All Souls, Purgatory and the Bible

On All Souls Day, the Catholic Church offers prayers and liturgies for the repose of the dead. As Catholics, we are called by the Church to focus our spiritual energies to assist these poor souls, who, though saved, are still in need of purification. Our prayers and sacrifices assist them in this process of purification as a means used by God to communicate purifying grace to them. After all, He is the vine, we are the branches so that He produces his fruits of grace through us.

The practice of praying for the dead actually predates Christianity. In 2 Maccabees 12: 41-45, Judas offers prayers and sacrifices for his fallen comrades to make “atonement for the dead that they might be absolved from their sin.” Some argue that the books of the Maccabees are not inspired scripture. Leaving that argument aside for now, we can at least look at them as historical books detailing accepted pious practices of God’s people some 300 years before Christ.

If that is the only place in the Bible where we find any reference to purgatory, many Protestant Christians argue, then that is a weak support for such a practice. Fortunately, we know as Catholics that all of our doctrines are indeed found in the Word of God, as is the doctrine of Purgatory. Hence what follows is a biblical understanding of the Catholic doctrine of Purgatory.

The book of Genesis recounts for us the far reaching repercussions of Adam and Eve’s disobedience in the Garden. This sin, we find, brought about four consequences which I will summarize here (Gen 3: 16-24):

First, their sin brings about disharmony between persons. God tells Eve that both her relationship to her husband and children will now be characterized by pain and mistrust (Gen 3:16). Further, God has to make garments for man and woman because now, as the text implies, they feel shame (Gen 3:21).

Second, their sin brings about disharmony between man and creation. God tells Adam that he will produce the fruit of the earth with toil and difficulty (Gen 3: 17). Even the ground itself is cursed because of their sin (Gen 3: 17).

Third, their sin brings about disharmony between man and himself. He no longer has spiritual control over his body; thus, his body returns to the dust of the ground (Gen 3: 19). Adam and Eve are no longer able to receive everlasting life (Gen 3: 22).

Lastly and most importantly, sin brings disharmony between God and man. This consequence results in mistrust and fear of God (Gen 3: 10), and, worse, spiritual death. Without God, neither physical nor spiritual life can be sustained (Gen 3: 19, 24).

The first three disharmonies mentioned above are called ‘Temporal punishments due to sin.’ Temporal refers to things pertaining to this world. The last disharmony, the disharmony with God, is called eternal punishment, because it refers to things pertaining to the eternal world with God.

All four of these disharmonies are healed by Christ. The only healing we experience fully in this life, however, is from eternal punishment–or disharmony with God. That’s why Christ is the One Mediator between God and man.

It should be clear that we don’t experience a full healing from the temporal disharmonies/punishments as Christians, because we still struggle. We experience suffering, illness, catastrophes, and even death. Yet, Christ heals these problems, too, it’s just that we don’t experience the full healing in the temporal sphere until He returns.

Until then, we are called to struggle for His Kingdom. As St. Paul puts it, “But we have this treasure (the healing grace of salvation) in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying around in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.” (2 Cor 7-10)

To overcome these temporal disharmonies, we are called to cooperate with Christ’s power in grace so as to bring about the healing with Him in these areas. This is why we are called to pray, fast, and alms give so as to forgive our neighbor’s sins and be forgiven, and to receive the reward promised by our heavenly Father that we will once again regain temporal peace/harmony on earth and in heaven (Mt 6:5-23).

What happens if we die and are reconciled to God (the eternal punishment for sin), but have not entirely cooperated with grace to overcome the temporal punishments for sin? St. Paul gives us the answer in 1 Cor 3: 12-16. He says that after death, our works will be tested “as though by fire, and the fire will test what kind of work we have done,” and we will suffer loss, though we will still be saved (1 Cor 3:13-15).

This is a very clear passage regarding the purification (which we call purgatory) that takes place after death. This fire purifies us from our temporal disharmonies mentioned above, if we die without having them entirely purified in this life.

The Catholic Church does not teach that we merit our sanctification; it is a pure grace. To bring up this charge is unworthy of honest discourse.

Did you forget that you said, "Concerned only with our legalistic justification, Protestantism fails to recognize the greater mission of Jesus Christ, our sanctification."? Would you like to explain how we cooperate with grace, "reflect the love of God" and free ourselves "from all attachments to sin and selfishness" so that we merit the beatific vision and it NOT be by our own efforts and works? It seems like Catholicism likes to use lots of flowery, intellectual-sounding words and phrases to surround her doctrines when the simple and clear words of Scripture answer our deepest needs much better.

There IS no such thing as our holiness being a "legalistic fiction", it is a truth well laid out in Scripture that we are imputed with the righteousness of Christ, and not our own, is the only reason why we are saved.

What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. (Romans 4:1-12)

And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death (Philippians 3:9,10)

Would you like to explain how we cooperate with grace, "reflect the love of God" and free ourselves "from all attachments to sin and selfishness" so that we merit the beatific vision and it NOT be by our own efforts and works?

I have repeatedly stated that our sanctification is by the merit of Jesus Christ, not our own. Why do you claim that I believe that we merit the beatific vision by our own merit?

It seems like Catholicism likes to use lots of flowery, intellectual-sounding words and phrases to surround her doctrines when the simple and clear words of Scripture answer our deepest needs much better.

And the simple and clear words of Scripture do not support the Protestant claim of sola fides as I have pointed out. It is typical that those who claim sola scripture will not address those passages that disprove sola fides.

What I mean by "legalistic fiction" is the Protestant idea that the holiness given to us by God does not actually change our character which remains corrupt. No, the grace of God actually changes us. And it is grace, not a merit of our own. Nor are we saved by being sanctified, we are sanctified by being saved. Sanctification follows justification.

BTW, you do know that Paul was speaking about the works of the Law, that is the Mosaic Law, not the conflict between Catholics and Protestants about the nature of salvation, do you not?

I believe in what Jesus Christ himself said, that it is not enough to cry "Lord, Lord" but that we must do with will of the Father which is to love. I also believe what Saint Paul said, that if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing; and what Saint James said, that faith without works is dead. Do you not also believe this? Do you not believe the Bible?

Let's go through this, then:

I believe in what Jesus Christ himself said, that it is not enough to cry "Lord, Lord" but that we must do with will of the Father which is to love. - What was Jesus talking about here? It was the Great White Throne Judgment at the end of this church age. The angels have gathered the wheat with the chaff that remained and the sheep were separated from the goats. Those who were crying, "Lord, Lord didn't we do all these wondrous works for you?!", and Jesus said, "Depart from me you workers of iniquity, I never knew you." These were NOT Christians who had failed to "love" but false Christians who were counting on all that they had done FOR God to save them. Those who were the sheep, didn't even know it was for Jesus that they did works of love - it was a natural output of a changed heart for God, indwelt with the Holy Spirit. We aren't saved by "our" love, but because of God's great love FOR us that we receive by faith. Works of love result because we are new creatures in Christ, but they do not save us.

I also believe what Saint Paul said, that if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing - and that's true, we can do nothing worthwhile for God without His love flowing through us. But to say "I am nothing without love" doesn't mean "I'm going to hell because I don't have love". Stick to what the Holy Spirit said.

and what Saint James said, that faith without works is dead - genuine faith WILL result in works, but the works do not save us. A "dead" faith is an unfruitful faith, not a going-to-hell faith. The Reformers NEVER preached that works weren't important in a Christian's life. Here are a few things Martin Luther had to say about faith and works:

a living, creative, active and powerful thing, this faith. Faith cannot help doing good works constantly. It doesn’t stop to ask if good works ought to be done, but before anyone asks, it already has done them and continues to do them without ceasing. Anyone who does not do good works in this manner is an unbeliever...Thus, it is just as impossible to separate faith and works as it is to separate heat and light from fire! [http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/luther/luther-faith.txt]

This is what I have often said, if faith be true, it will break forth and bear fruit. If the tree is green and good, it will not cease to blossom forth in leaves and fruit. It does this by nature. I need not first command it and say: Look here, tree, bear apples. For if the tree is there and is good, the fruit will follow unbidden. If faith is present works must follow.” [Sermons of Martin Luther 2.2:340-341]

“We must therefore most certainly maintain that where there is no faith there also can be no good works; and conversely, that there is no faith where there are no good works. Therefore faith and good works should be so closely joined together that the essence of the entire Christian life consists in both.” [Martin Luther, as cited by Paul Althaus, The Theology of Martin Luther [Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1963], 246, footnote 99]

What Augustine says is indeed true: He who has created you without yourself will not save you without yourself. Works are necessary for salvation, but they do not cause salvation; for faith alone gives life. For the sake of hypocrites it should be said that good works are necessary for salvation. Works must be done, but it does not follow from this that works save… Works save externally, that is, they testify that we are just and that in a man there is that faith which saves him internally, as Paul says: ‘With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation’.” [What Luther Says 3: 1509]. [Ewald M. Plass, “What Luther says,” page 1509]

“Thus faith casts itself on God, and breaks forth and becomes certain through its works. When this takes place a person becomes known to me and to other people. For when I thus break forth I spare neither man nor devil, I cast myself down, and will have nothing to do with lofty affairs, and will regard myself as the poorest sinner on earth. This assures me of my, faith. For this is what it says: "This man went down to his house justified." Thus we attribute salvation as the principal thing to faith, and works as the witnesses of faith. They make one so certain that he concludes from the outward life that the faith is genuine.”[Sermons of Martin Luther 2.2:341]

“Thus, faith must be exercised, worked and polished; be purified by fire, like gold. Faith, the great gift and treasure from God, must express itself and triumph in the certainty that it is right before God and man, and before angels, devils and the whole world. Just as a jewel is not to be concealed, but to be worn in sight, so also, will and must faith be worn and exhibited, as it is written in 1 Peter 1, 7: "That the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold that perisheth though it is proved by fire," etc.” [Sermons of Martin Luther 2:245-246]