>>1) are you a Roman Catholic?
2) If you are a RC, are you saying Purgatory is not necessary, that those who belong to Christ can go straight to heaven?<<
Yes, I am Roman Catholic and yes, even our church says that if you belong to another church, you will not be denied salvation
Now, I’m I going to do some Purgatory time, I hope so. It means that I am saved but have to pay for the things I can’t repay,
Here’s what I tell my kids..
One day a father was trying to help his son overcome lying. He told the child to put one nail in a fence for every time he lies. The boy did it but soon saw how often it happened. He was sorry and repented. Soon the thought before he spoke and was lying no more.
He came to his dad and said, “Look! I haven’t put a nail there in days!”
The dad hugged him and said, “Now every time you avoid lying, take out one nail.”
The boy did and soon all the nails were gone. He stood before the fence and smiled at his father.
“How are you going to fix the holes, Son?”
That is what Purgatory is for. Not the sins, we’ve been forgiven of the sins, but for that which we can make up. The damage done.
I’m glad that Jesus died for my sins and that when I die, I don’t have to spend some time paying for what He in his Perfection already perfectly attoned for.
It is unfortunate that some believe Jesus was somehow able to wipe out the sins of all believers throughout history, but just didn’t have enough extra power to also close up those pesky holes.
On a more practical matter, after the kid took all the nails out, who picked up the fence pieces lying around and stacked them back up? :-)