[Mrs. Don-o]

I didn't say indulgences as such are unequivocally proved in the Bible; I don't even make that claim for the purificatory (purgatorial) state after death.

The idea is there in embryo, without being fully defined, much like the doctrine of the Trinity, the Eschaton, and even the clear-cut Table of Contents of the Canonical collection of the Bible itself.

As for purgatory, I said, not that it is explicitly named, proved, and fully defined, but that it is consistent with what the Bible teaches about three things:

• God's requiting of every single person with perfect justice according to their deeds, i.e. temporal punishment Col 3:25, Hebrews 12:6 ;

• God's refining of the souls of the just "like silver" for the absolute perfection and purity required to live in God's presence Zech 13:9,1 Cor 3:15; and

• God's action making us members of the Body of Christ and thus cooperators and co-sharers of spiritual gifts, through powerful and effectual prayer. This is also called the Communion of Saints James 5:16, Romans 5:12.

Keep in the front of your attention that the above is distinct from salvation/damnation. It's not about whether you're saved or damned. Salvation is a total gift from God's grace through Jesus' sacrifice on the Cross. That's different from God chastising and refining us, making us sharers of spiritual goods as His children into Christ.

This requiting, refining, and effective spiritual sharing is all about how He deals --- not with the lost souls, the damned--- but with His children -- according to Scripture. In God's great mercy, I hope that's every one of us.

[ealgeone]

I didn't say indulgences as such are unequivocally proved in the Bible; I don't even make that claim for the purificatory (purgatorial) state after death.

This is very similar to the Immaculate Conception. There isn't a single bit of Scripture to support the IC, yet Roman Catholics continue to do so.

You're now admitting about indulgences and purgatory what Christians have said about them all long....they're not supported in Scripture.

To "see" this in the NT you have to practice eisegesis.....reading something into the text that isn't there.

And then you resort to a pitiful Tim Staples apologetic and not the Table of Contents isn't proved in the Bible.

When the Roman Catholic trots that line out, they've completely lost the argument.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“The idea is there in embryo”

Never found in the NT.
Never taught by an Apostle.
Totally pagan.

Yet you try to defend it by spinning.