I have had in past debates the Scripture "Christ is the only mediator between God and men" (1Timothy 2:5) quoted to me to condemn the Catholic Sacrament "Reconciliation" (Confession) and accuse the Catholic Church of making the priests (rather Christ) the Mediator between God and men. The Catholic Church agrees that the Scripture 1Timothy 2:5 teaches that there is no other way to salvation except through Jesus Christ alone. However, the Scripture does not suggest that Christ does not use men on earth to carry out His work such as His preaching work and ministry, and ministering His Sacraments to bring souls to Himself and to salvation. We see in the Gospels of Jesus building His Church and choosing apostles to be "human mediators" to bring members to Jesus and to His salvation. The Church is the spiritual Body of Christ, and the members of the Body of Christ are chosen by Christ to be "human mediators" to build up the Body of Christ (the Church). Each human mediator member of the Church has a special role to help bring a person to Christ and to His salvation.
In the non-Catholic Christian faith and worship most also believe God uses men to bring men to Himself and to His salvation such as in prayer for one another, and in preaching, and in Sacraments. For example, their Sacrament of Baptism. In most non-Catholic Christian denominations the Sacrament of Baptism is required as an outward sign that the new convert believer has become saved and is now incorporated into Christ and His Body (the Church). Although the sacrament is not essential for salvation, but unless the convert is baptized as a full member of the Church it may be likely that the new convert's faith is a sham and was never saved. Nevertheless the new convert is required to be baptized as an outward sign that he/she is associated with salvation. The new convert cannot baptize themselves but must be baptized by another believer, "a human mediator," in order for their Sacrament of Baptism to be valid. Why then is the Catholic Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) condemned when a human mediator is used for the forgiveness of sins, but not the non-Catholic Sacrament of Baptism that is also in association with salvation when a human mediator is used?
So why did Jesus institute the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession)? In Scripture we see Jesus forgiving sins and the recipients leaving in peace just after Jesus tells them "Your sins are forgiven." Jesus instituted the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) so we can too "hear" His words of forgiveness, "Your sins are forgiven," and experience that same peace. Jesus, through the Sacrament of Reconciliation and through His priest on earth gives us that very same intimate mercy, compassion and forgiveness that He gave to sinners while He was here on earth. In the sacrament we receive God's grace to know we have been forgiven and to also help us to avoid the same sin and be brought closer to Jesus. Personally when I go to Confession I know it is Jesus, our High Priest in Heaven, doing the actual forgiving through His priest on earth. And in the confessional as His priest counsels me and gives me absolution I receive God's grace to experience the presence of God. I experience conviction that Christ is present in the confessional and is doing the actual talking and forgiving, and I'm left knowing I have been forgiven by Christ. After I leave the confessional my soul feels cleansed and I no longer have that heavy weight of sins weighing down my soul. I now have that same peace that those sinners, whom went directly to Jesus for forgiveness while He was here on earth, experienced. I too, like the sinners in the Gospel, went directly to Jesus and heard His Words of forgiveness. Jesus instituted the Sacrament of Reconciliation as an extension to His humanity on earth so we too can hear His Words of forgiveness and receive His mercy and compassion and be in peace. Jesus promised He would never leave us, and He never has. He remains with us, present in the sacraments such as the Sacrament of Reconciliation. When we hear His priest, we hear Christ. "He who hears you hears me." (Luke 10:16, Jesus to the apostles).
Scripture that supports Jesus' institution to the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession):
Matthew 16:16-19:
16) Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
17) And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
18) And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church and the powers of death shall not prevail against it.
19) I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." [NOTE Jesus gives Peter "the keys" to the Kingdom of Heaven. If we look at Revelation 1:18 Jesus holds "the keys" to Death and Hades." I have the keys to Death and Hades (Revelation 1:8, Jesus). And Jesus handed the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven to Peter, a symbol to giving Peter the authority to bind or loose in Heaven.]
Matthew 18:18:
18) Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
John 20:19-23:
19) On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where there disciples were for the fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."
20) When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
21) Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you."
22) And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit."
23) If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any they are retained." [NOTE in verse 22 Jesus BREATHED ON THE APOSTLES and said to them RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT. The only other place in the Bible where God breathed on man was after the creation of Adam when He breathed into Adam's nostrils the breath of life. Genesis 2.7. When God breathed His life into Adam an important transformation took place. Adam became the image of God. When Jesus breathed on the apostles another important transformation took place. They received the power of God to forgive sins.]
2Corinthians 5:18-20:
18) All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;
19) that is, God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
20) So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." [NOTE in these verses we clearly see God using human mediators to bring people to God in reconciliation.]
Acts 19:18:
18) Many also of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. [NOTE in this verse we see new converts making a public confession to a human mediator.]
Matthew 3:6 (John the Baptist):
6)...and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. [NOTE in this verse we again see new converts making a public confession to a human mediator.]