Jesus gave power to His church to forgive/remit sins through water baptism in Jesus name.

"And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. And he arose, and departed to his house. But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men." - Matthew 9:2-8 KJV

Jesus gave power to His disciples in the Great Commission to forgive sins. He revealed the power to forgive/remit sins is in baptism in the name of Jesus (“JESUS” is THE NAME of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, which are simply TITLES of God).

"And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." - Matthew 28:18-20 KJV

Jesus is our heavenly Father and Creator of the universe that came in the form of man - the Son of man. Earlier in Matthew, it is recorded Jesus gave power to forgive sins to men. At the end of Matthew, Jesus told His disciples when speaking of His power that THEY were to GO YE THEREFORE, TEACHING and BAPTIZING. This is where the power to forgive sins is -baptizing in Jesus name.

Jesus gave this same instruction in the Great Commission according to John.

"Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained." - John 20:21-23 KJV

Jesus told them whosever sins they remitted, they would be remitted. (And whosever sins they retained are retained). We see this in water baptism in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins.

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." - Acts 2:38 KJV

The Greek word for remission in Acts 2:38 is translated as "remission" 9x and "forgiveness" 6x in KJV. (Other translations use the word "forgiveness" in Acts 2:38 as well.)

God chose the church to preach/teach and to water baptize. God Spirit baptizes. (John 3:5).

Jesus spoke of remission (forgiveness) of sins in the Great Commission according to Luke.

"And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." - Luke 24:46-49 KJV [“Power” in this verse is the Greek word “dynamis,” meaning strength power, ability. It is used for the power of the Holy Ghost. (see Acts 1:8). “Power” in Matthew 9:6-8 and Matthew 28:18 is the Greek word “exousia,” meaning authority.]

Jesus speaks of baptism for salvation in the Great Commission according to Mark.

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." - Mark 16:15-18 KJV

The Greek word for “damned” means, “to give judgment against, to judge worthy of punishment.”

When a person is baptized in Jesus name they are baptized for the remission of sins. The meaning of the Greek word “remission” is, “forgiveness or pardon, of sins (letting them go as if they had never been committed), remission of the penalty.” (Thayer's Greek Lexicon)

We can thus see why baptism in Jesus name for the remission of sins saves us from “judgment against” us, “judgment worthy of punishment.” (“Damnation”). It is because by baptism in Jesus name our sins are remitted/forgiven.

The people truly had the right reaction when Jesus told them He had given men power on earth to forgive sins!

"But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men." - Matthew 9:8 KJV