Note 7 at Joh 20:23: The meaning of this verse has been hotly debated for centuries. One thing is certain: this does not mean we have the power to justify people from their sins so that they become born again; only God can do that.

Many people have taught that Jesus was saying that if we fail to witness to others, we are retaining their sins unto them, and if we do share His love with others, then we are remitting their sins. Although there is truth to that statement, that is not what this verse is teaching. Rather, this is dealing with the temporal effects that sin has on people's lives. There isn't just a future death penalty for sins, but sin destroys people emotionally and physically in this life too. It is this present destruction that sin brings into people's lives that Jesus gave us power to remit.

Through intercession we can remit people's sins so that even though they have sown to the flesh and deserve to reap corruption (Ga 6:8), they will not reap what they have sown. This is done for the purpose of loosing people from the bondage that Satan desires to hold them in until they see the light and repent. This is only a temporary situation and must be continually repeated if the people we are praying for are continuing to live in sin.

On the other hand, sometimes it is not in people's best interest to remit their sins. There are times when they need to be made painfully aware of the consequences of their sins. In these cases, we have power to retain their sins (church discipline, see note 5 at Mt 18:17); that is, we withdraw our intercession and let them reap what they sow in the hope that this will cause them to turn back to God.