Bible Dictionary
RETENTION OF SINS
Retention of sins is the warning that guilt remains when there is no repentance and faith. In John 20:23 it is contrasted with remission and concerns the church’s declaration that forgiveness has not been granted.
Definition
Retention of sins means that guilt remains when forgiveness has not been granted. It is the opposite of remission and warns that the sinner remains under God’s judgment when repentance and faith are absent.
Biblical Usage
In John 20:23, believers are not authorized to assure forgiveness where there is no evidence of repentance and faith. Retention is therefore a declaration of non-forgiveness and a warning connected with the preaching of the gospel.
Historical Background
The supplied discussion relates retention especially to personal pastoral dealings with a communicant before the Lord’s Supper, distinguishing it from an assurance of individual forgiveness.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>re-ten'-shun, (krateo, "to lay fast hold of" (Joh 20:23)): The opposite of "the remission of sins." Where there was no evidence of repentance and faith, the community of believers were unauthorized to give assurance of forgiveness, and, therefore, could only warn that the guilt of sin was retained, and that the sinner remained beneath God's judgment.</p><p>While such retention has its place in connection with all preaching of the gospel, since the offers of grace are conditional, it is especially exercised, like the absolution, in the personal dealing of a pastor with a communicant, preparatory to the reception of the Lord's Supper. As the absolution is properly an assurance of individual forgiveness, so the retention is an assurance of individual non-forgiveness. That the retention is exercised by the ministry, not as an order, but as the representatives of the congregation of believers to which Christ gave the power of the keys, is shown by Alford, Greek Testament, on above passage. See also Melanchthon, Appendix to the "Schmalkald Articles."</p><p>H. E. Jacobs</p>