Posted on 11/02/2014 3:14:08 PM PST by NYer
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.
You are wrong.
It isn't a failure of Protestantism but that of Roman Catholicism that presumes there is anything within the believer - of himself - to merit or appropriate sanctification as well as justification. We were washed, sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. (I Cor. 6:11) We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all (Heb. 10:10). To assert we must suffer after death for "temporal" penalties due for our sins remaining on our souls is to negate the whole purpose of the cross. We are washed, we are sanctified, we are justified because of Christ and it is our faith in Him through which God GIFTS to us eternal life.
If Purgatory was a doctrine taught by Jesus or the Apostles - something necessary for us to know - it would have been clearly presented in God's word. It is not just our legalistic justification that we rejoice in - though that IS a major issue - but a complete imputation of Christ's righteousness for us - that everything we do we do for Him, for HIS glory, and not our own. No man may be able to boast in His presence, it is all because of grace.
Oh, like no one has ever left Catholicism and become Protestant. I know several hundred. And the list goes on and on and on...
Well played!
As I posted on another thread, I’m becoming Catholic because of FReeper Catholic bashers. I was appalled when I discovered the nastiness and hatred toward Catholics. It was is un-Christian indeed. I started deeply researching the divide between Catholics and Protestants in an effort to discover what I, as a Protestant, was supposed to be so angry and hostile about. Over the years a subtle change came over me, and with much prayer I decided that I needed to come home. I join the Church on Easter.
You are wrong.
I’m ‘Enry the Eighth I yam!
1473 The forgiveness of sin and restoration of communion with God entail the remission of the eternal punishment of sin, but temporal punishment of sin remains. While patiently bearing sufferings and trials of all kinds and, when the day comes, serenely facing death, the Christian must strive to accept this temporal punishment of sin as a grace. He should strive by works of mercy and charity, as well as by prayer and the various practices of penance, to put off completely the "old man" and to put on the "new man."85
We are already sanctified by Jesus blood.
Hebrews 13:12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.
1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
1 Corinthians 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
St. Paul. Do you not believe that the Bible is the word of God?
And here I thought Christians believe Jesus paid the full price for their sins.
Have fun. A spirited conversation is not bashing.
Part of the reason I became Catholic. I figured that Catholics must be doing something right to be so hated by the world. Welcome home, friend. :-)
And here I thought Christians believe Jesus paid the full price for their sins.
We’re waiting!!!
So Catholics are the same as Universalists. Everyone except really bad people get to heaven, it’s just that some have to get there in a roundabout way. But cheer up, people still living can pay for masses to spring you free earlier so you don’t have to wait as long to get to heaven.
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.
We were washed, sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
If we are sanctified then we are made actually holy, not just imputed with holiness as a legalistic fiction. Are all those Protestants who have faith truly holy, i.e. reflecting the love of God and free from all attachments to sin and selfishness? If not, then "may the one who began a good work in you continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus."
No man may be able to boast in His presence, it is all because of grace.
Catholics also believe that it all because of grace. So where would anyone be able to boast?
"By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all".
Let's repeat.
ALL.
If the Christ you serve didn't die for ALL of your sins, if His sacrifice just wasn't quite perfect enough, what's the point in worshiping Him?
Thankfully, Christ did in fact die for all our sins, so skip the non-Scriptural Purgatory and simply revel in the amazing grace offered by Christ who died for ALL.
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