At first glance, it sure seems as if the mere existence of any "purgatory" would deem the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ insufficient for salvation.
"There is no clear delineation in Scripture and in the end it seems to be just a personal opinion."
"The True Church", as depicted by the Holy Bible, has certain characteristics which are revealed throughout the scriptures. In order to grasp the full meaning of what the Bible teaches, one has to be willing to let go of all preconceived doctrines and dogmas that have been part of his upbringing. If one can not do this, at least for the duration of the study, then the teachings of the Most Holy Bible and one's deeply ingrained beliefs (which may not be the Truth), will clash. It would be similar to try to mix oil and water. They simply don't mix. This presentation is not met to be offensive nor against anyone from any particular denomination. I, myself, was at one time indoctrinated with many man-made doctrines and traditions. It is met to be strictly informative with many Biblical verses which all agree with one another and outside sources as historical documentation, etc. Opinions that are expressed are not necessarily Biblical nor my views. By no means do these references supersede the teachings of the Bible. However, historical events or facts can be very useful in support of the Scriptures. Let us pray, before beginning, that the Holy Spirit guide us in this study. Amen.
The Bible uses much symbolism (particularly in prophecy) and if one does not know what the symbolism means then of course it becomes very difficult to understand. Let's first begin by introducing Biblical terms and their definitions as given by the Bible. First let's look at the word "woman". As you will notice, a woman (particularly in prophecy but not always) referrs to a church. It could be the "True Church" or the "False Church". Let's read some verses:
Revelation 12
17 And the dragon was wroth with the "woman", and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, "which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ".
This is a very important verse to remember. Notice this particular woman (God's True Church) keeps God's Commandments which is why the dragon (Satan) attacks her. Note the following 3 verses (there are many more) that describe this woman, who is pure and faithful to her husband's commandments, as the Lambs wife.
Revelation 19
7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his "wife" hath made herself ready
Revelation 21
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a "bride" adorned for her husband.
9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the "bride", the Lamb's "wife".
2 Corinthians 11
2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have "espoused you" to one husband, that I may present you as a "chaste virgin" to Christ.
Now let's look at another woman symbolised as a "whore or a prostitute". Again let's let the Bible define itself and look at a few of the countless Biblical verses referring to this. Notice how God referrs to a church who goes "against his commandments" as a "whore" and in some cases referrs to this as "fornication", and many places in the Holy Scriptures referrs to it as "nakedness".
Numbers 15
39 And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them ; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a "whoring":
40 That ye may "remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God".
Psalm 106
39 Thus were they "defiled with their own works", and went a "whoring" with their own "inventions".
40 Therefore was the wrath of the LORD kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance.
Ezekiel 16
15 But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the "harlot" because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy "fornications" on every one that passed by; his it was.
16 And of thy garments thou didst take, and deckedst thy high places with divers colours, and "playedst the harlot" thereupon: the like things shall not come, neither shall it be so.
17 Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and "madest to thyself images of men", and didst "commit whoredom" with them,
25 Thou hast built thy high place at every head of the way, and hast made thy beauty to be abhorred, and hast opened thy feet to every one that passed by, and multiplied thy whoredoms.
26 Thou hast also "committed fornication" with the Egyptians thy neighbours, great of flesh; and hast increased thy "whoredoms", to provoke me to anger.
30 How weak is thine heart, saith the LORD GOD, seeing thou doest all these things, the work of an imperious "whorish woman";
32 But as a "wife that committeth adultery, which taketh strangers instead of her husband"!
36 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thy filthiness was poured out, and thy "nakedness" ( nakedness symbolically means not keeping God's commandments) discovered through thy "whoredoms" with thy lovers, and with all the idols of thy abominations, and by the blood of thy children, which thou didst give unto them;
37 Behold, therefore I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all them that thou hast loved, with all them that thou hast hated; I will even gather them round about against thee, and will discover thy "nakedness" unto them, that they may see all thy "nakedness".
38 And I will "judge" thee, as "women that break wedlock" and shed blood are judged; and I will give thee blood in fury and jealousy.
Ezekiel 23:18
So she discovered her "whoredoms", and discovered her "nakedness": then my mind was alienated from her, like as my mind was alienated from her sister.
Ezekiel 23:29
And they shall deal with thee hatefully, and shall take away all thy labour, and shall leave thee naked and bare: and the "nakedness" of thy whoredoms shall be discovered, both thy lewdness and thy "whoredoms".
To the contrary, one who is not "naked" and "has his garments" in many verses means "one who follows God's commandments". Although it does not specifically say that in many verses, but if one reads the whole chapter in context, he will often see that it referrs to God's Commandments. In some Bibles, Revelation 22:14 says " his Commandments" and in others it says "his garments".
Isaiah 61:10
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the "garments of salvation," he hath covered me with the "robe of righteousness", as a "bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments", and as a "bride adorneth" herself with her jewels.
Revelation 16:15
Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his "garments", lest he walk "naked", and they see his shame.
Obviously, it would be ridiculous, in the above verses to believe that God requires special literal clothing to be saved. This is of course symbolic of the bride (true church) clothed and adorned with the "commandments and obeyance" of her husband (Christ). Of course, I can not post all the verses, due to the rules of this forum, but if one investigates the words "garments" and "robes" throughout the scriptures, he will find this to be true.
I have much more information, directly from the Holy Scriptures and supported by historical documentation, but I do not want to abuse the rules of this forum. Keeping in mind the importance of God's Biblical commandments in Exodus 20:3-17, read verses 4 and 5, and verses 8-11. Compare these with the Catechism and the following web pages.
http://www.christusrex.org/www1/CDHN/part3_2.html http://www.aloha.net/~mikesch/chalng.htm http://biblelight.net/bssb-1443-1444.htm http://reluctant-messenger.com/council-of-laodicea.htm (Canon XXIX)
http://yahweh.com/pages/pw3_96/1_396pg2.shtml The second Council of Nicea...D. 787, was called to establish image worship in the church. This council is recorded in Ecclesiastical Annals. by Baronius, Vol. 9, pp. 391-407. (Antwerp, 1612); and Charles J. Hefele, A History of the Councils of the Church From the Original Documents, book 18, chapter 1, secs. 332, 333; chapter 2, secs. 345-352 (T. and T. Clark ed., 1896), Vol. 5, pp. 260-304, and 342-372.
J. Mendham, in The Seventh General Council, the Second of Nicea. Introduction, Pgs, iii-vi, says - "The worship of images . . . was one of those corruptions of Christianity which crept into the church stealthily and almost without notice or observation. This corruption did not, like other heresies, develop itself at once, for in that case it would have met with decided censure and rebuke.
God Bless You and guide you in your study of the Bible.
I certainly am not the scholar many of you here are, however to me it seems the one core belief one must possess to be a true believer is what I said in my post above. One must belief that Christ came in the flesh, was slain for our trangressions, buried, rose again, and will return for believers someday . (soon, I think) Other things are side issues to me, and there must be millions of those.
:Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved, and your house.
It is all so simple, made so complicated by man.