Purgatory - When is enough enough?

Question

Lots I've seen about purgatory lately - that place where Catholic Tradition (dogma?) says souls go to be finally cleansed before addmittance to Heavan . . . .
But the death of Jesus is said to cleanse all believers?
What sins are cleansed?
What if my relationship with God is "perfect" but the relationships of others with me is still not perfect (cleansed) - like -- what if I hurt someone through an act that God forgave but my "brother" (or sister or mother or son or daughter etc) are still hurting from?
While they are still in pain over this, and not healed by God/Jesus, then is there still some attachment between me and the person hurt by my indescression?
What if I've been hurt by a person who has asked forgiveness and recieved that from God - but I still hurt? Does that person still have any obligation to me? Or vice versa? Would the process of paying that obligation be "purgatory"? And if the injured essentially said "no forgiveness, is the debt considered finished anyway?

whatdouthink?? -- well, actually, I'm speaking from a place of experience where what was done to hurt me will carry on to my children and maybe their children and chidren's children. And what if I can find compassion for that person, but still my prodgeny suffers for what they did? Or even worse - what if I did something so bad that it reverberates past the one I hurt so even when that one forgives me, others still suffer for what I did? Putting myself in the shoes of the one I want to forgive, and thinking like if it were me in that place...maybe I'm looking for a way to let go...and this purgatory concept really helps me think it throug. :)

Wow, Ranto, you identify yourself as a "former catholic" but yours is such a catholic answer. Much appreciation to you for that :)

Answer 1

Purgatory does not follow from Catholic Tradition -- but from the Bible. The justification for purgatory comes from one of the books of the Apochrypha -- which were taken out of the Bible in the 1500s during the Protestant reformation (it remained in the Catholic Bible -- which has remained unchanged since the canon of the Bible was set at the Council of Rome in the 4th century).

Catholics believe that there are three kinds of sins -- Original Sin, Mortal Sins and Venial Sins. If you die with Original Sin or Mortal Sin on your soul -- you go to hell. If you die with venial sins, then you go to purgatory until you are cleansed.

You can get rid of original sin through Baptism. You can clear your soul of venial and mortal sins by asking God for forgiveness (Catholics usually do this through the sacrament of penance which is witnessed by a priest).

In order for a sin to be a mortal sin, it has to be a serious sin, the person needs to know it is a serious sin, and he has to do it anyway.

Answer 2

no tommy, not in any respect, Christ's sacrifice opened the door -- He provided the present. we ought to settle for and walk via. that is a few "homework" for you from a Catholic attitude on Salvation. that is what purgatory is all about.... in scriptures we are informed - some sins will be forgiven in this existence - therefore some contained in the subsequent. without Jesus Christ, there must be no Church. that is totally mandatory for Christ opened the heavens for US - they're a fabricated from the salvation He gives you. notwithstanding this isn't a one time shot - Scriptures clarify that Salvation is: a million) an ongoing procedure a million Pt a million:6,9 2) something we exercising elementary Phil 2:12 3) something we change into a million Pt 2:a million-2 4) no longer certain through religion on my own Jas 2:14,17,24 & Mt 7:21 5) no longer a unmarried act of religion a million Cor 15:a million-2, Heb 6:4-6 & Mt 24:12-13 6) Salvation isn't finished in this existence a million Pt a million:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which in accordance to his plentiful mercy hath begotten us again unto a energetic wish through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the lifeless, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth no longer away, reserved in heaven for you, who're kept through the capacity of God via faith unto salvation waiting to be printed contained in the most suitable time. that is the recipe really - you should recognize, settle for & LOVE our lord god with all of your heart understanding He lived, died, rose and could come back. because of that - you'll do good & circumvent evil, following the regulations set for via Scriptures and sacred custom. that is quite a few verses on salvation and the thanks to be kept - Rom 8:24, 5:9-10, 13:11, 2:2-8, 11:22 Eph 2:5, 2:8, 2:8-10 2 Tim a million:9, 2:11-13 Titus 3:5 Phil 2:12 a million puppy a million:9, a million:17 Mt 10:22, 24:13, 7:21, 19:16-17 Mk 8:35 Acts 15:11 a million Cor 3:15, 5:5, 9:27, 10:11-12 Heb 9:28 Jn 14:21 Gal 5:4-6 Phil 2:12-13 Jam 2:14-24 2 Cor 5:10, 11:15 Rev 20:12-13 Col 3:24-25 Heb 10:26-27

Answer 3

Fisrt Purgatory was a traditon from catholics who derive this as a 1000 years of hell for paying back your sins then be allowed into Heaven. All from Revalation, but you cant take a verse from the Bible and derive this as meaning a thousand years of hell. The Bible clearly states Heaven and hell and its one or the other there is no inbetween God and Satan. Its just your job to believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God not your job to choose heaven or Hell. Romans 9 Says "Is it not the potters right over the clay to create from the same lump of clay a vessel for honorable use and another for lesser use." And Romans 8 and Ephesians 1 state that we were predestined before the foundation of the world as sons adopted through Jesus Christ. God knows those whom He Loved before the foundation of the world and before we were born Matthew 3:11 says "The axe is already laid at the root of trees and therefore every tree that does not bare good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire" But the Bible also says to forgive 7 times 70. And that love abounds more than knowledge and covers a multitude of sins. And If you have a perfect relationship with God than anything subordinate to that also will come out of love. The Bible says if you love me (God) youll love my creation. We are to love our enemies and forgive even more so the people of God. But if you cant find it in your heart to forgive them then you still have some thinking to do about it. But likewise the person that hurt you needs to have not just a sorrow for hurting you but a godly sorrow for knowing in his or her heart that they did. Sorry I cant be more clear but I hope this helps.

Answer 4

It is a false teaching.
When you die you remain 'asleep' in death until you are resurrected.
To be further punished in 'purgatory' would require some form of consciousness.
The Bible denies this.
(Ecclesiastes 9:5-6) For the living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all, neither do they anymore have wages, because the remembrance of them has been forgotten. 6 Also, their love and their hate and their jealousy have already perished, and they have no portion anymore to time indefinite in anything that has to be done under the sun.

Also the bible state that death is the full payment [ wages] for any sins we may have committed.
(Romans 6:23) For the wages sin pays is death, but the gift God gives is everlasting life by Christ Jesus our Lord.

Our ' inherited' sin...from Adam and Eve, has been paid for by Jesus' death. Our own death is just not good enough to 'pay' for this.

Answer 5

Purgatory- is not anywhere you can find in the Bible. In Old Testament, Sheoul is the place for the dead is like a waiting area but is not purgatory. On the time that Jesus died on the cross, He went to sheoul to conquer death and to get all the believers that waiting there in sheoul. Now, we are in New Testament era and there is no more sheoul. If somebody die right now he/she are going straight to heaven if he/she received Jesus Christ. Apostle Paul said " 2 Cor 5:8 so we are always confident, well pleased rather to be absent from the body we are present with the Lord." In other word when we die and leave our dead body here on earth, our spirit will be in heaven with Jesus. Apostle Paul is talking with the believers in Corinthians.
Jesus took all our sin away at the cross and He said "It finished" The sin that Jesus took away is the sin of the whole human nature and that is the sin of unbelief to God.
Apostle Paul address this issue in Romans 10:9
"that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believed in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be save."
Jesus died on the cross for our sin that is mean we are forgiven. Now, God raised Him from the dead so we can have eternal life through Jesus resurrection.
If you are not sure about your relationship with God, Pray this prayer and believed in your heart...
Lord Jesus, thank you for what you've done on the cross for our sin. I believed that God raised You from the dead so I can have eternal life. Now I will make you my Lord and Savior
of my life. Baptize me with your Holy Spirit. I received you in my heart today. In Jesus Name I pray.
If you pray for this Pls contact me and I will send you a book Following Jesus.

Answer 6

Purgatory, along with indulgences, is an invention of the RCC used as a fund raising tool.

It is not Biblical.

When Jesus died on the cross He paid the penaltiy for 100% of my sins.

When I was converted, Jesus washed away all of my sins, past, present and future.

Pastor Art

Answer 7

Sorry but purgatory does not exist. Jesus' blood cleanses us completely from all sin. If we are completed cleansed from sin why do we need to be cleansed again? Can you get cleaner than perfectly clean?

Answer 8

wow... u have really been decieved!!!!!
Jesus didn't suffer and die for us and rise again just to forgive SOME of our sins!!! He will forgive and cleanse us completely
(of sins that we have committed or will commit in the future )
if only we will repent and accept Jesus as our personal Saviour.
Purgatory does NOT exist!!! It is something that a medieval pope came up with in order to gain money!!!

If u hurt someone u need to go and apologize and ask for forgiveness from them and from God! if someone hurts u then u need to ask God to help u through it and forgive that person even if they don't repent.
Just remember what Jesus went through for u and that will help u to forgive others

Answer 9

Purgatory is not a biblical concept. Repentance, forgiveness & faith in God are biblical. Trust in the Lord , if we confess our sins He is faithful to forgive us. The one that we have offended with our deeds of unrightiousness is God . If you have done this you have done the right thing, so rest in that. If God be for us who can be against us . Peace!!!!

Answer 10

There's no such thing in the Bible. Also if you asked someone to forgive you, it is not held aginst you anymore. If the person chooses to forgive you, praise God, but if not, it will be a sin for that person until they forgive you.