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The purification is necessary because, as Scripture teaches, nothing unclean will enter the presence of God in heaven (Rev. 21:27) and, while we may die with our mortal sins forgiven, there can still be many impurities in us, specifically venial sins and the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven. You must remeber that Purgatory is ONLY FOR THE SAVED. It is NOT a second chance, and it is NOT a third place.


When we die, we undergo what is called the particular, or individual, judgment. Scripture says that "it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment" (Heb. 9:27). We are judged instantly and receive our reward, for good or ill. We know at once what our final destiny will be.

Augustine said, in The City of God, that "temporary punishments are suffered by some in this life only, by others after death, by others both now and then; but all of them before that last and strictest judgment" (21:13). It is between the particular and general judgments, then, that the soul is purified of the remaining consequences of sin: "I tell you, you will never get out till you have paid the very last copper" (Luke 12:59).

Why would anyone go to purgatory? To be cleansed, for "nothing unclean shall enter [heaven]" (Rev. 21:27). Anyone who has not been completely freed of sin and its effects is, to some extent, "unclean." Through repentance he may have gained the grace needed to be worthy of heaven, which is to say, he has been forgiven and his soul is spiritually alive. But that’s not sufficient for gaining entrance into heaven. He needs to be cleansed completely.

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" (CCC 1031).

(Source)
http://www.catholic.com/library/Purgatory.asp

2007-10-25 08:37:33 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 6 5

Purgatory

Definition: “According to the teaching of the [Roman Catholic] Church, the state, place, or condition in the next world . . . where the souls of those who die in the state of grace, but not yet free from all imperfection, make expiation for unforgiven venial sins or for the temporal punishment due to venial and mortal sins that have already been forgiven and, by so doing, are purified before they enter heaven.” (New Catholic Encyclopedia, 1967, Vol. XI, p. 1034) Not a Bible teaching.

On what is the teaching of purgatory based?

After reviewing what Catholic writers have said regarding such texts as 2 Maccabees 12:39-45, Matthew 12:32, and 1 Corinthians 3:10-15, the New Catholic Encyclopedia (1967, Vol. XI, p. 1034) acknowledges: “In the final analysis, the Catholic doctrine on purgatory is based on tradition, not Sacred Scripture.”

“The church has relied on tradition to support a middle ground between heaven and hell.”—U.S. Catholic, March 1981, p. 7.

2007-10-25 09:18:05 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0 2

There is no Biblical basis for Purgatory... that is from The Catholic teaching and they made up a bunch of stuff... they are the ones that made Sunday the day most now think of as the Sabbath, Infant Baptism... lots of things... none Biblical

There was Paradise, which was where those who ended their mortal time, before Christ, went to await the coming of Christ. And that is part of what is used by some to justify the concept of Purgatory. But Paradise went out of business when Christ took all the ones there to Heaven.

There is debate among those of The True Christian Faith as to whether or not to departed go directly to heaven or if they "sleep" until The Rapture... I am of the opinion that souls of those of The Church(not the catholic) sleep until Christ calls them up at the rapture... in either case, there is no "purgatory"

2007-10-25 08:44:21 · answer #3 · answered by ? 5 · 2 2

It isn't there. They will use 1 Cor. 3:13 - 15, but that is speaking of the judgment seat of Christ, where our works after salvation will be judged for rewards. We will not face judgment for sin, Christ took care of that on the cross. The belief in purgatory belies their belief that Christ's atoning work on the cross was insufficient, that it did not do the job. The Bible knows nothing of this theology. Christ work on the cross fully, and completely atoned for all the sins of the believers, the elect of God. So, there is no need to "work off" sins.

1Pe 3:18 Because even Christ once suffered concerning sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God; indeed being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit;

Heb 10:10 by which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Heb 10:11 And indeed every priest stands day by day ministering, and often offering the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
Heb 10:12 But He, offering but one sacrifice for sins, "sat down" in perpetuity "at the right hand" of God,
Heb 10:13 from then on expecting "until His enemies are placed as a footstool" of His feet.

Heb 9:26 since He must often have suffered from the foundation of the world. But now once for all, at the completion of the ages, He has been manifested for putting away of sin through the sacrifice of Himself.

2007-10-25 08:45:45 · answer #4 · answered by BrotherMichael 6 · 1 2

Purgatory is based on a misunderstanding of the nature of Christ’s sacrifice. Catholics view the Mass / Eucharist as a re-presentation of Christ’s sacrifice because they fail to understand that Jesus’ once for all sacrifice was absolutely and perfectly sufficient. Catholics view meritorious works as contributing to salvation due to a failure to recognize that Jesus’ sacrificial payment has no need of additional “contribution”. Similarly, Purgatory is understood by Catholics as a place of cleansing in preparation for Heaven because they do not recognize that because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we are already cleansed, declared righteous, forgiven, redeemed, reconciled, and sanctified.

2007-10-25 08:41:54 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3 3

I asked this the other day and no one could answer it ether the guy with the page long answer cath. crusade gave me the same answer and a friend and I went over it and there is not one place you can find that we die and go half way to heaven. I just want to know why they hold on to this and what good it does them. I just think it is a money thing , If you pray at a catholic church for some dead loved one they have candles you pay to light. I remember my mom giving me a dollar of two to Neal down and pray for my grand mom or who ever had died . think how much a candle costs and how many times you pay to light that same candle over and over and over boy it is a big big big profit

2007-10-25 08:48:21 · answer #6 · answered by mairszee 3 · 1 3

It is a false teaching in the Catholic church. They don't use the Bible, because it's not in it. They may have taken something out of context, like they do with the Catholic church being the only "true" church. Apparently, they never read Jesus' letters to the 7 churches in Revelation.

2007-10-25 08:50:05 · answer #7 · answered by byHisgrace 7 · 1 2

Purgatory is not necessary to enter into the Kingdom of God.
Jesus, by His death and time in hell, paid the penalty for all of us.
But, we need to follow the Bibles' teaching on knowing to recognize our sin filled selves, confession to God and *belief* that God's plan of Jesus paying our sin for us and His ascension into Heaven is sufficient. That is all the Bible espouses on the payment of sin.

2007-10-25 08:54:54 · answer #8 · answered by Anita S 2 · 0 3

This question was asked to death a couple days ago.
Come on. Use the search button or something.

2007-10-25 08:42:28 · answer #9 · answered by Vernacular Catholic 3 · 3 1

There is no such thing as purgatory in the Bible. There are no scriptures to back it up. Only Catholics believe this.

2007-10-25 08:40:11 · answer #10 · answered by Caramel 4 · 4 7

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