What is Purgatory?

Question

Is it in the bible

Answer 1

Purgatory is where the dead are trapped between Heaven and Hell.

Answer 2

When Adam died, what happened to his soul? Well, remember that in the Bible the word “soul” often simply refers to a person. So when we say that Adam died, we are saying that the soul named Adam died. This might sound unusual to a person who believes in the immortality of the soul. However, the Bible states: “The soul that is sinning—it itself will die.” (Ezekiel 18:4)
Many professed Christians believe that there will be a future resurrection at which time bodies will be joined with immortal souls. Then, the resurrected ones will be consigned to their fate—either a reward for those who led a good life or retribution for the wicked.

This concept sounds simple. But those who adhere to belief in the soul’s immortality have trouble explaining what happens to the soul between the time of death and the time of resurrection. Indeed, this “intermediate state,” as it is often called, has stirred speculation for centuries. Some say that during this period the soul goes to purgatory, where it can be purified of venial sins so as to become fit for heaven.

However, as we have seen, the soul is simply the person. When the person dies, the soul dies. Hence, there is no conscious existence after death. Indeed, when Lazarus died, Jesus Christ did not say that he was in purgatory, Limbo, or any other “intermediate state.” Rather, Jesus simply said: “Lazarus has fallen asleep.” (John 11:11, New English Bible) Clearly, Jesus, who knew the truth about what happens to the soul at death, believed that Lazarus was unconscious, nonexistent.

It was the Devil who told Eve: “You positively will not die.” (Genesis 3:4; Revelation 12:9) But she did die; no part of her lived on. That the soul lives on after death is a lie started by the Devil. And it is also a lie, which the Devil has had spread, that the souls of the wicked are tormented in a hell or a purgatory. Since the Bible clearly shows that the dead are unconscious, these teachings could not be true. Actually, neither the word “purgatory” nor the idea of a purgatory is found in the Bible.

Answer 3

Yes it is in the Bible. Purgatory is a place where people go after they have died and it is not any kind of hell. The only people who go to purgatory and those on their way to heaven. If someone dies in a state of sin, they may go to purgatory because nothing unclean can be in God's presence. Time spend in purgatory is a time of purgation (cleaning of the soul) and then that soul, when clean, goes to heaven with God. We pray for all the souls in purgatory for their purification. No one who goes to purgatory ever goes to hell. That is a misconception of Catholic faith.

Answer 4

Mere reason suggests there must be a Purgatory. So many people seem to be good, but not so greatly good that they should be fit for heaven at once. Again, not nearly all are so evil as to deserve hell. So there should be a means of purification and paying the debt of temporal punishment for those not fit for hell, nor for heaven at once. (Of course Luther would say we can sin all we want and still go to heaven at once, if only we believe it is all covered by Christ's merits: Epistle 501 to Melanchthon).

There is not much in Scripture on Purgatory except that in Second Maccabees 12:45, Judas sends a collection to the Temple for those fallen in battle, found with amulets on, "that they might be freed from this sin." Luther saw so clearly that this referred to Purgatory--which he rejected--that he rejected this book too, declaring it not part of Scripture. Some have tried to see an implication of Purgatory in Matthew 12:32. There Jesus speaks of the sin against the Holy Spirit that will be forgiven "neither in this world nor in the next." But the expression quoted is known in Rabbinic literature, where it means merely "never." Still less could we deduce purgatory from First Corinthians 3:11-15. Paul means if the work of some Christian worker has been of such low quality that it burns down, he himself will be saved "as through fire." But the fire seems to mean the apocalyptic fire of the last day, not a fire of purgatory.

But our belief in Purgatory rests on the tradition and definitions of the Church, at the Councils of Lyons II, Florence, and Trent.

The essential, perhaps the only suffering of Purgatory is the loss of God--it is like what we described in speaking of hell, except that in Purgatory there is no despair, rather, great consolation from assurance of salvation. Is there also something like fire in Purgatory? A host of private apparitions say there is; the Church has never pronounced on it. In fact the Eastern part of the Catholic Church has no such tradition. Many theologians say the suffering is greater than anything on earth. Neither Scripture nor Tradition tells us if that be so.

We do know that the souls there cannot merit or help themselves in any way anymore, they can only suffer. We know we can by prayers and penances relieve them, and somehow, they are enabled to know it when we do that, and they pray for us. How long should we pray and sacrifice for a particular soul? We do not know. St. Augustine in his Confessions (9:13), written 10 to 15 years after the death of his mother, St. Monica, still asked for prayers for her. If we can believe the private apparitions, Purgatory may last the equivalent of many years (we speak thus, for there is no time in Purgatory). For certain, it is terribly wrong to virtually canonize a person at the funeral, as Protestants do under the influence of Luther's sad mistake. Sadly not a few Catholics are imitating them.

Answer 5

Kind of, but only in Catholic Bibles; the Protestants cut it out. In Tobit 3, Rafael (an angel) prays for the soul of a dead man. Why pray for him if it was already irrevocably judged whether he'd go to heaven or hell?

Answer 6

Purgatory is kind of like hell,just not as hot.

The Divine Comedy will tell you all you want to know about it.

Answer 7

It is a fictitious place taught in Catholicism.

Answer 8

A place made up by Catholics.
It is not Biblical!!