Purgatory
From Christianity Knowledge Base
| Part of the series on End Times |
Purgatory is the (primarily Roman Catholic) belief that all those who die having sinned in small matters, and needing purification for those sins, go through a purification and punishment during judgment. It is based on the idea that no unclean soul can enter into Heaven (cf. Revelation 21:27, Hebrews 12:14), but most people (being sinners) die with unclean souls (which is why Scripture says that we are brought to completion only "at the day of Jesus Christ"; Phil. 1:6 ESV). Most Protestants object to this belief on the basis of it not being explicit in the Bible. Passages which allegedly support it are often interpreted differently. Many claim that it seems based on the idea that one can enter heaven by being a good person (contrast Romans 3:23), showing that this disagreement exemplifies the heart of disagreements between Catholics and Protestants: the issue of our justification. Most Catholics put this belief into practice by prayer for those faithful departed, so that God may have mercy during the judgment (cf. Timothy 1:16-18) and they may enter heaven faster.
[edit] Supporting Passages
Ecclesiastes 12:14 ESV - God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
- This passage shows the comprehensive nature of judgment. It seems to imply that, even if we are going to Heaven, some sins will nonetheless need accounting for.
Isaiah 4:3-4 ESV - he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem, when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning.
Micah 7:9 ESV - I will bear the indignation of the LORD / because I have sinned against him, / until he pleads my cause / and executes judgment for me. / He will bring me out to the light; / I shall look upon his vindication.
- In this passage, Micah seems to say that, even though he will be saved, he will still be punished during his judgment for his sins.
Malachi 3:2-3 ESV - who can endure the day of [God's] coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD.
1st Cor. 3:11-15 ESV - no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
- This passage shows that those who are saved (who have built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ) will all be saved, but will, on Judgment day, "suffer loss" for deeds they have done which must be burned (i.e. sins) and receive rewards for deeds that follow them into Heaven (i.e. godly service).
