Just trying to understand ... if there is a purgatory, wouldn’t this negate the need for a savior (Jesus)?
IN BRUSH WITH DEATH, PRIEST SHOWN HELL, PURGATORY, DEGREES OF SUFFERING
Praying for the Dead [All Souls Day] (Catholic/Orthodox Caucus)
Purgatory: Service Shop for Heaven [Ecumernical]
Beginning Catholic: Catholic Purgatory: What Does It Mean? [Ecumenical]
OF GUARDIAN ANGELS AND THE ROLE THEY PLAY NOT JUST ON EARTH BUT IN PURGATORY [Catholic Caucus]
IN ANNALS OF SAINTS IS CONVERT'S STRIKING DEDICATION TO THOSE SOULS IN PURGATORY [Catholic Caucus]
Explaining Purgatory from a New Testament Perspective [Ecumenical]
PURIFYING THE SOUL ON EARTH IS WORTH 100X WHAT IT TAKES AFTER [Catholic Caucus] What Happens After Death?
Purgatory
A Brief Catechism for Adults - Lesson 12: Purgatory
The Doctrine of Purgatory
The Early Church Fathers on Purgatory - Catholic/Orthodox Caucus
Required for entrance to Purgatory? Personal question for Cathloic Freepers.
(Protestant) Minister Who Had Near-Death Episode Believes In Purgatory
Straight Answers: What Is Purgatory Like?
Do Catholics Believe in Purgatory?
Purgatory, Indulgences, and the Work of Jesus Christ (Discussion)
Prayer to Release the Souls of Purgatory
The Forgotten Souls in Purgatory
Praying for the dead [Purgatory]
**wouldn’t this negate the need for a savior (Jesus)?**
Not at all. The people in Purgatory are being purified since no impure soul can enter heaven. The souls in Purgatory know they are going to heaven, but they suffer greatly since they are separated, although every so close, from God.
I know it is difficult to understand — but maybe looking at it in an earthly way could explain it. It’s a reparation or restitution time. Since we never apologized to someone on earth for gossiping about them, and even though we confessed it and the sin was forgiven.....we never did that final step in direct apology to the person whom we gossiped about.
Purgatory is getting rid of that little blemish of onmittance on our part.
Perhaps that doesn’t make sense. And someone else can explain it in a better way.
There are also many good explanations in the Purgatory links posted.
You wrote:
“Just trying to understand ... if there is a purgatory, wouldn’t this negate the need for a savior (Jesus)?”
Nope. Only the saved go to Purgatory. Purgatory is NOT a second chance after death. It’s just a state of being where our attachment to sin is cleaned out of us by the purging fire of God’s love through the means of Christ’s hard won grace.
You wrote:
“Just trying to understand ... if there is a purgatory, wouldn’t this negate the need for a savior (Jesus)?”
Protestants often struggle to understand Purgatory because they have been taught to not believe in it. Hear me out for just a second:
What most Protestants are taught is this:
Jesus died for us.
When you come to Christ and have saving faith in Him you are instantly saved and cleansed of sin or your sins are at least covered over.
You have been given then salvation and you can not (some say you can) lose it.
Since you are already cleansed of sin or at least your sins are covered over no further cleansing is necessary - especially in Purgatory.
Catholics look at it this way: Only God can cleanse us of our sins - and He really cleanses us. He doesn’t just cover them over. In other words, we believe Christ works more powerfully in our lives than many Protestants do for their lives where they believe Jesus merely covers over sins. Since Heaven is perfection where we see the very face of God, we must be completely cleansed of sin and attachment to sin to enter it. Some of us die repentant and loyal but with an attachment to some sins. We need cleansing even at the point of death. Rather than condemn us to hell for that imperfection, God uses His grace to cleanse us so that we can enter into His joy in Heaven.
Purgatory works only because of Christ and His grace.