What is Purgatory?

Question

I used to hear my Catholic friends talk about Purgatory, but they don't talk about it much any more.

Answer 1

In between heaven and hell...

Answer 2

Like Hell, Purgatory is a state of supernatural punishment. Unlike Hell, Purgatory is temporary. The logic is that if a sinner isn't too far gone, he can learn something from suffering, thus attain enough spiritual insight to enter Heaven eventually. For obvious reasons a few mystics have identified Purgatory with life on earth.

Answer 3

First, the Pope did NOT do "away" with it. They are confusing that with limbo, which was NEVER official church teaching.

Second, it is biblical, (which is why Martin Luther removed the book that was in the bible for hundreds of years) that pertained to it.


Corinthians 3:14–15: "If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire." You see, the Latinate word purgatory means a purgation or burning by fire. Paul in these verses refers to a purgation process whereby a man is saved even though his works are burned away. This is precisely what the Catholic Church teaches. A person at death who still has personal faults is prevented from entering into heaven because he is not completely purified. He must go through a period of purgation in order to be made clean, for nothing unclean will enter heaven (cf. Rev. 21:27).

Maccabees 12:40–45. When Judas prays and has sacrifices offered for soldiers who died in battle, he is commended for acting "very well and honorably."
(this is one of the books that Luther removed)

Matthew 12:32 says that some people who sin "will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come." This suggests that there are some sins that will be forgiven in the age to come. If there is no purification after death, then this passage doesn’t make much sense.

The Church doesn’t exclude the possibility that purgatory could be an instantaneous purification, but there are indications in the Bible that souls do exist in some state that is neither heaven nor hell. Look at 1 Peter 3:19–20. These verses show Jesus preaching to "to the spirits in prison." The "prison" cannot be heaven, because the people there do not need to have the Gospel preached to them. It cannot be hell, because the souls in hell cannot repent. It must be something else. As you can see, there is nothing unbiblical about the claim that those who have died might not immediately go to heaven or to hell.

Purgatory is only for those who have repented and have died in God’s grace but still have some attachment to sin. While the Church cannot judge souls, we can be certain that if a person dies in a state of mortal sin without asking God’s forgiveness, purgatory does not await him as if it were a second chance.

Answer 4

Pugatory is a false doctrine invented by Catholics, so beware. If it is not from God, it cannot be true. Purgatory is nowhere contained in the Bible and does not exist. They say it's some place between hell, limbo and heaven to go when you're not sure of where you should go, or to cleanse oneself.

This is not true by any means and is not based on truthful Bible standards. It is something just like the qaran that is made up by men but bears no truthfulness to it's origin.

True men wrote the Bible, all 66 books of the Bible was written by 40 men, but these men were directed and inspired by Jehovah God to do so...therefore who is the Bible's true Author? I think you can figure this out, but as far purgatory, it does not exist and right along with most of the false teachings by the Catholic church, it is something that mislead those who like living the lie; those who are blinded and wish to stay this way.

Answer 5

Purgatory is not a place, its a state of being, where we are cleansed and purified,

There is no repentance after death, Purgatory ( the state of being) is when we have repented of our sin before death, but have not yet been fully healed from our sin.and its effects.

We feel unworthy to enter fully into the presence of the most Holy God our Father in heaven. We need more time to complete the purification process.

Answer 6

Due to the fact that these
Christians use the Protestant Old Testament which is lacking 7 entire books 2 (Tobias, Judith, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus/Sirach, Baruch, I Maccabees, and II Maccabees), 3 chapters of Daniel and 6 chapters of Esther may be one of the reasons they ask catholics so many questions.

For the Sola Scriptura this is too bad .
In the 16th c., Luther removed those books from the canon that lent support to orthodox doctrine, relegating them to an appendix. Removed in this way were books that supported such things as:

prayers for the dead (Tobit 12:12; 2 Maccabees 12:39-45),

Purgatory (Wisdom 3:1-7),

intercession of dead saints (2 Maccabees 15:14),

and intercession of angels as intermediaries (Tobit 12:12-15).

The lesson, though, is this: relying on the "Bible alone" is a bad idea; we are not to rely solely on Sacred Scripture to understand Christ's message. While Scripture is "given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16-17), it is not sufficient for reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness. It is the Church that is the "pillar and ground of Truth" (1 Timothy 3:15)! Jesus did not come to write a book; He came to redeem us, and He founded a Sacramental Church through His apostles to show us the way. It is to them, to the Church Fathers, to the Sacred Deposit of Faith, to the living Church that is guided by the Holy Spirit, and to Scripture that we must prayerfully look.


any further questions, try this website:

http://www.fisheaters.com/beingcatholic....

Answer 7

There are different definitions of purgatory:

The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines purgatory as a "purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven," which is experienced by those "who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified" (CCC 1030). It notes that "this final purification of the elect . . . is entirely different from the punishment of the damned"

Purgatory (Lat., "purgare", to make clean, to purify) in accordance with Catholic teaching is a place or condition of temporal punishment for those who, departing this life in God's grace, are, not entirely free from venial faults, or have not fully paid the satisfaction due to their transgressions.

Answer 8

It is a catholic term. Purgatory is a place in between heaven and hell, a place of waiting. Many believe that you will relive a life over in the same conditions until you get it right. Most that go to purgatory is suicide victims. Taking ones own life is unforgivable.

Answer 9

This is only discussed and believe within the Catholic religion I believe.. And it is the place between heaven and hell. Some are sent there until they have made enough repentance for their sins. Or as a holding while God is in the process of forgiving. That is my understanding. I was raised and educated Catholic. I no longer practice/study under the Catholic religion.. The Catholic religion has a great deal of things that are different from many Christian organizations. Hope this helped. God bless****

Answer 10

Purgatory is the act of purging a Conservative member from the Parliament and replacing him or her with someone healthier. It's etymological roots are in the words 'purge' and 'tory', the latter being short for Consevatory, obviously. It can be a long and arduous process.

Answer 11

There is no such place.
However Jesus did talk about a place called Paradise. and that's where the thief on the cross was going to be that day with Jesus.
Luke 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.