Purgatory Question 1 Cor. 10-15

[st_felicity]

How do you read this?

**10 **According to the grace of God that is given to me, as a wise architect, I have laid the foundation: and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.http://www.scriptours.com/images/spacer.gif
11For other foundation no man can lay, but that which is laid: which is Christ Jesus.http://www.scriptours.com/images/spacer.gif
**12 **Now, if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble:http://www.scriptours.com/images/spacer.gif
**13 **Every man’s work shall be manifest. For the day of the Lord shall declare it, because it shall be revealed in fire. And the fire shall try every man’s work, of what sort it is.http://www.scriptours.com/images/spacer.gif
**14 **If any man’s work abide, which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.http://www.scriptours.com/images/spacer.gif
**15 **If any mans work burn, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire.

from:
scriptours.com/bible/bible.cgi?oldbook=53&book=53&chapter=3&reference=&x=17&y=7

Catholic belief points to this as a reference to Purgatory. It seems to say that ALL souls are judged though fire and those who have built their life upon Christ will go to Heaven (14)–implying NOT ALL will go. I always understood that the souls in Purgatory were going to Heaven after purification, but this passage seems to indicate otherwise.

My question is: Are the souls in Purgatory assured of Heaven?

 

[st_felicity]

Well…

Now I’m looking closer at 15 and it seems to say the individual is saved, but his works are burned…so that leads back to all in Purgatory are going to Heaven…

What does it all mean? What is the reward? I assumed it was Heaven, but perhaps it is something else…Sainthood recognized by the Church perhaps?

Thanks again.

 

[awalt]

Here is what Harper’s Bible Comentary says about this:

this subsection insists that there must be consistency between Paul’s original preaching, which laid the foundation, and any subsequent preaching, which must build upon Paul’s proclamation of Jesus Christ. Paul drives home this point by bringing the situation of the Corinthian community into eschatological perspective. The fire of divine judgment will reveal whether such subsequent “construction” coheres with the foundation laid by Paul. Thus in a subtle way, Paul makes the work of other missionaries theologically dependent on his own. Mays, J. L., Harper & Row, P., & Society of Biblical Literature. (1996, c1988). Harper’s Bible commentary (1 Co 3:1). San Francisco: Harper & Row.

 

[st_felicity]

So it also shows that Paul warned that the Truth shall be known to all through God in the afterlife (or the real-life )–so be careful about making assertions that do not coincide with the foundation he layed out?

 

[Benignus]

How do you read this?

**10 **According to the grace of God that is given to me, as a wise architect, I have laid the foundation: and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.http://www.scriptours.com/images/spacer.gif
11For other foundation no man can lay, but that which is laid: which is Christ Jesus.http://www.scriptours.com/images/spacer.gif
**12 **Now, if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble:http://www.scriptours.com/images/spacer.gif
**13 **Every man’s work shall be manifest. For the day of the Lord shall declare it, because it shall be revealed in fire. And the fire shall try every man’s work, of what sort it is.http://www.scriptours.com/images/spacer.gif
**14 **If any man’s work abide, which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.http://www.scriptours.com/images/spacer.gif
**15 **If any mans work burn, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire.

from:
scriptours.com/bible/bible.cgi?oldbook=53&book=53&chapter=3&reference=&x=17&y=7

Catholic belief points to this as a reference to Purgatory. It seems to say that ALL souls are judged though fire and those who have built their life upon Christ will go to Heaven (14)–implying NOT ALL will go. I always understood that the souls in Purgatory were going to Heaven after purification, but this passage seems to indicate otherwise.

My question is: Are the souls in Purgatory assured of Heaven?

**15 **If any mans work burn, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire.

This verse seems to me to indicate that the souls in purgatory will ultimately be saved, after being purified by fire. IMO, the gold, precious stones, straw, hay, etc. are what we do in this life. If we love God and do our best to live the way He would want us to, we build with precious stones, gold, etc. However, if we go on sinning and are not fully converted, we build with hay, straw, etc. I believe that the souls in Purgatory are assured of Heaven.

The Catechism says this:

1030 All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.

This seems to confirm that all souls in Purgatory are assured of their eternal salvation.