How does one go to Heaven, Purgatory or Hell DIRECTLY IMMEDIATELY upon death? (Afterlife discussion)

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Things to consider include:

Acceptance / Ignorance / Rejection of the Catholic Teachings
Unconfessed Mortal / Venial Sins
State of mind (Scared of Hell / Fear God / etc.)
Amount of Faith and Works (according to own ability)
Sacrements recieved
Religious Belief (Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Muslim, Buddist, Taoist, Agnostic, Atheist, etc.)
Prayers from People on Earth and Saints
(please consider other unmentioned factors if there are, ty)

Interesting question: Does entering Purgatory guarantee salvation?

Thanks.
 
As I understand it, we are judged immediately at death as to whether we will go to Heaven or Hell. If we are fortunate enough by God’s mercy to be sent to Heaven, we may need to go through the cleansing fire of Purgatory to remove the temporal punishment due to our past sins and to prepare us to be in the presence of God. Purgatory isn’t really a third destination, it is part of the process of preparing us for Heaven.

As for the “formula” for going to Heaven, we know that (1) there is no salvation outside the Church (EENS) and much virtual ink has been spilled on what constitutes being “in the church” I will not go there, and (2) we only know that we should be free of unrepented mortal sin, which means being baptized and hopefully being able to receive absolution before death.
 
PLAT said:
Things to consider include:

Acceptance / Ignorance / Rejection of the Catholic Teachings
Unconfessed Mortal / Venial Sins
State of mind (Scared of Hell / Fear God / etc.)
Amount of Faith and Works (according to own ability)
Sacrements recieved
Religious Belief (Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Muslim, Buddist, Taoist, Agnostic, Atheist, etc.)
Prayers from People on Earth and Saints
(please consider other unmentioned factors if there are, ty)Thanks.
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Not quite sure I understand your question. When we die, we are immediately judged by God (hopefully taking into account the items you have outlined) and sent to Heaven, Hell or Purgatory.
PLAT said:
Interesting question: Does entering Purgatory guarantee salvation?
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Only the mercy of God and the blood of Christ guarantees salvation. Entering Purgatory grantees that we will be cleansed of the last vestiges of sin and enter Heaven.
 
When you suffer death, you leave human time (which is a side-effect of our physical life), and enter Eternity. As such, whatever happens to you, can happen only “directly.”

All the factors you list, and any others, telescope into your eternalized human mind, and you will understand you place in Eternity. The image of watching your ended human life on a movie screen to see why you deserve punishment is a 1900s evangelistic fiction.

And yes, anybody who enters Purgatory has life everlasting, but we are not saved by Purgatory, but by grace. Purgatory is just the removal of our last remnants of attached sinfulness.

God Bless and ICXC NIKA.
 
PLAT said:
Interesting question: Does entering Purgatory guarantee salvation?
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All souls in Purgatory are on their way to Heaven, so yes, entering Purgatory guarentees salvation.
 
PLAT said:
Things to consider include:

Acceptance / Ignorance / Rejection of the Catholic Teachings
Unconfessed Mortal / Venial Sins
State of mind (Scared of Hell / Fear God / etc.)
Amount of Faith and Works (according to own ability)
Sacrements recieved
Religious Belief (Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Muslim, Buddist, Taoist, Agnostic, Atheist, etc.)
Prayers from People on Earth and Saints
(please consider other unmentioned factors if there are, ty)

Interesting question: Does entering Purgatory guarantee salvation?

Thanks.
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A Review of the Particular Judgement (Upon Death) and the General Judgement ( Judgement day when Jesus Returns) Should clear up most of this - You can find the subjects discussed in depth in the Encyclopedia at the top of the form page on the same bar you clich to enter the forum. The Criteria used in Judging us is used by GOD and taught in part by the Church but keep in Mind - Jesus being omnipotent will have every consideration and every balance so that our individual Judgements will be infinitely Just.

As for entering Purgatory , Yes a purson is saved when they are sent to Purgatory they are sent to purgatory to expiate the stain of forgiven Sins that have not been expiated to the satisfaction of GOD while alive. In fact - it is through charity and good works and prayer and the prayers of others that can expiate sins - hense does St Paul say - Charity covers a multitude of sins - and once in purgatory we are then stuck there to serve out our entire length of sentense unles someone prays for us lessening our time. It is a charitable act to Pray for the dead so that they may be loosed from their sins.

Pax
 
Everyone who goes to Purgatory eventually goes to Heaven. Purgatory is for the “saved” who are not yet perfect.
 
PLAT said:
Things to consider include:

Acceptance / Ignorance / Rejection of the Catholic Teachings
Unconfessed Mortal / Venial Sins
State of mind (Scared of Hell / Fear God / etc.)
Amount of Faith and Works (according to own ability)
Sacrements recieved
Religious Belief (Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Muslim, Buddist, Taoist, Agnostic, Atheist, etc.)
Prayers from People on Earth and Saints
(please consider other unmentioned factors if there are, ty)

Interesting question: Does entering Purgatory guarantee salvation?

Thanks.
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THE PARTICULAR JUDGMENT

CCC 1021 Death puts an end to human life as the time open to either accepting or rejecting the divine grace manifested in Christ. The New Testament speaks of judgment primarily in its aspect of the final encounter with Christ in his second coming, but also repeatedly affirms that each will be rewarded immediately after death in accordance with his works and faith. The parable of the poor man Lazarus and the words of Christ on the cross to the good thief, as well as other New Testament texts speak of a final destiny of the soul–a destiny which can be different for some and for others.

CCC 1022 Each man receives his eternal retribution in his immortal soul at the very moment of his death, in a particular judgment that refers his life to Christ: either entrance into the blessedness of heaven-through a purification or immediately, – or immediate and everlasting damnation.
 
Die in the state of Grace with no punishment due for sins.
Die in the state of Grace with punishment due for sins.
Die not in the state of Grace.
 
PLAT said:
So can I see purgatory more like a process than a place?
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Purgatory is likened to Prison where a person is cleansed from the Venial Sins and the Stain of forgiven mortal sins that defile them before GOD. They are cleansed by Fire. Purgatory is no picnic and is to be avoided if at all possible.
 
Robert_Burns said:
Purgatory is likened to Prison where a person is cleansed from the Venial Sins and the Stain of forgiven mortal sins that defile them before GOD. They are cleansed by Fire. Purgatory is no picnic and is to be avoided if at all possible.
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When I die, if I find myself in Purgatory I will be happy because it means I am saved, no matter how long the puification process takes.
The cleansing fires of Puragtory are totally unlike the fires of punishment in Hell.

Almost everyone will go through Purgatory. The only sure way to avoid Purgatory is to die immediately after baptism.
 
thistle said:
When I die, if I find myself in Purgatory I will be happy because it means I am saved, no matter how long the puification process takes.
The cleansing fires of Puragtory are totally unlike the fires of punishment in Hell.

Almost everyone will go through Purgatory. The only sure way to avoid Purgatory is to die immediately after baptism.
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Or as a martyr, which is the way I hope to end this life.
 
the byzantines teach that upon death, our soul journeys toward God, and this journey can involve many things:

That we can be hindered by demons and helped by angels,

That we can undergo purification, but not through material fire, through the spiritual fire of the pain of failing to live up to all God wants for us.

That prayers for the soul aid the soul, but the soul cannot help itself, i.e. it cannot suffer “enough.” God’s mercy is what delivers a soul from torment and into blessedness.

The abode of the dead as a whole is referred to hades. And in this realm, there are many abodes of varying degrees of blssedness or torment. (See tertullian for great detail on this).

Because the judgement is not the final judgement, the souls (there is generally no fixed definition on what kind of souls that died in what kind of sin) can progress through the mass, the prayers of the saints, and good works done on their behalf.

Can any Latins or Byzantines please deliver more clarity on this?

Basically the attitude I have encountered with the Orthodox is that nothing is fixed 'til the second coming. SO, theoretically, most people in extreme torment COULD be saved (see Pope St. Gregory the Great and the SOul of the emperor Trajan) if we offered enough of our time on their behalf: But since merit is generally not accepted, there is no attitude of a sinner deserving blessedness. TOrment is torment. Some get trhough it, some do not. But it may be that all will.

Some help?
 
StTommyMore said:
Limbo is a theological speculation but has never been an actual teaching of the Church
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Not to derail the thread, but Limbo is much more than merely theological speculation. The teaching goes back to the Fathers, is taught explicitly in Catechisms, and is based on infallible dogmas.

One of the infallible dogmas is found in the Council of Lyons, and is repeated at the Council of Florence. The dogma in question teaches that those who die in a state of original sin only go to “hell”, but their punishment differs from those who die having committed actual sins.

Limbo is the location in “hell” where these souls go. The only question that needs clarification with respect to what we call “Limbo” is whether or not the soul who go there experience any pain of sense. There are two opinions on this point. One is that of St. Augustine, and was also taught by St. Robert Ballarmine. The other is the more common opinion and can be found explained in detail in the Summa of St. Thomas.

St. Augustine believed that the souls who die in original sin only do experience some pain of sense. The more common opinion (that which is found in the Catechisms) is that they do not experience any pain of sense, but only the “pain of loss” (the loss of the vision of God).

To say that Limbo is merely is theologial speculation (as many today mistakenly do) is very misleading. It is a doctrine that has been taught since the earliest years and is found xplicitly in Catechisms. The following is an article by Fr. Harrison on this subject which provides some of the magisterial teachings on this subject. Could Limbo Be Abolished
 
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