Why do Catholics believe in purgatory when its not mentioned in the bible?
As the final verse in John explains, there is not enough space in all the books in the world to contain all of Jesus’ teachings. This is an important reason Jesus authorized an actual human organization, the Church, and appointed its first leaders. The work of the church is to safeguard Jesus’ teachings (many of which were explained privately to his disciples) and interpret them in response to new theological and ethical challenges down through the centuries. There is ample support for the concept of purgatory in scripture (see link). For example, in Matt 5:26,18:34; and Luke 12:58-59, Jesus teaches us, “Come to terms with your opponent or you will be handed over to the judge and thrown into prison. You will not get out until you have paid the last penny.” The word “opponent” (antidiko) is a reference to the devil (see the same word for devil in 1 Pet. 5:8) , and God is the judge. If we have not adequately dealt with sin in this life, we will be held in a temporary state called a priso
A State After Death of Suffering and Forgiveness Matt. 5:26,18:34; Luke 12:58-59 – Jesus teaches us, “Come to terms with your opponent or you will be handed over to the judge and thrown into prison. You will not get out until you have paid the last penny.” The word “opponent” (antidiko) is likely a reference to the devil (see the same word for devil in 1 Pet. 5:8) who is an accuser against man (c.f. Job 1.6-12; Zech. 3.1; Rev. 12.10), and God is the judge. If we have not adequately dealt with satan and sin in this life, we will be held in a temporary state called a prison, and we won’t get out until we have satisfied our entire debt to God. This “prison” is purgatory where we will not get out until the last penny is paid. Matt. 5:48 – Jesus says, “be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect.” We are only made perfect through purification, and in Catholic teaching, this purification, if not completed on earth, is continued in a transitional state we call purgatory. Matt. 12:32 –
There is a common Protestant misunderstanding of purgatory. At least one protestant minister, John Wesley, spoke of perfectionism in this life, possible but rare. He is one of the few to proclaim that one can be sanctified in this life and he left the Moravian Church over this issue after a rebuke by Count Zinzendorf for this teaching. People in purgatory are already justified by receiving the supernatural eternal life into our souls through Baptism making us a part of the Body of Christ. Those in purgatory have accepted Christ by faith and have not rejected Him by unrepentant mortal sin. It is a place where one is purified by fire (Mal 3:2). Imagine the joy of being in purgatory and knowing that you are there because you have passed judgment and are assured of being in the presence of God in heaven. Purgatory is not an eternal destination, there are only two, heaven or hell. We should not think of purgatory as some kind of legal punishment for past sins as it would be under the old la
Who can stand in the face of the holiness of God? God is revealed as perfect interior holiness. We are called to that same holiness. We are deprived of the vision of God because of our sinfulness. But there is a divine purging fire which can heal us. Scripture from the Greek Septuagint, the Old Testament of Christ, the Evangelists and Paul, and of the councils of Hippo and Carthage, affirm purgatory. Experience teaches us that there are people who die so suddenly, they have not had the opportunity to confess their sins, but are not guilty of serious “death dealing” sin and separation from God. Read your Bible. The term “purgatory” may not be found in the Bible, but it is defined in the Bible. It is the continuing process of purgation or purification of the soul after human death. It is a state of perfection. Purgatory is a sign of God’s mercy on those who have honestly sought to know God and to do His will in this life and yet die in some degree of bondage to sin or the effects of sin.
•Biblical support for purgatory. [1] Purgatory is not Hell minus a few torments and degrees Fahrenheit; it’s not Heaven minus joy. It’s not a “Third Final Destination” of souls. Purgatory is simply the place where already saved souls are cleansed of the temporal effects of sin before they are allowed to see the holy face of Almighty God. Revelation 21:27 tells us that “…nothing unclean will enter [Heaven].” [2] Daniel 12:2, Matthew 12:32, 1 Corinthians 3:13-15, 2 Timothy 1:16-18, Hebrews 12:14, Hebrews 12:22-23, 1 Peter 4:6 and Revelation 21:10, 27 all speak of Purgatory in their telling of the need for purification, prayers for the dead, Christ’s preaching to the dead, or how nothing unclean will see God. [3] prayers for the dead (Tobit 12:12; 2 Maccabees 12:39-45), [4] Purgatory (Wisdom 3:1-7), [5] intercession of dead saints (2 Maccabees 15:14), [6] and intercession of angels as intermediaries (Tobit 12:12-15). Even the The Talmud speaks of Purgatory: Sabbath 33b: “The judgment of
