Its not in the bible from what I can see. thanks
2006-10-13 02:01:32 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
+ Purgatroy +
The concept of purgation is hinted at in the Bible. Here are a couple of places:
"But if someone's work is burned up, that one will suffer loss; the person will be saved, but only as through fire." (1 Cor 3:15)
"So that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1 Pet 1:7)
Are you perfect now? Most people would say no.
Will you be perfect in heaven? Most people believe yes.
Purgatory (or purgation) is the process of God's love changing our imperfect selves on earth into perfect beings in heaven. Depending on the amount of change needed by different people, this can be an easy or slightly harder process.
Everyone in purgatory is on his or her way to heaven. I do not think Mother Teresa of Calcutta had a very hard time of it.
+ Souces of Doctrine +
The Catholic Church does not only use Holy Scripture for the basis of doctrine. The early Catholic church existed before and during the time that the New Testament was written (by Catholics).
Catholics also believe that the Holy Spirit was guiding the early church (and is guiding the church today) to make the correct choices about things like
- The Holy Trinity (which is also only hinted at in the Bible)
- Going to church on Sunday instead of Saturday (which is actually directly against one of the ten commandments)
- Which books to include in the New Testament?
- How do our imperfect selves on earth get to be perfect in heaven?
This second source of doctrine is called Holy Tradition.
With love in Christ.
2006-10-13 17:34:27 · answer #1 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
It is a concept which was taught by the R.C. church to the people during the medievil ages and is still taught to frighten them into believing their loved ones are condemed to purgatory when they die. They taught that the only way to get your loved ones out of purgatory was to pay "indulgences" to the chuch. Virtually you could buy your loved ones way to heaven. It was a way for the RC Chuch to collect money from the poor. Purgatory is nowhere in the bible.
2006-10-13 09:27:25 · answer #2 · answered by iamwhoiam 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Jesus told a parable of an unrepentant debtor. A man owed the king a great deal of money. The king forgave that man the very large debt. That man refused to forgive a fellow servant a smaller debt, so the king threw him into prison until he repaid the last penny.
We are the unrepentant debtor. We have been saved by Jesus Christ (the king forgiving the man the large debt), but we still sin. If we still have sins we have not been forgiven of when we die, we are made perfect in Purgatory (the prison).
Purgatory is not a final destination like Heaven or Hell is. Purgatory is more of a process - the final justification by Jesus Christ of the soul before it enters Heaven. As long as we remain in Christ, We undergo justification by Jesus Christ every day of our lives. Every day of our lives, we become more and more like Jesus. This process continues after we leave this life. Only those who die in the grace of God will be cleansed in Purgatory.
Though in the past there was corrupt priests, bishops and popes that sold indulgences, this practice has been stopped. People who still state that catholics buy their way or the way of their dead loved ones into heaven do not understand the practices of the Catholic Church and are still focused on the past.
2006-10-13 09:23:02 · answer #3 · answered by Sldgman 7 · 1⤊ 3⤋
its not biblical its a man made idea with no biblical standing. its motly catholic. they misread the scripture where christ describes what paradise was through the story of lazarus and the beger. Before christ the doors of heaven were not open OT saints went to paradise where they were cared for by god. paradise was separated from hell by a huge chasm. When christ forgave the thief that died with him he told him this day you will be with me in paradise. Christ went to paradise opened the doors of heaven. Pergatory is the belief that paradise still exists and in some way you have a last chance opportunity after death to work off your sins so to speak. its completely false...absent in the body present with the lord the only hope for salvation is on this side of the grave
2006-10-13 09:08:53 · answer #4 · answered by Robert K 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
From the scripture that says "By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13his 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. 14If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames." from 1 Corinthians chapter 3(NIV)
The idea being that this was not a figurative fire but a real place where you are purged of all that is not of God before you enter the Pearly gates and are face to face with God Himself.
2006-10-13 09:05:18 · answer #5 · answered by Makemeaspark 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
u read the apocryphal book in the catholic bible.. there they get the teaching of purgatory...
2006-10-13 09:28:19 · answer #6 · answered by rjmind 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think there may be a reference to it once in the Apocrypha.
2006-10-13 09:05:57 · answer #7 · answered by KDdid 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋