Page 513 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

PURE - PURGATORY

the N.T. The feast is still kept by the Jews: the Book of It almost seems silly to give a Bible answer to the
Esther is read, and curses are pronounced on Haman false teaching of purgatory, since the answer is so
and on his wife; and blessings on Mordecai and on obvious. The answer is that purgatory is not taught in
Harbonah (Concise). the Bible! Not only so, but it is contrary to the Bible’s
PURE CONSCIENCE, PURE MIND. The Christian teaching about salvation. Purgatory is based on a gross
can have a pure mind and conscience because of the misunderstanding and perversion of the Gospel. While it
cleansing of salvation (2 Ti. 2:22; Tit. 1:15; He. 10: 22; is true that no sin can enter into heaven, the great Bible
2 Pe. 3:1; 1 Jn. 3:18-21). To maintain a pure conscience words defining the Gospel explain that the purgation
the Christian must have genuine, sincere faith in Christ necessary to bring the soul into heaven has already been
and avoid the stain of unconfessed sin (1 Ti. 3:9; 2 Ti. accomplished on the Cross. Redemption means to be
1:3). [See Conscience, Deceit, Dissimulation, Heart, purchased from the slave market of sin by the blood of
Hypocrisy, Mind, Sincere, Undefiled.] Jesus Christ. Propitiation means that the sin debt has
PURCHASE. (1) To buy (Ge. 49:32; Le. 25:33; Je. been satisfied by the blood of Christ. Justification means
32:11). (2) To win; acquire; obtain (1 Ti. 3:13). the believer is declared righteousness by Almighty God
PURELY. Thoroughly (Is. 1:25). because of what Jesus Christ has done for his soul. [See
Grace, Gospel, Hope, Justification, Redemption,
PURGATORY (to purge; to cleanse). According to Propitiation.]
Roman Catholic theology, purgatory is a place or state 1. The true Christian goes directly to the presence of
where Christians go after death to suffer for sins not Christ at death (2 Co. 5:8; Ph. 1:23; 1 Th. 5:9). This is
cleansed during their earthly existence. After an the consistent testimony of the Apostles. To be absent
unspecified time of purgation, the soul is thought to go from the body is to be present with the Lord. The
to heaven. Purgatory is said to be a place of suffering. Apostle Paul looked forward at death to “depart and be
Until recent years, purgatory was described as a place of with Christ.” In discussing the resurrection and
fiery pain, but many Catholic priests today teach that translation of Christians in 1 Th. 4:14, the Apostle Paul
the fires of purgatory as taught in former days might be says the Lord Jesus will bring the dead saints with Him
symbolic. Masses are said for the dead in the belief that from heaven when he comes. There is no hint of some
rituals and prayers can help speed the soul’s escape coming from any other place, such as from purgatory.
from purgatory. Even popes are not thought to be Death cannot and does not separate the believer from
exempt from purgatory. When Pope Paul died, special Christ. Nothing can. His blood has forever removed the
masses were performed all over the world to help him sin barrier. When Christ died He cried, “It is
out of purgatory. finished!” (Jn. 19:30). At that moment, the veil in the
“The doctrine of purgatory clearly demonstrates that temple was rent (Mt. 27:50,51), God thereby signifying
even when the guilt of sin has been taken away, that the entrance into His very presence had been
punishment for it or the consequences of it may remain accomplished! The believer can praise God for this
to be expiated or cleansed. They often are. In fact, in
Purgatory, the souls of those who died in the charity of blessed certainty. “Having therefore, brethren, boldness
God and truly repentant, but who have not made to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new
satisfaction with adequate penance for their sins and and living way, which he hath consecrated for us,
omissions, are cleansed after death with punishment through the veil, that is to say, his flesh” (He. 10:19-20).
designed to purge away their debt” (Vatican Council II, Sin does indeed demand suffering, but the Bible gives us
p. 75). the Good News that Jesus Christ, God’s Son, has already
“The Church teaches us that after death the soul still suffered for sin in our place (Is. 53:5-12; 2 Co. 5:21; 1
has to suffer purification (that is the meaning of the Pe. 3:18; 4:1).
word purgatory) before it is able to see God. It will The Roman Catholic Church has turned the Lord’s
certainly be a painful purification; that is why it is Supper into a grand religious pageantry which they call
represented by the image of a ‘fire’” (The Theologians
Answer Your Questions, 1970, pp. 138-139). a sacrifice, but it knows nothing about the real efficacy
“This doctrine of purgatory, reflected in Scripture and of the Sacrifice which the Supper pictures. That
developed in Tradition, was clearly expressed in the Sacrifice has entirely and eternally removed the sin
Second Council of Lyons (A.D. 1274). ... Besides barrier between God and that individual who exercises
declaring the fact of purgatory, the Second Council of personal, repentant faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Glory
Lyons also affirmed that ‘the faithful on earth can be of to His name!
great help’ to persons undergoing purgatory by 2. Jesus’ blood cleanses the believer from all sin and
offering for them ‘the sacrifice of the Mass, prayers, gives him perfect righteousness before God. No true
almsgiving, and other religious deeds’” (Handbook for believer will ever suffer fiery torment for his own sins
Today’s Catholic, p. 36).

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