SUMMARY

1. As our sins take us away from God, so forgiveness brings us back to him again and he treats us as if we had never sinned.

2. In order to be forgiven, we have to be really sorry for our sins (contrition), own up to them all (confession), and make up our minds not to sin again (purpose of amendment).

3. Jesus gave his Apostles the power to forgive sins at the very first opportunity he had, on the evening of the first Easter Day.