Christ conferred his divine authority given him by the Father on his apostles to make visible decisions on earth that will be ratified in heaven [Mt 16:19; 18:18]. And Jesus told his apostles: “He who hears you, hears me” [Lk 10:16]. The one, visible Church was founded by Christ on his apostles. She is a gift from God given to us through Christ but kept in the custody of our Lord’s shepherds and teachers [Lk 22:29].This divinely ordained authority was transferred from the apostles to their successors. The mandate of the divine office to preach and administer the sacraments is to last until the end of time, not until the death of the last apostle [Mt 28:20].
Paul and Timothy, for instance, were not part of the original twelve, but the apostolic authority to preach the Word of God and convey the sacraments of the Church was transferred to them by "the laying on of hands " [Acts 13:1-3].Indeed, the Sacrament of Ordination was even necessary for Paul, who was much later chosen by Christ himself [Acts 9: 17-19]. This transference of apostolic authority was instituted by our Lord in accordance with his Father’s will, and so the divine office Paul speaks of (Col 1:25) is sacerodotal by nature. Paul exhorts Timothy to be careful in the rite of laying on of hands, for this divine gift of authority must not be used indiscriminately [1 Tim 5:2].
When Paul calls his position a “divine office”, he implies it has successors and does not end with the death of any apostle or successor after him. When I say that a dogmatic declaration of the Catholic Church amounts to an explicitly revealed divine truth,I mean that God has commissioned certain individuals to preach the Word, having sealed them with the Holy Spirit (by the laying on of hands in succession) as a guarantee that the truth will be infallibly taught [Jn 16:12-13; 2 Cor 1:21-22; 1 Tim 3:1]. The Apostles and their valid successors - the Episcopacy of the Church - are appointed guardians of the truths contained in the written word of God. Scripture must be interpreted in light of Tradition by the rightfully commissioned teaching authority (Magisterium) of the Church.
Every private individual who happens to pick up a copy of the KJV Bible at his nearest book store, appoint himself a minister of the Word, and form a congregation or join a denomination, has absolutely no divine authority to publicly declare: “There is no such place as Purgatory.” This doctrine has been taught by the Church since apostolic time, more explicitly by the early Church Fathers, who received the teachings and authority of the Apostles by their succession. Apostolic Succession has been with the Catholic Church ever since Christ founded her on his apostles.
“We are not to credit these men, nor go out from the first and the ecclesiastical tradition; nor to believe otherwise than as the churches of God have by succession transmitted to us.”
Origen, ‘Commentary on Matthew’ [post A.D.244]
“I think that the noble athletes of God, who have wrestled all their lives with the invisible enemies, after they have escaped all of their persecutions and have come to the end of life, are examined by the prince of this world; and if they are found to have any wounds from their wrestling, any stains or effects of sin, they are detained. If, however, they are found unwounded and without stain, they are, as unconquered, brought by Christ into their rest.”
Basil, ‘Homilies on the Psalms, 7:2’ [ante A.D.370]
For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. he was put to death in the body but made alive in the spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison.
1 Peter 3, 19
The Hebrew word ‘Sheol’ can be translated “Hell”: a temporary place of torment for the unrightous dead in contrast with ‘Geheena’ - the permanent lake of fire reserved for those unrighteous (the rich young man) who await final judgment and damnation. The other side of ‘Sheol’ (paradise), across the impassable chasm, is reserved for the righteous dead (the ‘type’ of beggar and the good thief) who still await judgment in the ‘hope’ of being resurrected from the dead. There is no hope left for the unrepentant sinner who is counted among the unrighteous dead and destined for ‘Geheena’. :nope: The righteous dead will be found unwounded and without stain of sin and its effects at the Final Judgment after having been purified by fire and declared perfect. [Mt 5:48; Heb 12:23; Rev 21:27]. Meanwhile Lazarus can still feel love and compassion for his brothers until he is cast into the burning lake of fire, where moths and rust consume, reserved for the serpent - the devil - and his offspring [Mt 25:41;Gen 3:15].
“I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”
Matthew 5:26
The concept of Purgatory was unacceptable to Luther for it conflicted with his unbiblical doctrines ‘sola fide’ and ‘sola Christus’ [Col 1, 24].
Yet Paul teaches us that our works play a vital part in determining our salvation. We are rewarded for our good works but punished for our bad works unless we repent. But God finally judges us after we die at the Last Day. Thus there remains an expiation of temporal punishment for our sins in the afterlife after we have contritely confessed them and have been saved by having repented before we die. The repentant sinner must pass through a purifying fire to expiate himself for his sins in like manner his bad works had passed through the fire of passion, before he can be judged worthy to enter Heaven, now that he has been saved by his sincere act of contrition [Psalm 51]. Not all souls remain in Purgatory until Judgment Day. The souls of saints and martyrs go directly to heaven where they await the Day of Resurrection. The length of time one spends in Purgatory is based on the extent of the wound and the measure of the stain of sin on one’s soul. The beggar in our Lord’s parable was in the comforting bosom of Abraham, typifying one who may just have been purified and judged worthy to now enter heaven.
If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping from the flames. Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.
1 Corinthians 3, 12-17
The righteousness of Christ is not imputed to our account. If it were, then Purgatory would hold no place in God’s plan of salvation.
Pax vobiscum
Good Fella
[Lk 16, 19-31]. thanks for bringing this up. 
