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I am not a Catholic, but I have no idea about the teaching of Purgatory. I am very interested and would like to know the who, what, when, where, why, and how’s?
Thanks, Zach
Thanks, Zach
There is no biblical basis for the doctrine of Purgatory. It all comes from Sacred Tradition which the Catholic Church considers to be on par with scripture. Purgatory is among other things, is a place where souls of those who die in a state of grace are purified through horrendous suffering in fire so they can enter Heaven. However, scripture tells us that Christ is our purification for sins.I am not a Catholic, but I have no idea about the teaching of Purgatory. I am very interested and would like to know the who, what, when, where, why, and how’s?
Thanks, Zach
Zach,I am not a Catholic, but I have no idea about the teaching of Purgatory. I am very interested and would like to know the who, what, when, where, why, and how’s?
Thanks, Zach
The concept of purgatory seems logical to me, unless you wanna be a sinner in Heaven (which can’t exist anyways). Of course, many of our protestant brothers and sisters don’t understand the concept. Purgatory is not a place, but instead an act of God that purifies us. Face it, if you believe there are no sinners in Heaven and that God purifies us, you believe in purgatory.There is no biblical basis for the doctrine of Purgatory. It all comes from Sacred Tradition which the Catholic Church considers to be on par with scripture. Purgatory is among other things, is a place where souls of those who die in a state of grace are purified through horrendous suffering in fire so they can enter Heaven. However, scripture tells us that Christ is our purification for sins.
***“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had (past tense) provided purification ***for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews 1:3
No Problem.I am not a Catholic, but I have no idea about the teaching of Purgatory. I am very interested and would like to know the who, what, when, where, why, and how’s?
Thanks, Zach
There is no biblical basis for the doctrine of Purgatory. It all comes from Sacred Tradition which the Catholic Church considers to be on par with scripture. Purgatory is among other things, is a place where souls of those who die in a state of grace are purified through horrendous suffering in fire so they can enter Heaven. However, scripture tells us that Christ is our purification for sins.
***“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had (past tense) provided purification ***for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews 1:3/quote]And so He is also in Purgatory. Who do you think effects that purification? Mr. Clean?
For a study on this I suggest that you guys take a look at an article I wrote and posted on my blog. Biblical and Jewish Traditional Beliefs About Purgatory
Really? Perhaps you have missed some very relevant scriptures on this topic. You imply that one is sinless after conversion, which flies in the face of several New Testament passages.Before I get into the readings (thank you), if it is what is mentioned then it IS NOT logical according to Scripture. Yes all are sinless when they die under the Grace of God through the perfect atoning blood of Christ. It doesn’t really make sense that there would be anything else needed after death to make us better or less sinful before entering heaven due to the fact that our righteousness is not our own to begin with. We all are going to come so far from perfect, but at glorification we will be made sinless by our new heavenly bodies given.
This is my Biblical understanding/hypothesis. Now for the readings-
Tell those who are invited, Behold, I have made ready my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves are killed, and everything is ready; come to the marriage feast.' **5**] But they made light of it and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, **6**] while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. **7**] The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. **8**] Then he said to his servants, The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy.Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. **13**] Then the king said to the attendants, Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.’I didnt say that a human being is sinless at all. We are totally 100% drepraved and sinning all the time in our flesh. When one is converted He is propitiated for and therefore God no longer looks unto our righteousness which is like filthy rags, but rather the righteousness of another-,Jesus, who is perfect. Now when one is converted, saved, justified by the grace of God, he is totally still sinful and will increasingly be aware of his deep dark self as he goes on and sins less and less as sanctification occurs. My point was not that we quit sinning, which is impossible, but that we are saved by the person and work of Christ therefore when we die there doesn’t need to be any payment of sin as it is all absorbed at Calvary. To say that we have sin to pay for after death (if that is what purgatory says) is to say that Christ didnt pay it all at once for us, which He did as we see in Hebrews. I also dont hold to the Apocrypha writings, and context is king in Scripture as we do agree on I’m sure.Really? Perhaps you have missed some very relevant scriptures on this topic. You imply that one is sinless after conversion, which flies in the face of several New Testament passages.
John 20:21] Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.”
22] And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
23] If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
1st John1:9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
James 5:14] Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;
15] and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
16] Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects.
These all clearly speak of dealing with sins by believers after their conversion. Nowhere in the scriptures does it anywhere say that believers never sin again. It teaches that we are to make every effort to live sinless lives by the grace of God, but that is all.
According to the logic of n-C theology (not all but many) it would then be necessary to confess every sin or else risk perdition. Since that opportunity only rarely happens among n-Cs it leaves a very big hole in their beliefs.
How does God deal with those minor sins that are not confessed?
One washes up before eating a meal.
How much more so will one be purified before celebrating the marriage supper of the Lamb?! I for one have no intention of appearing without a wedding garment.
Matthew 22:1] And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying,
2] "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a marriage feast for his son,
3] and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage feast; but they would not come.
4] Again he sent other servants, saying,Tell those who are invited, Behold, I have made ready my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves are killed, and everything is ready; come to the marriage feast.' **5**] But they made light of it and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, **6**] while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. **7**] The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. **8**] Then he said to his servants,The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy.
9] Go therefore to the thoroughfares, and invite to the marriage feast as many as you find.’
10] And those servants went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11] “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment;
12] and he said to him,Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. **13**] Then the king said to the attendants,Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.’
14] For many are called, but few are chosen.”
I understand this differently due to the fact that Jesus is talking of the Law. 1 single sin is eternally condemnable not on the basis of human terms. It is because 1 sin toward a perfect and Holy God is so incredibly bad that it is eternally condemnable in itself. We know that anyone who goes to hell is going for eternity and when Christ says “until you have paid the last penny” he is, in my opinion, talking about eternal punishment. In other words if Jesus paid for all of our sins except 1 lie we are equally condemned as Hilter for eternity. Paul’s writings talk about being under grace and liberty in Christ where we are set free from sin not having to pay or bear it anymore. Now if purgatory says that we bear or even think of bearing any sin, then I would highly disagree. I do hold that our sin on this side of eternity will result is pain and suffering, but as I said in Christ we have liberty to serve Christ freely.Matthew 5:26 - “I warn you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”
This is pretty nicely put, and in a sense even supports the Idea of Purgatory. Not necessarily as a place but as a process. The process call the Purgation.I didnt say that a human being is sinless at all. We are totally 100% drepraved and sinning all the time in our flesh. When one is converted He is propitiated for and therefore God no longer looks unto our righteousness which is like filthy rags, but rather the righteousness of another-,Jesus, who is perfect. Now when one is converted, saved, justified by the grace of God, he is totally still sinful and will increasingly be aware of his deep dark self as he goes on and sins less and less as sanctification occurs. My point was not that we quit sinning, which is impossible, but that we are saved by the person and work of Christ therefore when we die there doesn’t need to be any payment of sin as it is all absorbed at Calvary. To say that we have sin to pay for after death (if that is what purgatory says) is to say that Christ didnt pay it all at once for us, which He did as we see in Hebrews. I also dont hold to the Apocrypha writings, and context is king in Scripture as we do agree on I’m sure.
Yet by that thinking it comes off as not mattering whether we change our behavior, but only express a faith in the sacrifice of Christ.I didnt say that a human being is sinless at all. We are totally 100% drepraved and sinning all the time in our flesh. When one is converted He is propitiated for and therefore God no longer looks unto our righteousness which is like filthy rags, but rather the righteousness of another-,Jesus, who is perfect. Now when one is converted, saved, justified by the grace of God, he is totally still sinful and will increasingly be aware of his deep dark self as he goes on and sins less and less as sanctification occurs. My point was not that we quit sinning, which is impossible, but that we are saved by the person and work of Christ therefore when we die there doesn’t need to be any payment of sin as it is all absorbed at Calvary.
(if that is what purgatory says) is to say that Christ didnt pay it all at once for us, which He did as we see in Hebrews.Perhaps you didn’t express this correctly, but according to what I have bolded there, you would be saying that there is no Hell, which is in fact precisely a payment for sins after death.To say that we have sin to pay for after death
and context is king in Scripture as we do agree on I’m sure.Neither does the Catholic Church since the Deuterocanonical books have never been classed as apocryphal by the Christian church and if you look at the earliest lists of the canon from those discussions you very quickly see that they were indeed included…even in the Septuagint, which is the version of the Old Testament that is most quoted in the New Testament Greek texts.I also dont hold to the Apocrypha writings,
I am not sure exactly what you are saying here as I am a slow learner, but I do hold the old and new testament as inherent and infallible truth and could go into detail. I have always been taught that the Apocryphal books are those between Malachi and Mathew being the 400 year gap period such as Machabees and so forth. I am not sure if you hold them equal to Scripture or not, but one of these books was quoted above which is the reason I made the statement. I don’t consider these Gnostic Gospels such as Gospel of Thomas etc which are rejected in the New Testament Cannon.Yet by that thinking it comes off as not mattering whether we change our behavior, but only express a faith in the sacrifice of Christ.
This is the flow of Scripture that we are justified by faith apart from works. Therefore we do not have to present ourselves as changed before God before we are save by His grace. On the other hand there are strict warnings for faith that has no works. Biblically when one truly has saving faith/repentence and a true conversion/rebirth of the Spirit it is impossible to not have an incredibly active and many times dramatic change. Our works are out of liberty/freedom (under grace) and love for Christ therefore they have no attachment to justification. If we claim to have faith and no works then our faith is possibly false. If we do works in fear that we will lose our salvation or to earn grace then I would say that we are not working with a true heart of worship.
Church Militant;5653314:
The context to which I was speaking are those who are saved. The saved have no sin to pay for because Christ paid for it, and those who are not saved will indeed fall under judgment and eternal hell. I do believe in eternal hell for everyone who is not saved by the grace of God. All are born under the condemnation of Adam therefore all are in trouble Unless they come to Christ for mercy and salvation.I hope that is not what you are saying.Perhaps you didn’t express this correctly, but according to what I have bolded there, you would be saying that there is no Hell, which is in fact precisely a payment for sins after death.
Can you please explain to me what “tried by fire/ as through fire means”? I understand you connect this to purgatory but please bear with me as I don’t make the connection. I started to read some of what was posted but I have not had enough time to work through them clearly that is why I have been careful with my judgments.I would point out that the scriptures are very clear that all our works will be tried by fire as stated plainly in 1st Corinthians 3:15 and we will be saved “as through fire”, so I don’t see how you can ignore what is a plain reference to Purgatory. Did you even bother to read the link in my other post? You should have.
been classed as apocryphal by the Christian church and if you look at the earliest lists of the canon from those discussions you very quickly see that they were indeed included…even in the Septuagint, which is the version of the Old Testament that is most quoted in the New Testament Greek texts. The apocrypha is a term that applies to Gnostic documents and other such things.Neither does the Catholic Church since the Deuterocanonical books have never
Thanks for the reply, can you expound a little for me? I am not sure how you are seeing this.My favorite biblical example of the power of purgatory:
Luke Ch 5
8 Which when Simon Peter saw, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying: Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. 9 For he was wholly astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken. 10 And so were also James and John the sons of Zebedee, who were Simon’s partners. And Jesus saith to Simon: Fear not: from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
Peter and the others were being prepared for an intimate and elevated role under Jesus. So, Jesus is revealing Himself more intimately to them as part of that preperation. As a result of that intimacy Peter experiences a moment of clarity in regards of the divinity of Jesus. In that moment Peter also experiences clarity about himself. Jesus reveals man to himself. In the presence of Christ’s perfect humanity and divine nature Peter recognizes ever more clearly the horrible distortion sin has made of his soul. Jesus tells Peter, " fear not".Thanks for the reply, can you expound a little for me? I am not sure how you are seeing this.
Thank you.Peter and the others were being prepared for an intimate and elevated role under Jesus. So, Jesus is revealing Himself more intimately to them as part of that preperation. As a result of that intimacy Peter experiences a moment of clarity in regards of the divinity of Jesus. In that moment Peter also experiences clarity about himself. Jesus reveals man to himself. In the presence of Christ’s perfect humanity and divine nature Peter recognizes ever more clearly the horrible distortion sin has made of his soul. Jesus tells Peter, " fear not".
This is akin to the pain of purgatory, and like the souls in purgatory who have died forgiven but distorted by sin we are comforted with the words of Jesus and in the unity of the Spirit and the Bride who say ‘come’ we become like Him as that is necessary to see Him as He is.
***1 John ***
2 Dearly beloved, we are now the sons of God; and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be. We know, that, when he shall appear, we shall be like to him: because we shall see him as he is.
In relation to what Protestants term the “Apochypha” and the Cathokic term “Deuterocanonical” books. They consist of 7 OT books, Tobi, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach, and Baruch.I respect your views and appreciate your time as I love to talk about Scripture, so if we do have any differences I just want to say let us discuss in peace.
This is the flow of Scripture that we are justified by faith apart from works. Therefore we do not have to present ourselves as changed before God before we are save by His grace. On the other hand there are strict warnings for faith that has no works. Biblically when one truly has saving faith/repentence and a true conversion/rebirth of the Spirit it is impossible to not have an incredibly active and many times dramatic change. Our works are out of liberty/freedom (under grace) and love for Christ therefore they have no attachment to justification. If we claim to have faith and no works then our faith is possibly false. If we do works in fear that we will lose our salvation or to earn grace then I would say that we are not working with a true heart of worship.
The context to which I was speaking are those who are saved. The saved have no sin to pay for because Christ paid for it, and those who are not saved will indeed fall under judgment and eternal hell. I do believe in eternal hell for everyone who is not saved by the grace of God. All are born under the condemnation of Adam therefore all are in trouble Unless they come to Christ for mercy and salvation.
Can you please explain to me what “tried by fire/ as through fire means”? I understand you connect this to purgatory but please bear with me as I don’t make the connection. I started to read some of what was posted but I have not had enough time to work through them clearly that is why I have been careful with my judgments.
**I am not sure exactly what you are saying here as I am a slow learner, but I do hold the old and new testament as inherent and infallible truth and could go into detail. I have always been taught that the Apocryphal books are those between Malachi and Mathew being the 400 year gap period such as Machabees and so forth. I am not sure if you hold them equal to Scripture or not, but one of these books was quoted above which is the reason I made the statement. I don’t consider these Gnostic Gospels such as Gospel of Thomas etc which are rejected in the New Testament Cannon. **
Rabbit trails are interesting, but I am going to try to work through some of the links now- Zach
Thank you.
I dont disagree that the Holy Spirit opened up His heart in this instance realizing the righteousness of Christ, personal sin, and so forth. I would say that this event is common in the lives of believers and the Holy Spirit continually reveals our filth to ourselves and the beauty of Christ, which results in humility, love, repentence, and faith. Now I may be completely missing your point, but I don’t understand how you connect the work of the Holy Spirit here to purgatory.