Purgatory is not well understood. It is a process, not a place. Heaven cannot be attained by those with the stain of sin. It is the process of removing that stain. The Bible doesn't say where, or how (except for references to purging sins by fire), or how long.
http://www.scripturecatholic.com/purgatory.html gives 32 Bible verses that tell about purgatory and gives extensive illustration of what the early Church fathers believed.
Jesus talks about not getting out of prison until paying the last penny:
Matthew 5:26
Matthew 18:34-35
Luke 12:59
St. Paul says "each man's work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire." 1 Corinthians 3:13-15
Praying for the dead is very clearly discussed in 2 Maccabees 12:38-46, which was part of Holy Scripture for 1500 years, but was conveniently taken out of the Protestant Bible because it conflicted with Protestant Theology. "For if he were not expecting that those who had fallen would rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. But if he was looking to the splendid reward that is laid up for tose who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Therefore he made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin." 2 Maccabees 12:44-45
I challenge you to read the "Catechism of the Catholic Church" and then we will discuss whether or not the Catholic church is Bible-believing. I say that Catholic belief is more Biblically-based than Protestant belief!
Not quite so fast...
You might want to check 1 Cor 3:10-15 out before you keep going...
Yes, you're right, the Latin word Purgatorium (from whence we get Purgatory) does not appear. But the process is clearly shown in the above section.
But don't aim biblical truth at the RCC, that is unChristian...baloney.....
Or don't aim Biblical baloney at far too many Catholics, as they aren't as well-versed in that traditional Catholic text as they should be. And they might fall victim to the deceivers in sheep's clothing.
these people are lost to hell for all eternity and we must speak even louder in the hope some will hear and be saved.
As long as you have your Bible open to 1 Cor 3, you just might want to look up at verse 6. Maybe you could show me how you personally interpret that to "free_life gives the increase."
Thanks...
But you're right, though, it is the responsibility of every Catholic to heed St. Peter's warning given in his second epistle (3:14-3:17)
It's like the old joke about the man looking on the ground and somebody says what are you doing? He says, "I dropped my key over on Elm Street." "But this is Pine Street.""I know, but the light is so much better here so it's much easier to look."
It is as if somebody hurled a flash-bang into a room to see who stuck his head up, and then busily denied hurling the grenade.
Purgatory is NOT "between" hell and heaven. Everyone in Purgatory KNOWS he is saved. Purgatory is a place of hope and joy. It is the Riker's Island of heaven. It's in Heaven in a way, as Riker's Island was in the US in a way. (okay,not the best analogy.)I see the promise of purgatory as a MERCY of God's care for me and desire for me to be as spiritually strong and happy as possible. Compared to this life, for me Purgatory will be a step up into the beginning of bliss.
I am currently recovering from foot surgery. I am in pain. I am also thrilled (so far) because this pain is the sign that I am getting better and stronger. It is, in fact, the outskirts of greater health. (If I didn't feel pain, something would be very wrong.)
To have a discussion about what the Bible says is not unChristian. To promulgate falsehood and sophistry is at least ignorant (and so blameless if the ignorance was unavoidable) and possibly negligent (and culpable). That it could be presented as a fruit of the Spirit is preposterous.
Some Catholics may believe this or that. I have met any number of very bizarre beliefs among Protestants. Currently the Episcopal Church believes that buggery can be a sacramental act. Jehovah's witnesses believe that it is better to let a child die than to allow him a blood transfusion. But I don't throw their deviations from what Protestants generally believe in your face. I leave that kind of sophistry to you all.
If the doctrine of purgatory denies the finished work of Salvation on the Cross (which evidently I am supposed to believe on your authority) then so do Paul and Jesus.
And I love your last sentence: I understand you to say you can lie and offend without guilt because those who disagree with you are going to hell. I suppose when you go fishing you start by stomping around in the creek and setting off fireworks, and when you want to catch flies you set out saucers of vinegar. Good luck with that, but I hope you understand my suspicion that catching fish or flies is not really your goal.
Please go back and read your Bible again, for instance, where were all the bodies that rose from the dead and started roaming the city when Christ arose from the dead? Where did they comee from? A waiting place that Catholics call Purgatory.
You are correct, you will not find "Purgatory" in the Bible, but it is there. I could change subjects and ask, "Where do you find "Rapture" in the Bible?" It's not there!
So here are the references for Purgatory. Read through them and think about the waiting to be perfect to enter the kingdom of heaven as you read. Purgatory is a place of purification for those of us who die not at saint or without having received the Annointing of the Sick.
Matt. 5:26,18:34; Luke 12:58-59 – Jesus teaches us, “Come to terms with your opponent or you will be handed over to the judge and thrown into prison. You will not get out until you have paid the last penny.” The word “opponent” (antidiko) is likely a reference to the devil (see the same word for devil in 1 Pet. 5:8) who is an accuser against man (c.f. Job 1.6-12; Zech. 3.1; Rev. 12.10), and God is the judge. If we have not adequately dealt with satan and sin in this life, we will be held in a temporary state called a prison, and we won’t get out until we have satisfied our entire debt to God. This “prison” is purgatory where we will not get out until the last penny is paid.
Matt. 5:48 - Jesus says, "be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect." We are only made perfect through purification, and in Catholic teaching, this purification, if not completed on earth, is continued in a transitional state we call purgatory.
Matt. 12:32 – Jesus says, “And anyone who says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but no one who speaks against the Holy Spirit will be forgiven either in this world or in the next.” Jesus thus clearly provides that there is forgiveness after death. The phrase “in the next” (from the Greek “en to mellonti”) generally refers to the afterlife (see, for example, Mark 10.30; Luke 18.30; 20.34-35; Eph. 1.21 for similar language). Forgiveness is not necessary in heaven, and there is no forgiveness in hell. This proves that there is another state after death, and the Church for 2,000 years has called this state purgatory.
Luke 12:47-48 - when the Master comes (at the end of time), some will receive light or heavy beatings but will live. This state is not heaven or hell, because in heaven there are no beatings, and in hell we will no longer live with the Master.
Luke 16:19-31 - in this story, we see that the dead rich man is suffering but still feels compassion for his brothers and wants to warn them of his place of suffering. But there is no suffering in heaven or compassion in hell because compassion is a grace from God and those in hell are deprived from God's graces for all eternity. So where is the rich man? He is in purgatory.
1 Cor. 15:29-30 - Paul mentions people being baptized on behalf of the dead, in the context of atoning for their sins (people are baptized on the dead’s behalf so the dead can be raised). These people cannot be in heaven because they are still with sin, but they also cannot be in hell because their sins can no longer be atoned for. They are in purgatory. These verses directly correspond to 2 Macc. 12:44-45 which also shows specific prayers for the dead, so that they may be forgiven of their sin.
Phil. 2:10 - every knee bends to Jesus, in heaven, on earth, and "under the earth" which is the realm of the righteous dead, or purgatory.
2 Tim. 1:16-18 - Onesiphorus is dead but Paul asks for mercy on him “on that day.” Paul’s use of “that day” demonstrates its eschatological usage (see, for example, Rom. 2.5,16; 1 Cor. 1.8; 3.13; 5.5; 2 Cor. 1.14; Phil. 1.6,10; 2.16; 1 Thess. 5.2,4,5,8; 2 Thess. 2.2,3; 2 Tim. 4.8). Of course, there is no need for mercy in heaven, and there is no mercy given in hell. Where is Onesiphorus? He is in purgatory.
Heb. 12:14 - without holiness no one will see the Lord. We need final sanctification to attain true holiness before God, and this process occurs during our lives and, if not completed during our lives, in the transitional state of purgatory.
Heb. 12:29 - God is a consuming fire (of love in heaven, of purgation in purgatory, or of suffering and damnation in hell).
1 Cor. 3:10-15 - works are judged after death and tested by fire. Some works are lost, but the person is still saved. Paul is referring to the state of purgation called purgatory. The venial sins (bad works) that were committed are burned up after death, but the person is still brought to salvation. This state after death cannot be heaven (no one with venial sins is present) or hell (there is no forgiveness and salvation).
1 Cor. 3:15 – “if any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.” The phrase for "suffer loss" in the Greek is "zemiothesetai." The root word is "zemioo" which also refers to punishment. The construction “zemiothesetai” is used in Ex. 21:22 and Prov. 19:19 which refers to punishment (from the Hebrew “anash” meaning “punish” or “penalty”). Hence, this verse proves that there is an expiation of temporal punishment after our death, but the person is still saved. This cannot mean heaven (there is no punishment in heaven) and this cannot mean hell (the possibility of expiation no longer exists and the person is not saved).
1 Cor. 3:15 – further, Paul writes “he himself will be saved, "but only" (or “yet so”) as through fire.” “He will be saved” in the Greek is “sothesetai” (which means eternal salvation). The phrase "but only" (or “yet so”) in the Greek is "houtos" which means "in the same manner." This means that man is both eternally rewarded and eternally saved in the same manner by fire.
1 Cor. 3:13 - when Paul writes about God revealing the quality of each man's work by fire and purifying him, this purification relates to his sins (not just his good works). Protestants, in attempting to disprove the reality of purgatory, argue that Paul was only writing about rewarding good works, and not punishing sins (because punishing and purifying a man from sins would be admitting that there is a purgatory).
1 Cor. 3:17 - but this verse proves that the purgation after death deals with punishing sin. That is, destroying God's temple is a bad work, which is a mortal sin, which leads to death. 1 Cor. 3:14,15,17 - purgatory thus reveals the state of righteousness (v.14), state of venial sin (v.15) and the state of mortal sin (v.17), all of which are judged after death.
1 Peter 1:6-7 - Peter refers to this purgatorial fire to test the fruits of our faith.
I finally posted the Purgatory Scriptures. See 1124