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Purgatory
Catholicism teaches that after death, some people are sent to a
place called purgatory for further purification before entering
heaven:
| "All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still
imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal
salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so
as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of
heaven. " Pg. 2658, #1030 "The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final
purification of the elect..." Pg. 268-269, #1031
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Did this critical doctrine come from God, or is it another tradition
of men? Here' s your answer, right out of the Catechism:
| "The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on
Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and
Trent." Pg. 268-269, #1031 |
Is it unreasonable to ask where a group of men got their
information about the afterlife to formulate such a doctrine?
Precious Roman Catholic, if you are praying for loved ones you
believe are in purgatory, you need to be aware that God didn't tell
you they were there, a group of religious leaders did:
| "But at the present time some of his disciples are
pilgrims on earth. Others have died and are being
purified, while still others are in glory..." Pg. 249, #954 |
If you suffer, it's not a gift
What makes this doctrine even more disturbing is that the Bible
never indicates such a place exists. Neither does the Bible teach
that further purification after death is necessary to earn going to
heaven. On the contrary, God's Word declares that salvation is a
free gift:
| "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is
eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans
6:23 "...by the righteousness of one (Jesus) the free gift
came upon all men unto justification of life." Romans
5:18
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Would an honest, loving God offer you eternal life as a free gift -
then make you suffer to earn it - then lie about it in His Word?
| "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not
of yourselves: it is the gift of God:" Ephesians 2:8 |
If the Bible is to be believed, then there is no need for further
purification for those who die in Christ. They have already been
justified by Jesus:
| "Much more then, being now justified by his blood,
we shall be saved from wrath through him." Romans
5:9 "Being justified freely by his grace through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus:" Romans 3:24
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The Apostle Paul drives home this same point:
| "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..." 1 Corinthians 6:11 |
True Christians are already purified because Jesus put away all sin
on the cross:
| "...but now once in the end of the world hath he
(Jesus) appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of
himself." Hebrews 9:26 |
God's children are not required to suffer for salvation because they
have been bought and paid for:
| "For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify
God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."
1 Corinthians 6:20 |
The price was the blood of Jesus Christ:
| "...feed the church of God, which he (Jesus) hath
purchased with his own blood." Acts 20:28 |
Conclusion
If the Bible is so clear on this subject, why did the Catholic church
institute a doctrine that has persuaded faithful members to give
multiplied millions of dollars to the church to have prayers and
Masses said on behalf of departed loved ones? You must answer
that for yourself.
Now, at least you know that the doctrine of purgatory was
hatched from the minds of mortal men:
| "There is therefore now no condemnation to them
which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh,
but after the Spirit." Romans 8:1 |
Understanding Roman Catholicism © 1995 by Rick Jones
Reproduced by permission
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