… I Corinthians 3:11-15 may well be the most straightforward text in all of Sacred Scripture when it comes to Purgatory: For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Purgatory is a belief that contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture with respect to the person and work of Christ. There are usually two immediate objections to the use of this text when talking with Protestants. Second, it is impossible for a “work” to be cleansed apart from the human being who performed it. And it is in this context Jesus declares in the New Testament: And whoever says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come (Matthew 12:32, emphasis added). Does the Bible teach this? This is the faith in which Jesus and the apostles were raised. And he makes very clear these “rewards” are not of this world. The focus is on the rewards believers will receive for their service, not on how their character is cleansed from sin or imperfection. Matthew 5:26 ESV / 49 helpful votes Bible Verses About Love 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. In the Bible days it was the same thing, that's why there wasn't too much written about it except in passing as St. Paul did in the first scriptures above. The Old Testament people of God would not have called it “Purgatory,” but they did clearly believe that the sins of the dead could be atoned for by the living as I will now prove. We Catholics simply specify the part of the judgment of the saved where imperfections are purged as “Purgatory.”. Purgatory is an extra-biblical teaching developed beyond what Jesus and the apostles presented in the Bible. 2 Maccabees 12 … 45 And because he considered that they who had fallen asleep with godliness, had great grace laid up for them. The Old Testament people of God would not have called it “Purgatory,” but they did clearly believe that the sins of … Lots of great Catholic links … Does the Bible teach it? Bible Verses About Forgiveness God alone knows the degree of culpability of these “sinners.” Moreover, some or all of them may have repented before they died. Purgatory is a belief that there is a place after death where the sins of Christians are further cleansed through suffering. Purgatory is not. Verse Concepts And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to … First, what are sins, but bad or wicked works (see Matthew 7:21-23, John 8:40, Galatians 5:19-21)? Bible Verses About Purgatory Bible verses related to Purgatory from the King James Version (KJV) by Relevance - Sort By Book Order 2 Corinthians 5:10 - 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. 1. It’s common sense. Let me stress that Scripture says nothing about a place called purgatory. 1:13 says, “You [God]… are of purer eyes than to behold evil and cannot look on wrong…” How many of us will be perfectly sanctified at the time of our deaths? Most importantly, however, this idea of “works” being “burned up” apart from the soul that performed the work contradicts the text itself. So what is it? Both Jews and Catholic Christians always retain hope for the salvation of the deceased this side of heaven; thus, we always pray for those who have died. No Christian sect I know of even attempts to deny this text speaks of the judgment of God where the works of the faithful will be tested after death. That is a Catholic doctrine and theirs alone. Bible Verses About Marriage . Ask any Catholic on the street and he can tell you about purgatory. In fact, I’ve answered it twice today already, so I thought I might just blog about it. This is unfortunate since it is that their Bibles have been edited and are missing books. What purgatory is basically saying is that the New Testament is false, Jesus Christ who is God in the flesh is not enough to purify sins, Jesus was a liar, Jesus basically came for no reason, etc. Click the 'Search' button below to search the entire website (including all scripture translations, comments, commentary, Bible dictionary, articles, and other pages): This declaration of our Lord implies there are at least some sins that can be forgiven in the next life to a people who already believed it. It is false and it disrespects our Lord Jesus Christ. Bible Verses About Prayer, Bible Verses About Children Bible verses about purgatory Purgatory is another lie from the Catholic Church. East And West east Sin Bearer Assurance, nature of West Guilt, Removal Of Promises To Stand on. If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 3:11; Mark 9:49); and as that which consumes (Matt. These verses are found in the midst of the famous “Sermon on the Mount,” where our Lord teaches about heaven (vs. 20), hell (vs. 29-30), and both mortal (vs. 22) and venial sins (vs. 19), in a context that presents “the Kingdom of Heaven” as the ultimate goal (see verses 3-12). I say a “Purgatory of sorts” because Purgatory is a teaching fully revealed in the New Testament and defined by the Catholic Church. What is being referred to cannot be heaven because there are imperfections that need to be “burned up” (see again, Rev. The Protestant calls it “the Judgment” and we Catholics agree. Hell is a permanent place. In light of this, the truth about Purgatory is almost self-evident to Catholics. Bible Verses About Healing There is proof for Purgatory in the Bible. Essentially, purgatory is part of the Catholic doctrine of faith where a “final purification” occurs in order to “achieve the holiness necessary to enter...heaven,” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, CCC 1030-31). In Chapter 12 of Second Maccabees … It’s found in 1 Corinthians chapter 3, verse 15. Search the King James Version (KJV) for more references about Purgatory... Bible Verses About God 2 Corinthians 5:10 - 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.1 Corinthians 3:15 - If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.Hebrews 9:27 - And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:Matthew 5:26 - Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.Revelation 20:12 - And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble—each man’s work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. Our Lord goes on to say if you do not love your enemies, “what reward have you” (verse 46)? First of all, a careful reading of the text reveals the sin of these men to be carrying small amulets “or sacred tokens of the idols of Jamnia” under their tunics as they were going in to battle. They are “rewards from your Father who is in heaven” (6:1) or “treasures in heaven” (6:19). 'PURGATORY' in the Bible... No direct matches for your keyword exist in the King James Bible. If Jesus wanted to condemn this teaching commonly taught in Israel, he was not doing a very good job of it according to St. Matthew’s Gospel. It notes that “this final purification of the elect . There is no such thing as a “work” floating around somewhere detached from a human being that could be cleansed apart from that human being. For example, “baptizing name Father” and “baptizing them in the name of … If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 21:27, Hab. Phulake is demonstrably used in the New Testament to refer to a temporary holding place and not exclusively in this life. I will use the 1611 King James Version of … or referred to?Can i only get passages from the "standard" bible like KJV and not maccabees please Thankyou Some of the “works” represented are being burned up and some are being purified. The text does say the works will be tested by fire, but “if the work survives… he will receive a reward. When they discovered these men were carrying “sacred tokens of the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbids the Jews to wear” (vs. 40), Judas and his companions discerned they had died as a punishment for sin. Some have sought to interpret Luke 16:19-31 as an account from Jesus that supports the idea of limbo. But the Bible does NOT teach this. When we add to this the fact that the Greek word for prison, phulake, is the same word used by St. Peter, in I Peter 3:19, to describe the “holding place” into which Jesus descended after his death to liberate the detained spirits of Old Testament believers, the Catholic position makes even more sense. Perhaps the best place to start is with the most overt reference to a “Purgatory” of sorts in the Old Testament. It says our works will go through “fire,” figuratively speaking. I say a “Purgatory of sorts” because Purgatory is a teaching fully revealed in the New Testament and defined by the Catholic Church. ... Bible Gateway Plus equips you to answer the toughest questions about faith, God, and the Bible with access to a vast digital Bible study library. Bible Verses About Trust Hab. Seemingly, purgatory is a halfway house where a person stays, suffers, and eventually makes it to heaven. The Protestant respondent will immediately spotlight the fact that there is no mention, at least explicitly, of “the cleansing of sin” anywhere in the text. It represents “a medieval invention nowhere to be found in the Bible.” It’s often called “a denial of the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice.” It is said to represent “a second-chance theology that is abominable.” We get these and many more such charges here at Catholic Answers when it comes to Purgatory. This traditional Protestant interpretation is very weak contextually. And most often the inquiries come from Catholics who are asking for help to explain Purgatory to a friend, family member, or co-worker. But for many Protestants, our Lord is here giving simple instructions to his followers concerning this life exclusively. I dare say most of us will be in need of further purification in order to enter the gates of heaven after we die, if, please God, we die in a state of grace. This would be closer to a Christian baseball player believing there is some kind of power in his performing superstitious rituals before going to bat than it would be to the mortal sin of idolatry. The truth is: You can't pray ( or pay ) anyone’s way out of hell. Bible Verses About Faith Further, as St. John points out in John 20:31, all Scripture is written “that believing, you may have [eternal] life in his name.” Scripture must always be viewed in the context of our full realization of the divine life in the world to come. First, they will dismiss any evidence presented therein because they do not accept the inspiration of Maccabees. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high (Hebrews 1:3). If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. 3:2-3; Matt. 1:7-8). I use the Bible to show that Purgatory is a true doctrine and what it's all about. It cannot be hell because souls are being saved. And it's all integrated seamlessly into your Bible Gateway experience. Bible Verses About Ten Commandments The first mention of Purgatory in the Bible is in 2 Maccabees 12:46: “Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be freed from sin.” Some people do not accept Maccabees as book of the Bible. The idea of works being separate from persons does not make sense. 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." Bible Verses About Strength My dear, you will not find the word Purgatory or any teaching in the Holy Bible about Purgatory. Some scripture references/categories courtesy of Open Bible .info under CC BY 3.0. 0 Bible results for “purgatory. The punishment for mortal sin is, in fact, definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed in Hell according to Catholic teaching (see CCC 1030). This is a constitutive element of what Catholics call “Purgatory.”, In II Maccabees 12:39-46, we discover Judas Maccabeus and members of his Jewish military forces collecting the bodies of some fallen comrades who had been killed in battle. AD 208, this teaching is parabolic, using the well-known example of “prison” and the necessary penitence it represents, as a metaphor for Purgatorial suffering that will be required for lesser transgressions, represented by the “kodrantes” or “penny” of verse 26. The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines purgatory as a “purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven,” which is experienced by those “who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified” (CCC 1030). Bible Verses About Heaven. dia puros). This has nothing to do with Purgatory. Try it free for 30 days! The famous theologian Augustine – considered a founding father of Christianity – advocated praying for the dead. So it is a fitting symbol here for God’s judgment. I use the Bible to show that Purgatory is a true doctrine and what it's all about. The only way the scriptures above makes any sense is if the Catholic Church is Right. (Find out Why Catholic Bibles Are Different) Even if a person does not accept the book of Maccabees, it at least has historical value for we can learn what the pre-Christian community believed. Bible Verses About Peace This, however, has not stopped people from attempting to find some biblical support for this non-biblical doctrine. Bible Verses About Wives That is a Catholic doctrine, but one that is not supported by the Bible. Thus, and ironically so, they will say, Purgatory must be eliminated as a possible interpretation of this text if you’re Catholic. Bible Verses About Death Let’s examine this Biblical proof for Purgatory. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. Purgatory can be found in the Roman Catholic “bible,” in the Old Testament “apocrypha,” but the apocrypha is not found in the Hebrew Old Testament Bible; the apocrypha books do not claim any inspiration of God, and they are not to be considered God’s Word. Catholic Bible 101 - Purgatory - Catholicbible101 is the website that explains Catholic teachings in plain, easy to understand English. There is only the testing of works. hopoiov – of what sort). Topics and verses are auto-generated from user searches. St. Augustine, in the 20th Book of his City of God, chapter 25, interprets this as purgatory. 3:12; 2 Thess. And second, they will claim these men in Maccabees committed the sin of idolatry, which would be a mortal sin in Catholic theology. Bible Verses About Hope, Bible Verses About Divorce Bible Verses About Grace And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. If these “works” do not represent sins and imperfections, why would they need to be eliminated? Bible; Concordances ... Far From One God Has Forgiven distance Forgiveness Kjv Reinstatement Compasses Sin, Deliverance From God. It isn't a Biblical teaching or principle. We are, in a certain sense, what we do when it comes to our moral choices. These works survive or burn according to their essential “quality” (Gr. 6:30). Bible Verses About Fear Use fewer words in your search, especially if you’re unsure of the exact phrase. Scripture is very clear when it says, “But nothing unclean shall enter [heaven]” (Rev. This is sometimes applied to those who die from outside of the Catholic Church or children who die before being baptized or even in association with purgatory. The concept of purgatory is not biblical. Maccabees aids us in knowing, purely from an historical perspective at the very least, the Jews believed in praying and making atonement for the dead shortly before the advent of Christ. . The text does say the works will be tested by fire, but “if the work survives…. But it is a non-sequitur to conclude from this teaching that II Maccabees could not be referring to a type of Purgatory. In doing this he acted very well and honorably… Therefore he made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin.”. It would seem odd to see the deeper and even “other worldly” emphasis throughout the Sermon of the Mount, excepting these two verses. Bible Verses About Husbands And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. The Bible teaches that at death unbelievers go to a place of torments called Hades or Sheol in the Old Testament. However, to many Protestants this is one of the most repugnant of all Catholic teachings. In Scripture, “fire” is used metaphorically in two ways: as a purifying agent (Mal. As such, it lacks biblical authority and is to be rejected. The next objection presents a more complex problem. The concept of Purgatory teaches that if you say enough prayers for the dead, or give enough money, then the deceased will be transferred from hell, to heaven. This seems so simple. To learn more about this topic, click here, We’ll begin by making clear just what we mean by “. ... of purgatory seems to have been unknown to the apostles and does not seem to have any biblical basis at all. We’ll begin by making clear just what we mean by “Purgatory.” The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: All who die in God’s grace, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven (1030).