves, and by the mere voicing of words they were able to achieve things which exceeded all human ability. For they had been My disciples.... I had instructed them through the inner Word while I lived on earth, they lived in love and believed in Me, therefore they were also able to accept My spirit within themselves and work through it. These extraordinary acts were signs of their souls’ maturity which, in turn, were intended to prove to people what extraordinary abilities a person can achieve if he lives according to My will, that is, if he shapes himself after My image.... into love.... For love is strength, consequently, a person who loves is also permeated by strength and light, because he can be permeated by the spirit of God, His emanation of strength. And I exemplified to people a life of love.... I demonstrated to them how much strength the human being can attain and after My death I left living examples behind which were meant to proclaim My teaching of love again to demonstrate their strength and thus make it easier for people to believe in Me.... Even if I was no longer visible, I Myself was in the midst of My disciples in spirit.... I guided them, since everything that is permeated by My spirit is subject to My divine guidance.... because I Myself was subsequently able to take effect through those who were working in My name. Hence the disciples had the same power and the same right, because everything they accomplished was My will; they were enlightened by My spirit, which is the emanation of Myself. Consequently, they also had the power to forgive sins in My name, especially if illness was the result of sins and, in order to cure this illness, they had to remit the human being’s sins as well. However, if they recognised a person’s unworthiness, his unbelief and God-opposing will, they were just as entitled to leave him in his sinful state, for they were not governed by human understanding but by the divine spirit within them, My spirit, which knows everything and thus also a person’s unworthiness and the futility of a merciful action on him. Thus I gave My disciples the right to grant to people according to their realisation, because My spirit was active in them and guaranteed that My disciples thought correctly....

But now people assume the same right even though My spirit is not effective in them as yet.... They associated the right to forgive or retain sins with the person itself and not with the divine spirit in this person and thus conferred this right to all followers of the disciples according to the word and not according to the spirit and therefore misunderstood the meaning of My Word, although they would also think correctly if they realised who is really My disciple.... Not those who appoint themselves but those who I have appointed for their teaching ministry on earth.... For I gave My disciples the instruction ‘Go ye therefore, and teach all nations....’ But in order to teach, My spirit must be effective in them so that they will be able to distribute the pure truth to people and to spread My commandment of love in the world. Yet the truth can only be taken possession of through the working of the spirit. Therefore, it is imperative that My disciples must be enlightened by the spirit of God before they can count themselves as My disciples. In that case they will also be permeated by light and strength and able to accomplish extraordinary feats , the power of the spirit will enable them to heal the sick, thus to release people from sin and its consequences as soon as they believe in Me and My name.... To these spiritually enlightened people I gave the power of forgiving sins, since they also recognise in their spiritually mature state when a person deserves to have his sins forgiven, for then they will act on My behalf and it is I Who really forgives their sins. But if people feel themselves appointed to carry out the act of forgiveness of sin even though they have never been called by Me Myself, who are neither enlightened by My spirit nor hear My Word within themselves, their calling can rightfully be disputed, since this is already demonstrated by the fact that they are incapable of recognising their fellow human being in order to judge whether to remit his sins or to let him keep them. The assessment of this already presupposes the working of the spirit which, however, has to be denied to most of those who deem themselves called as servants of God as long as they do not possess the inner Word. Only through My Word are they called to work for Me, for only My Word gives them knowledge, that is, it conveys the pure truth to them, and this is absolutely necessary in order to be able to work for Me. Anyone who knows the truth can also pass it on and thereby helps his fellow human being to achieve liberation. Anyone who has My Word will also have the competence of judgment when a person’s will is inclined towards God. For the human being’s spoken word is often deceptive, the heart need not be involved in what is voiced by the mouth. But a true disciple has the gift of recognising his fellow human being and therefore also knows which person is serious about the forgiveness of his sin and does not allow himself to be misled by many words which lack inner conviction. Therefore, the remission of sin cannot be a general act since it can only take place if it was preceded by profound repentance and recognised as such by My disciples. But in that case the judgment of the latter will be valid before Me, for he only acts on My instructions and his deed is according to My will. With those Words I gave My disciples the understanding that their activity and thinking will be in complete concordance with Me if they work for Me in My name, that they cannot think and want anything else but what is My will if the divine spirit is working in them which, however, characterises them as My disciples in the first place. For I Myself appoint My servants on earth because I truly know who is qualified for this ministry and upon whom I can endow those gifts which are required by a teaching ministry on earth.... And to them I will also give the authority, for then they will only carry out My will....

Amen

Translated by Heidi Hanna