Here is a simple test by application of Sola Scriptura:
Is there a Purgatory, where we burn after death until we are good enough for heaven, and can the Pope shorten our stay there by years - hundreds of years - in exchange for our doing something ‘good’ today?
Well, scripture says:
“5For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18Therefore encourage one another with these words.”
To repeat:
“And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.”
And in 1 Corinthians we read, “51Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.”
Hmmm...in the twinkling of an eye, we shall be changed, caught up in the air and always be with the Lord.
That sure doesn’t SOUND like Purgatory, or that we need a Pope to grant us early release from the fires of Purgatory.
So what do you believe? The Traditions of the Roman Catholic Church, or the words of God - His “breath”?
Is there a Purgatory, where we burn after death until we are good enough for heaven, and can the Pope shorten our stay there by years - hundreds of years - in exchange for our doing something ‘good’ today?
False premise. Once we leave this life, we exit out of time. There is no time frame. There is no 'hundreds of years'. But let us see what Scripture actually says.
Romans 3: 21 6 But now 7 the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, though testified to by the law and the prophets, 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction; 23 all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God.
However we also have:
Revelation 21: 26 The treasure and wealth of the nations will be brought there, 27 but nothing unclean will enter it, nor any (one) who does abominable things or tells lies. Only those will enter whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Nothing unclean. Paul tells us that all men are in a state of sin (impurity). Yet nothing unclean will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore there is a process of cleansing. What is that process?
1 Corinthians 3: 12 If anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, 13 the work of each will come to light, for the Day 7 will disclose it. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire (itself) will test the quality of each one's work. 14 If the work stands that someone built upon the foundation, that person will receive a wage. 15 But if someone's work is burned up, that one will suffer loss; the person will be saved, 8 but only as through fire.
The works that men build upon that are other than Christ are of sin. Impurity. Unclean. They must be burned out.
Hebrews 12: 28 Therefore, we who are receiving the unshakable kingdom should have gratitude, with which we should offer worship pleasing to God in reverence and awe. 29 For our God is a consuming fire.
A consuming fire. Our sins are burned out of us.
Matthew 5: 25 Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.
Purgatory is a process and not a place. There is no time involved since we will have already passed to the hereafter.
Prayers for those who pass through Purgatory are always applicable, since these people have passed out of time into eternity. Eternally with God. This is Scripture. You're welcome. :)