Expert: Todd Tyszka - 5/13/2008

Question
Hi Todd

I'm a bit confused (what else is new Ray)...lol

Seriously Todd, I was brought-up a Romen Catholic and now I'm a Born Again Christian.

I've been reading the Bible for a little bit over a year now and have not come across anything about Purgatory?

Did I miss something?

Can you please tell me where in the Bible that JESUS speaks about Purgatory?

And if its not there, can you tell me your veiw on this subject please.

Thank You Todd
GOD BLESS YOU

Mr.Ray Monaco

Answer
Hi Ray! As far as purgatory, there IS NOT Biblical support for this Vatican doctrine and in fact, it contradicts, The Catholic Encyclopedia defines purgatory as, “a place or condition of temporal punishment for those who, departing this life in God’s grace, are, not entirely free from venial faults, or have not fully paid the satisfaction due to their transgressions." In other words, Catholics believe that purgatory is a place where we go after death to be cleansed and purified of our venial (minor) sins before we can be allowed into heaven.

Here are some Scriptures to show what the Bible says regarding this matter:

1 Corinthians 6:10-11 - ”…nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

Romans 8:1-4 - “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.  And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.”

Ephesians 2:4-10 - “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Colossians 1:21-23 - “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation--if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.”

Romans 3:21-28 - “But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.  God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished--he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.”

We have seen a common theme here.  We’ve read words like “justified,” “sanctified,” and “made holy.”  In Catholic practice, justification is achieved through adherence to the seven sacraments.  Yet we’ve just read that we are all justified by grace through our faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  We’ve also read that due to Christ’s atoning sacrifice, God seeks no further punishment for those who have accepted that free gift.  Perhaps nowhere else in the Bible is the doctrine of purgatory more heavily refuted than in the following passage:

Hebrews 10:8-18
“First he [Jesus] said, ‘Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them’ (although the law required them to be made). Then he said, ‘Here I am, I have come to do your will.’ He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:
   ‘This is the covenant I will make with them
      after that time, says the Lord.
  I will put my laws in their hearts,
      and I will write them on their minds.’ Then he adds:
  ‘Their sins and lawless acts
      I will remember no more.’ And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin.”

Thanks for reading my rather long description and I hope this helps. If you have any other questions, please feel free to repond with another.

Thanks Ray,
Todd Tyszka