Purgatory

[justasking4]

justasking: In reading my entire post you will see that I know Christ sacrificed for my sins. However, I am still unclean. Forgiveness and being unclean, being ready for heaven, are two different things.

We are no longer unclean since the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin… see I John 1:7

 

[Popes_Soldier]

We all try to avoid sin. In so doing, we grow in holiness as time goes by. We are being perfected. The final bit of sanctification upon death is the completion of that process. We call that Purgatory - a “purging” of whatever imperfections are left at the end of life, and whatever temporal punishments we did not endure due to our sins. God’s perfect justice demands the latter, and entrance into heaven where “nothing unclean” can enter demands the former.

Let me approach this another way which may clarify what I have been saying. God is a consuming fire. In fact the word Seraphim actually comes from the Hebrew which means the “burning” ones. They burn with the flame that is God because they are near God.

This is why nothing unclean can enter heaven. It would burn away in a flash in the presence of God. You can think of Purgatory as the fire of God’s love. When you die and stand before God, whatever imperfections are left in you, whatever inclinations to sin you were not able to master in this life, all this will be burned - “purged” - away in the fire of Gods love. There’s an old children’s song, “God loves you just the way you are, but much too much to let you stay that way.” Ahh, yes. Out of the mouths of babes, eh?

Picture the sequence: You become a Christian, and through your life you grow, in holiness and sancification. You sin less and less as the years pass. Just before you die, you have run a good race, but you are not yet perfect. Then you pass from this realm and stand before God, and WHOOSSHHHH, that last bit of imperfection is blasted away from you when you come into the presence of a perfection that our mortal minds cannot even fathom.

This is Purgatory: Not a place, not a second chance, but the fire of the love of the almighty eternal God.

 

[guanophore]

We are no longer unclean since the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin… see I John 1:7

Jesus’ blood does cleanse us, and is at work in us cleansing us daily. And whatever has not been purged from us during this life will be purged from us so that we can be with Him for eternity.

You of all people, who has advocated that it is impossible for us to be delivered of the flesh, saying that we are no longer unclean…

 

[n2thelight]

fellowChristian

Daniel 12:10

10 "Many will be purged, purified and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand.

Which Bible version did you quote this scripture?

 

[n2thelight]

guanophore

Jesus’ blood does cleanse us, and is at work in us cleansing us daily. And whatever has not been purged from us during this life will be purged from us so that we can be with Him for eternity.

When Christ returns and we are all changed,will you all have to go to purgatory,and then come and reign with Christ?

 

[Popes_Soldier]

We all try to avoid sin. In so doing, we grow in holiness as time goes by. We are being perfected. The final bit of sanctification upon death is the completion of that process. We call that Purgatory - a “purging” of whatever imperfections are left at the end of life, and whatever temporal punishments we did not endure due to our sins. God’s perfect justice demands the latter, and entrance into heaven where “nothing unclean” can enter demands the former.

Let me approach this another way which may clarify what I have been saying. God is a consuming fire. In fact the word Seraphim actually comes from the Hebrew which means the “burning” ones. They burn with the flame that is God because they are near God.

This is why nothing unclean can enter heaven. It would burn away in a flash in the presence of God. You can think of Purgatory as the fire of God’s love. When you die and stand before God, whatever imperfections are left in you, whatever inclinations to sin you were not able to master in this life, all this will be burned - “purged” - away in the fire of Gods love. There’s an old children’s song, “God loves you just the way you are, but much too much to let you stay that way.” Ahh, yes. Out of the mouths of babes, eh?

Picture the sequence: You become a Christian, and through your life you grow, in holiness and sancification. You sin less and less as the years pass. Just before you die, you have run a good race, but you are not yet perfect. Then you pass from this realm and stand before God, and WHOOSSHHHH, that last bit of imperfection is blasted away from you when you come into the presence of a perfection that our mortal minds cannot even fathom.

This is Purgatory: Not a place, not a second chance, but the fire of the love of the almighty eternal God.

 

[fellowChristian]

That post was from June 4th. Time flys.

Which Bible version did I quote in this scripture?

Daniel 12:10 (New American Standard Bible)

10"Many will be purged, purified and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand.

I threw in a few more for comparison.

Daniel 12:10 (King James Version)

10Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.

Daniel 12:10 (New International Version)

10 Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.

Daniel 12:10 (Today’s New International Version)

10 Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.

 

[fellowChristian]

that is from the cathitism not the bible

Well I thought post # 5 and # 12 had enough quotes from the Bible and that maybe reading what the Catholic Church teaches on the subject would be helpful instead of just adding my own opinion.

Also combining #5 ,#6, and #12 does show how the Catholic Church backs up it’s sacred writings in it’s sacred books.

Did you read all the posts?

By the way it’s “Catechism” which is Greek it’s a book that echos the Bible.

 

[Popes_Soldier]

How does the Appocalypse address those still in Purgatory at worlds end? Are there scriptures associated with Purgatory at the end of times?

Purgatory is not a place. Its a process, a cleansing (purging). Please read my quote which everyone has ignored:

We all try to avoid sin. In so doing, we grow in holiness as time goes by. We are being perfected. The final bit of sanctification upon death is the completion of that process. We call that Purgatory - a “purging” of whatever imperfections are left at the end of life, and whatever temporal punishments we did not endure due to our sins. God’s perfect justice demands the latter, and entrance into heaven where “nothing unclean” can enter demands the former.

Let me approach this another way which may clarify what I have been saying. God is a consuming fire. In fact the word Seraphim actually comes from the Hebrew which means the “burning” ones. They burn with the flame that is God because they are near God.

This is why nothing unclean can enter heaven. It would burn away in a flash in the presence of God. You can think of Purgatory as the fire of God’s love. When you die and stand before God, whatever imperfections are left in you, whatever inclinations to sin you were not able to master in this life, all this will be burned - “purged” - away in the fire of Gods love. There’s an old children’s song, “God loves you just the way you are, but much too much to let you stay that way.” Ahh, yes. Out of the mouths of babes, eh?

Picture the sequence: You become a Christian, and through your life you grow, in holiness and sancification. You sin less and less as the years pass. Just before you die, you have run a good race, but you are not yet perfect. Then you pass from this realm and stand before God, and WHOOSSHHHH, that last bit of imperfection is blasted away from you when you come into the presence of a perfection that our mortal minds cannot even fathom.

This is Purgatory: Not a place, not a second chance, but the fire of the love of the almighty eternal God.

 

[n2thelight]

Again what about those of us who do not taste a physical death,ie,those who are here at Christ’s return?

In that moment the twinkling of the eye

 

[Popes_Soldier]

Again what about those of us who do not taste a physical death,ie,those who are here at Christ’s return?

In that moment the twinkling of the eye

Obviously they are exempt, because they are not going to be waiting in heaven for Judgement day. The purging of Purgatory is neccessary for people to enter into the preasence of God in heaven. After the Final Judgement, there will be no Purgatory

 

[n2thelight]

Obviously they are exempt, because they are not going to be waiting in heaven for Judgement day. The purging of Purgatory is neccessary for people to enter into the preasence of God in heaven. After the Final Judgement, there will be no Purgatory

May I ask what does judgement day have to do with anything seeing as this (judgement)does not happen until after the milennium?

So those who reign with Christ during the milennium, do they go to purgatory first?

 

[Popes_Soldier]

May I ask what does judgement day have to do with anything seeing as this (judgement)does not happen until after the milennium?

So those who reign with Christ during the milennium, do they go to purgatory first?

Judgement Day and Christ’s return are one and the same. Perhaps we have a difference in beliefs there which is spilling over into the Purgatory issue.

Also, did you read my first post on this subject? Here:

We all try to avoid sin. In so doing, we grow in holiness as time goes by. We are being perfected. The final bit of sanctification upon death is the completion of that process. We call that Purgatory - a “purging” of whatever imperfections are left at the end of life, and whatever temporal punishments we did not endure due to our sins. God’s perfect justice demands the latter, and entrance into heaven where “nothing unclean” can enter demands the former.

Let me approach this another way which may clarify what I have been saying. God is a consuming fire. In fact the word Seraphim actually comes from the Hebrew which means the “burning” ones. They burn with the flame that is God because they are near God.

This is why nothing unclean can enter heaven. It would burn away in a flash in the presence of God. You can think of Purgatory as the fire of God’s love. When you die and stand before God, whatever imperfections are left in you, whatever inclinations to sin you were not able to master in this life, all this will be burned - “purged” - away in the fire of Gods love. There’s an old children’s song, “God loves you just the way you are, but much too much to let you stay that way.” Ahh, yes. Out of the mouths of babes, eh?

Picture the sequence: You become a Christian, and through your life you grow, in holiness and sancification. You sin less and less as the years pass. Just before you die, you have run a good race, but you are not yet perfect. Then you pass from this realm and stand before God, and WHOOSSHHHH, that last bit of imperfection is blasted away from you when you come into the presence of a perfection that our mortal minds cannot even fathom.

This is Purgatory: Not a place, not a second chance, but the fire of the love of the almighty eternal God.

 

[guanophore]

When Christ returns and we are all changed,will you all have to go to purgatory,and then come and reign with Christ?

This is a difficult question for many reasons. First of all, what God has revealed applies to all, not just “you all” (Catholics?).

Second, when you say “go to purgatory” it makes it seem like you conceive of it as a “place”. I think it makes more sense to think of it as a state.

Yes, everyone will be tested as by fire, and that which is not of God will be burned away. Those in Christ will be saved, but only as through fire. Nothing unclean can enter heaven, so anything in us that is not of God must be purged.

Third, we already reign with Christ, if we are joined with Him in His death and resurrection.

 

[guanophore]

Again what about those of us who do not taste a physical death,ie,those who are here at Christ’s return?

In that moment the twinkling of the eye

I think there are people who are so close to purity, that it is only a twinkling of an eye. St. Francis was such a one. Perhaps Mother Teresa is such a one.

Would you not agree that people vary in their levels of personal holiness?

 

[mpernot]

We are no longer unclean since the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin… see I John 1:7

This is true, but as another poster said, there is still a temporal price to pay. Consider the following example from Scripture:

2 Samuel 11:27 - “And the mourning being over, David sent and brought her into his house, and she became his wife, and she bore him a son: and this thing which David had done, was displeasing to the Lord.”

David has just had Urias killed and commits adultery in this verse. Notice what God thinks about David’s actions. Now in 2 Samuel 12:13 David realizes that he was wrong after Nathan’s parable reveals it to him:

2 Samuel 12:13: “And David said to Nathan: I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said to David: The Lord also hath taken away thy sin: thou shalt not die.”

David has confessed his sin and been forgiven by God; all back to normal right? Not exactly:

2 Samuel 12:14-18 - “Nevertheless, because thou hast given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, for this thing, the child that is born to thee, shall surely die. And Nathan returned to his house. The Lord also struck the child which the wife of Urias had borne to David, and his life was despaired of. And David besought the Lord for the child: and David kept a fast, and going in by himself lay upon the ground. And the ancients of his house came, to make him rise from the ground: but he would not, neither did he eat meat with them. And it came to pass on the seventh day that the child died.”

There was punishment for David’s sin even after forgiveness. We likewise are not discharged from the effects of sin even though Jesus has already forgiven us.

By the way, sorry for the long time between posts, I lost track of this thread.