John 20:23 has been used to place forgiveness in human hands. But the scene where Jesus spoke these words — and the way the apostles actually carried them out — tells a very different story. The cross holds the verdict, and the church was sent to announce it.

For years, 1 John 1:9 has been taught as a daily forgiveness reset for believers. But in context, John was not managing Christian sin - he was confronting sin denial and defending the finished work of Christ.