BahÃĄâ•Žuâ•ŽllÃĄh and the New Era - Knowledge Rush

164 Baháâuâlláh and the New Erapoint ahead of him. No sooner does he look up towards thatpoint than he become dissatisfied with his own condition, andaspires to attain to that. Praising one’s own self is the sign ofselfishness.—Diary of Mírzá A%mad Sohrab, 1914.Although we are commanded to recognize and sincerely repentof our sins, the practice of confession to priests and othersis definitely forbidden. Bahá’u’lláh says in the Glad Tidings:—The sinner, when his heart is free from all save God,must seek forgiveness from God alone. Confession before theservants (i.e. before men) is not permissible, for it is not themeans or the cause of Divine Forgiveness. Such confessionbefore the creatures leads to one’s humiliation and abasement,and God—exalted by His Glory—does not wish for the humiliationof His servants. Verily He is Compassionate andBeneficent. The sinner must, between himself and God, begfor mercy from the Sea of Mercy and implore pardon fromthe Heaven of Forgiveness.