How can God send us to purgatory to pay for our sins when He does not remember our sins? It is clear when we repent God forgives, forgets, and cleanses us from our sins. It says when we confess our sins He cleanses us from all unrighteousness. Why do we need to be cleansed from sin after death if He already cleansed us in life?
Jeremiah 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
2007-11-05 05:42:35 · 13 answers · asked by Bible warrior 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Note I am not saying once saved always saved. However when I daily pray and ask God to forgive me all my sins they are wiped out and forgotten. No stain remains.
2007-11-05 05:43:12 · update #1
tango - what is wrong with politely discussing our different beliefs in Christianity. I did not ask how stupid Catholics could believe in purgatory. Nor would I ever. First Catholics are not stupid and second I would not insult my brothers and sisters in Christ. Respectfully questioning in my opinion is fine.
2007-11-05 05:49:31 · update #2
Bob N - A priest is not necessary for confession nor forgiveness. When Jesus taught the disciples to pray He taught them to confess to God.
2007-11-05 05:50:47 · update #3
Bob N - Where does the idea we pay for our sins come from? Jesus paid that price not me. We cannot pay it.
2007-11-05 05:51:27 · update #4
The stain of our sin was removed with the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is our savior, not prayers, not a priest, no one, but Jesus.
This is yet again another false teaching of the Catholic faith. I do not need anyone but Him to save me, to hear my sins, to cleans me. Once I was born into the Lord, God does not see my sins, becuase when He looks at me know, He sees Jesus.
The idea that they, meaning the Catholics, have the nerve to try to take what Jesus has done from Him is horrific. It actually pains me here them.....
2007-11-05 08:44:14 · answer #1 · answered by lovinghelpertojoe 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
In the Catholic Church, in addition to confessing one's sins and obtaining forgiveness, one must also make restitution. One of the definitions of restitution is "A return to or restoration of a previous state or position."
Looking at it in this way, our souls still carry the stain of sin. Yes, we are forgiven, but there remain lingering effects of our sinfulness. The Book of Revelation clearly states that nothing imperfect can approach the Throne of God. Purgatory restores our soul to its previous state, as God the Creator originally intended since the dawn of Creation.
Another way to look at it is this: Suppose we stole a significant amount of money from our employer. By all appearances, we got away with the theft. After some time, our conscious gets the better of us, and so we confess to God, asking for forgiveness. We may believe, and rightfully so, that God has forgiven us. However, we make no effort to pay back the money to our employer. At the end-of-the-year financial audit, the Controller discovers the missing funds, and is able to determine where the money went. Sadly and surprisingly, we are called to the HR office, informed of the discovery, and summarily terminated... nearly a year after the actual theft and all the while having been forgiven by God for that sin of theft. Not only are we terminated, but we may still face criminal charges of embezzlement and grand theft.
So, you see, restitution is required at all times, and Purgatory provides a means for restitution.
I am grateful for Purgatory because without it, I am certain that my imperfection and ignorance would condemn me. Purgatory points to God's inifinite mercy based on the merits of Christ's redemptive act.
2007-11-05 06:44:45 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
For believers, after death is to be "away from the body and at home with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:23). Notice that this does not say "away from the body, in Purgatory with the cleansing fire." No, because of the perfection, completion, and sufficiency of Jesus' sacrifice, we are immediately in the Lord's presence after death, fully cleansed, free from sin, glorified, perfected, and ultimately sanctified.
2007-11-05 06:59:00 · answer #3 · answered by Freedom 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
We do not "pay for" our sins in purgatory.
Revelation tells us that nothing unclean is allowed into Heaven. There are things that make us unclean -- one of those things is sin, but it's not the only thing that makes us unclean.
Self-love also makes us unclean. In the Christian scheme of things, self-love renders us imperfect. We must be perfect before we enter Heaven, and this perfection cannot be had while we're on this earth.
If our souls are stained with self-love when we die -- even if we die with our sins forgiven -- we still must be cleaned. We cannot be presented for entrance into Heaven with the stain of self-love upon us. The Book of Revelation tells us this.
Purgatory is that spiritual state in which self-love is transformed into perfect love for God.
Purgatory is not mentioned by name in the Bible, but it is mentioned. (The words "Trinity" and "Incarnation" aren't mentioned in the Bible either, but all Christians believe in them -- just as we should all believe in purgatory.)
Jesus speaks of how we will stay in prison until we pay the last penny -- a metaphor for our self-love being transformed into perfect love for God.
The New Testament speaks of Jesus "preaching to the spirits in prison" after His death and before His resurrection. This "prison" cannot be Heaven (no preaching is needed there), nor can it be hell (no preaching can help there).
2 Maccabees tells us that "it is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead" -- and these prayers cannot be meant for the dead in Heaven or in Hell; these prayers are not needed for the former and they cannot possibly help the latter. 2 Maccabees clearly refers to purgatory.
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2007-11-05 05:55:26 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
I do not believe in purgatory. Nice idea, but not at all supported by scriptures. I believe strongly we are called to apply the principals Jesus taught in our lives, and to do good and be of service to other people. The rules are very clear, and we have our entire lives to get it right. No second chance is needed or deserved.
2007-11-05 05:52:00 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Yes, but you still need to pay for them. If you die in the state of Mortal sin, you go to hell.
Purgatory is for sins you haven't paid for already and venial sins. You'll go to heaven in the end.
P.S.- You need to go to reconciliation and confess your sins to a priest to get them forgiven. Jesus said that "whose sins you forgive are forgiven, and whose sins you retain are retained" to the first priests.
2007-11-05 05:48:28 · answer #6 · answered by Bob N 3 · 5⤊ 1⤋
The only thing purgatory was designed to do is cleanse you of your worldly money.
2007-11-05 06:39:37 · answer #7 · answered by bocasbeachbum 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Purgatory is not found in scripture. It was made up by some early church leaders to discourage sin.
2007-11-05 05:49:16 · answer #8 · answered by sdb deacon 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
becuae we are told in scriptures that some sins will be forgiven in this life and some in the next. also we know when we stand before the judgement of God we will be tested - tested in fire.
the time period "purgatory" is the time we are in judgement and in the purification period.
2007-11-05 05:48:45 · answer #9 · answered by Marysia 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Purgatory gives us a more thorough disciplining. Perhaps it is there were God uses a little arm-twisting.
2007-11-05 05:48:43 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋