[quote:1ywzbl4w]Oh you must be referring to John 20:23? […] Here Jesu tells his followers that when they meet someone, they (God’s people who know and believe) they can share with that individual whether they’re saved or not based upon what that person’s beliefs are … do they match the Biblical (and only one way) to have their sins washed away or are they believing in something else….[/quote:1ywzbl4w]
Jesus is appearing to the apostles to post-Resurrection. These aren’t just any old followers of his, but rather the ones he hand-picked to tend the flock.

John 20:22 is when Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit unto them. We see in the OT (Gen 2:7) that when God breathes the Holy Spirit upon someone that he is giving them life. Whatever comes next is bound to be important because this act of breathing the Spirit is not some mundane action.

John 20:23 he tells them “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” Clearly Jesus is transferring or conveying some sort of power and authority on these men just as he does in Matthew 18:18.

In this section of John takes place a commissioning of the apostles. He’s not just telling them that whatever has happened they have the power to agree to it. [b:1ywzbl4w]He’s giving them life and authority (that comes directly from God, Jesus, himself) to forgive or retain sins![/b:1ywzbl4w]