Indulgence is a remission in whole, or in part, of the temporal punishment due to sin. It is not permission to commit a sin, nor is it forgiveness of the sin itself. A sin can only be forgiven in Confession.
Although an indulgence can grant relief here on earth, it is usually thought of in terms of the afterlife. When we die, unless our soul is in a state of perfect grace, we will most likely go to Purgatory before entering heaven. There our souls will be cleansed and readied to enter into God's presence. Simply put, indulgences give us some time off for good behavior.
You're treading into some dangerous waters asking what an indulgence is. I'm going to assume you are sincerely interested and not looking for a theological debate.
You are correct in assuming that I am sincerely interested. I am a Christian but not Catholic. I went to a Catholic Church from 9-14 yo but did not accept the Catholic ways. I accepted Christ when I was 27.
I won't debate the Bible. I accept it as the Word of God. He clearly said what He meant and meant what He said.
I am curious as to why you consider it treading into dangerous waters,asking about indulgences. I consider dabbling in the occult to be treading into dangerous waters.
Thank you for your response.