Confessional Booths and Direct Access to Christ
The concept of direct access to Christ and to God the Father is a foundational tenet in Reformed theology, emphasizing that believers do not require human mediation to approach the divine [5, 8]. This stands in contrast to practices like confessional booths, which imply an intermediary role for clergy.
Scripture teaches that believers have "boldness and access" to God through Christ [4]. The author of Hebrews states that Christians can "enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus" with "free confidence," knowing their sins are forgiven [1]. This access is not limited to a select few but is available to all who believe [8]. John Gill, commenting on Ephesians, notes that both Jews and Gentiles have "freedom of access and boldness" to the Father through Christ and "by one Spirit" [7]. This access is a direct result of Christ's mediation, making Him "the way of access" [4].
The Westminster Confession of Faith articulates this liberty, stating that part of the freedom Christ purchased for believers is "their free access to God" [5]. This freedom is from the guilt of sin, the wrath of God, and the curse of the moral law, allowing believers to approach God directly [5]. Charles Hodge further emphasizes this, stating that "a thief on the cross, a prisoner in a dungeon, a solitary believer in his own chamber is near to God, and secure of his acceptance, provided he calls on the name of the Lord" [8]. To assert the necessity of human intervention for salvation or access to God is seen as contradicting "the plainest teachings of the Word of God" [8].
This theological stance directly challenges practices that introduce human intermediaries between the believer and God. For instance, the idea of transubstantiation, where a priest consecrates bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ, is rejected by Reformed confessions as "repugnant, not to Scripture alone, but even to common sense, and reason" [6]. Such practices are viewed as undermining the nature of the sacrament and leading to "manifold superstitions; yea, of gross idolatries" [6].
While direct access to God is affirmed, the importance of personal examination and confession of faith is also maintained. Before partaking in the Lord's Supper, for example, believers are encouraged to examine themselves regarding their knowledge, faith, repentance, love, and obedience [2]. However, this self-examination and confession are not mediated through a confessional booth or a priest in the same way some other traditions practice it. John Calvin, in his Institutes of the Christian Religion, states that "Scripture knows nothing of any other form or method of confessing" than that which was practiced in the early church, where individuals presented themselves before the pastor for communion [3]. He explicitly rejects "binding new chains upon consciences which Christ most strictly prohibits from being brought into bondage" [3].
The emphasis on direct access underscores the sufficiency of Christ's work and the immediate relationship believers can have with God through Him. This perspective highlights the personal nature of faith and the unhindered ability of every believer to approach the divine throne of grace [1, 4, 8].
Sources
- Hebrews (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Hebrews 10:19: Here begins the third and last division of the Epistle; our duty now while waiting for the Lord's second advent. Resumption and expansion of the exhortation (Heb 4:14-16; compare Heb 10:22-23 here) wherewith he closed the first part of the Epistle, preparatory to his great doctrinal argument, beginning at Heb 7:1. boldness--"free confidence," grounded on the consciousness that our sins have been forgiven. to enter--literally, "as regards the entering." by--Greek, "in"; it is in the blood of Jesus that our boldness to enter is grounded. Compare ”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 68: this sacrament demands should exist in the heart, without producing supreme love and gratitude to Christ, and the fixed purpose to forsake all sin and to live devoted to his service. Our Church, therefore, teaches that it is required of them who would worthily partake of the Lord’s Supper, that they examine themselves, of their knowledge to discern the Lord’s body, of their faith to feed upon Him, of their repentance, love, and new obedience. It is, however, not to be inferred from this that a man must be assured that he is a true believe”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 59: proper time, then they come to confession, and by the laying on of the hands of the bishop and clergy, are admitted to communion.” Scripture knows nothing of any other form or method of confessing, and it belongs not to us to bind new chains upon consciences which Christ most strictly prohibits from being brought into bondage. Meanwhile, that the flock present themselves before the pastor whenever they would partake of the Holy Supper, I am so far from disapproving, that I am most desirous it should be everywhere observed. For both”
- Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 3:12: In whom we have boldness and access,.... Into the holy of holies, to the throne of grace there, and to God the Father, as seated on it: Christ is the way of access; union to him gives right of access; through his mediation his people have audience of God, and acceptance with him, both of person and service: and this access is with boldness; which denotes liberty of coming, granted by God, and a liberty in their own souls to speak out their minds plainly and freely; and an holy courage and intrepidity of soul, being free from servile fear, or a spirit of bondage; wh”
- Westminster Confession of Faith (Reformed) “Westminster Confession of Faith (Reformed, 1646), CHAPTER 20 (part 1): CHAPTER 20 Of Christian Liberty, and Liberty of Conscience 1. The liberty which Christ hath purchased for believers under the gospel consists in their freedom from the guilt of sin, the condemning wrath of God, the curse of the moral law; and, in their being delivered from this present evil world, bondage to Satan, and dominion of sin; from the evil of afflictions, the sting of death, the victory of the grave, and everlasting damnation; as also, in their free access to God, and their yielding obedience unto him, not out of ”
- Westminster Confession of Faith (Reformed) “Westminster Confession of Faith (Reformed, 1646), CHAPTER 29 (part 2): which maintains a change of the substance of bread and wine, into the substance of Christ’s body and blood (commonly called transubstantiation) by consecration of a priest, or by any other way, is repugnant, not to Scripture alone, but even to common sense, and reason; overthroweth the nature of the sacrament, and hath been, and is, the cause of manifold superstitions; yea, of gross idolatries. 7. Worthy receivers, outwardly partaking of the visible elements, in this sacrament, do then also, inwardly by faith, really and in”
- Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 2:18: For through him we both have an access, That is, both Jews and Gentiles; the Arabic version reads, "we both factions": being made one, and reconciled unto God, and having the Gospel of peace preached to both, they have through Christ freedom of access and boldness in it: by one Spirit unto the Father: they may come to God as the Father of spirits, and of mercies, who has made their souls or spirits, and bestowed his mercies on them in great abundance; and as the Father of Christ, and as their God and Father in Christ: and the rather they should consider him in th”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 95: unto God; that faith in Him secures an interest in all the benefits of his redemption, and that, therefore, a thief on the cross, a prisoner in a dungeon, a solitary believer in his own chamber is near to God, and secure of his acceptance, provided he calls on the name of the Lord. To deny this, to teach the necessity of the intervention or ministration of men, to secure for us the salvation of our souls, is to contradict the plainest teachings of the Word of God. 6. This doctrine contradicts the intimate convictions of the people of God ”