LOLOL. Protestants were "uninitiated in the Scriptures???" This from the church that forbid the reading of God's word by the general populace. It was the Reformation which opened the Bible to every man who wanted to read it.
I can name several PROTESTANTS who were superior to Calvin in Scripture interpretation, starting with John Wesley.
Well, most Reformed would certainly agree that your Romanist philosophy is more closely aligned with Wesley than with Calvin.
More's the pity.
You have given me no proof that there is not a third state of existence after death
It's not necessary to prove a negative. The burden is on you to find the fictitious concept of purgatory in Scripture. Save your time; it's not there.
a fact believed by Christians especially in their DOCUMENTED practice of praying for the sake of their dead, a useless task IF there was ONLY a heaven and hell.
To be consistent, you do not know if you're praying for someone who is already in heaven, but who you think might be still in purgatory. So using your own logic, those prayers could well be a "useless task."
Christ's work just began after His death on the cross.
Now you are negating the Trinity and the work of the Holy Spirit. The more I read of your church the more I realize the heart of the Reformation was truly fought over Justification by God's grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone.
Every debt Christ died for has been paid in full. You are forgiven, Jo kus. God has blotted out your sins from yesterday and tomorrow. Rejoice and spread the Good News.
"Those whom, God effectually calls he also freely justifies, not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for anything wrought in them or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone; not by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them as their righteousness, but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them, they receiving and resting on him and his righteousness by faith, which faith they have not of themselves, it is the gift of God" -- Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 11. "Justification is a judicial act of God, in which He declares, on the basis of the righteousness of Jesus Christ, that all the claims of the law are satisfied with respect to the sinner." -- L. Berkhof, Systematic Theology, p. 513. "The phrase in ipso (in him) I have preferred to retain, rather than render it per ipsum (by him,) because it has in my opinion more expressiveness and force. For we are enriched in Christ, inasmuch as we are members of his body, and are engrafted into him: nay more, being made one with him, he makes us share with him in every thing that he has received from the Father." -- John Calvin, Commentary on 1 Cor 1:5"The necessity of Christ's satisfaction to divine justice is, as it were, the center and hinge of all doctrines of pure revelation. Other doctrines are of little importance comparatively except as they have respect to this." -- Jonathan Edwards
And if all this is true, purgatory is nothing more than a vain fever-dream, a useless and errant obstruction to understanding God's grace.
The Gospel is truly much richer than you imagine. It is not speculative in the least. It is firm and absolute and accomplishes everything God intends.
I believe in Purgatory.
I skied there once.
"And if all this is true, purgatory is nothing more than a vain fever-dream, a useless and errant obstruction to understanding God's grace."
There is no scriptural warrant for the concept of purgatory. The only intermediate state now for humans is hell (Luke 16:19-31, Rev.20:11-15) and that place is only for those not found in the book of life and are waiting for the second death, the lake of fire (Matt. 25:44, Rev. 19:20,20:10, 14-15).
Paradise, the intermediate state for the righteous dead of the Old Testament, was emptied when Jesus visited after His death (Psalms 68:18, Matt. 27:52-53, Eph. 4:8-10, Rev. 1:18)and led captivity captive, including the thief.
Purgatory is just another enslaving construct to keep credulous people coming back to the church.
The Bible was already being translated into English, among other languages before the Reformation. The problem that Protestants believed they saw was that Rome refused to allow PARTICULAR translations to be issued because they actually changed the wording of Scriptures, such as Luther's addition of "alone" to Romans 3:28. Naturally, this changes the whole sense of the passage with this one little word - to support a theory that cannot be found anywhere in the Scriptures - no, is DENIED in James...
Well, most Reformed would certainly agree that your Romanist philosophy is more closely aligned with Wesley than with Calvin.
OR, you could say that Wesley didn't fall as far into heresy as Calvin did... I do not agree with Calvin's interpretation of Scriptures, nor was he infallible. Thus, I see no reason to hold him up on a pedestal as you seem to do. Wesley, on the other hand, I have more respect for, since he saw the need for man to "work out your salvation in fear and trembling" - because it is not done yet....
It's not necessary to prove a negative. The burden is on you to find the fictitious concept of purgatory in Scripture. Save your time; it's not there.
The concept of Purgatory is there, as I have already noted. I am sorry if you missed my post that already stated that man must be holy before he can go to heaven. It was common practice to pray for the dead souls - a pointless thing, if there was no purgation after death. This is a practice that predates Christianity! Man must complete theosis, not some mere covering like a throw blanket tossed on a pile of manure... Where I have tried to explain in the past, we also maintain that we cannot do this of our own power, but rely totally on the "Vine" whom we must abide in to do anything good.
To be consistent, you do not know if you're praying for someone who is already in heaven, but who you think might be still in purgatory. So using your own logic, those prayers could well be a "useless task."
My prayers are not useless, because I am part of the Body of Christ. Whatever good I do can effect other parts of the Body in pain or suffering. God finds my prayer pleasing, and as such, can direct His aide for the sake of my prayer that He foresaw and directed to the place He deems most needed.
Now you are negating the Trinity and the work of the Holy Spirit.
I am not negating the Trinity, I am emphasizing Its continued work! I think this charge applies to you, as you say that Christ has already done everything, so the Spirit is unnecessary for the salvation of souls.
The more I read of your church the more I realize the heart of the Reformation was truly fought over Justification by God's grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone.
That cliche needs some defining, as it can mean a lot of different things.
Every debt Christ died for has been paid in full. You are forgiven, Jo kus.
Yes, everyone is forgiven of sins, since the Scriptures say that Christ died for the sin of the world, thus, no one is in hell. Is that what you are saying?
And if all this is true, purgatory is nothing more than a vain fever-dream, a useless and errant obstruction to understanding God's grace
The confessions of the Reformers are not true, the Pillar and Foundation of Truth, the Church, speaks the truth. Purgation after death is the ultimate encounter with the Love of Christ that overcomes the imperfection of sin. Purgatory is NOT about "merely" washing away unpunished sins in the temporal realm, but it is also about OUR becoming more like Christ. I cannot understand how a thinking Christian would believe for a second that they would be able to "go as they are" to God in perfect union with Him for eternity! When you see the Almighty God in His Glory, you won't WANT to be in His presence until you turn completely to Him and His ways.
Do you really think that a "Christian" who makes the faith declaration 20 years ago but has hatred in his heart, is proud, belittles other people, has adulterous thoughts, etc., will enter the Kingdom of God without any sort of change? Sure, Christ has redeemed us, our sins are forgiven, but what about our attitudes and inner motivations? Have they changed? One must completely turn to God to enter His presence in heaven.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for THEY shall see God.
The Gospel is truly much richer than you imagine.
That which eye has not seen nor ear heard neither has entered into the heart of man [is] that which God has prepared for those that love him. 1 Cor 2:9
So you got it all figured out?
It is not speculative in the least.
You have speculated and continue to specualte that Sola Fide is biblical.
It is firm and absolute and accomplishes everything God intends.
Which includes MAKING ME RIGHTEOUS, not merely tossing a blanket over me to allow me to sneak into the Almighty God's presence for eternity... Your idea of God seems to include a dottering old fool who will allow evil thoughts and attitudes to co-exist with His ultimate goodness in heaven.
Regards