Purgatory: a place taught by (mainly) Roman Catholics, is a place NOT found in God’s Word.
Purgatory: a place taught by (mainly) Roman Catholics, is a place which had its beginnings in paganism and pagan writings.
Purgatory: a place taught by (mainly) Roman Catholics, is a place in which MANY of the church folk find fairly EASY to believe.
Purgatory is supposedly a place where a sinner may go to “burn off” sin and “purify” himself. When the sinner has burned off enough sins, he may then enter heaven.
Though purgatory is NOT found in God’s Word, it IS found in the many, many tales of that counterfeit Christian religion, Roman Catholicism.
To give their stories a sheen of believability, RC teachers torture a few verses found in God’s Word.
Like Hebrews 12:19.
“For our God is a consuming fire.”
Or Luke 23:43.
“And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”
So, there is NO Biblical basis for a belief in purgatory.
It is NOT difficult to believe that the concept of purgatory proves popular with the Catholic church folk. Not many consider themselves “evil” or “wicked“; not many consider themselves (with good reason) ‘good enough’ to make it into heaven AS THEY ARE.
HOWEVER, a great many have little difficulty believing they are “foolish” (a word often used interchangeably with “evil” or “wicked“ in God’s Word); apparently, they consider it a good trade to burn a bit in the fires of purification IF they will at least get into heaven in this manner.
So, the doctrine of purgatory is welcomed by the (Roman Catholic) church folk.
Again, IF Roman Catholics believed God’s Word, they would find NO support for the idea of purgatory.
The concept of purgatory sprung, not from the minds of Catholic theologians, but from PAGAN writers.
The idea of purgatory has roots that date back into antiquity. A sort of proto-purgatory called the “celestial Hades” appears in the writings of Plato and Heraclides Ponticus and in many other pagan writers. This concept is distinguished from the Hades of the underworld described in the works of Homer and Hesiod. In contrast, the celestial Hades was understood as an intermediary place where souls spent an undetermined time after death before either moving on to a higher level of existence or being reincarnated back on earth.
—History of Purgatory
Purgatory is therefore, a pagan concept which found a popular following in counterfeit Christianity.
One way readers may know purgatory is not a concept found in God’s Word.
It offers a ‘second chance’ to all those deemed initially unworthy to enter heaven.
‘Second chances’ are a popular concept–but they are foreign to Christianity.
In addition, the entire idea of purgatory lessens the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
IF purgatory really did exist, then it would be possible for one to make it into heaven WITHOUT Jesus Christ.
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
–John 14:6
One additional method for determining purgatory is NOT in God’s Word.
One may search God’s Word itself: there is not only NO mention of purgatory, there is NO mention of anything even remotely sounding like purgatory–UNLESS one is so consumed with an ‘easy’ way of making it into heaven, that one ‘reads into‘ what IS found in God’s Word.
One last way readers may know that purgatory is a fairy tale: it offers a chance for folks to offer PRAYERS FOR THE DEAD to ease the departed’s time of ‘purification.’
What does God’s Word say about PRAYERS FOR THE DEAD?
“The soul that sinneth, it shall die.”
–Ezekiel 18:20
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
–Romans 6:23
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”
–2CORINTHIANS 5:10
And FINALLY,
“He is not God of the dead, but of the living.”
–Matthew 22:32
One will NOT read of purgatory in God’s Word.
One WILL read of purgatory in the Traditional Tales of the Apostate Churches.
IS Purgatory part of the reader’s salvation plan?
It is not YET too late–although time is surely running out: there is still a LITTLE time to change direction (repent), place your faith (hope) for the future entirely on Jesus Christ and enter the kingdom of heaven.
DOES the reader believe he is saved?
Make Your Calling and Election Sure: End Times Survival
DOES the reader believe he is NOT saved?
Time is Running Out: Today is the Day of Salvation
THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. ”
—1 Corinthians 15:1-8
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
-–Romans 1:16
MORE: Eternal Salvation Through Jesus Christ: Salvation Messages from End Times Prophecy Report
A Reminder: The Gospel is Simple
[Portions of this piece appeared originally in End Times Prophecy Headlines: October 10, 2022.]
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by Jeremiah Jameson
–with Mondo Frazier
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