PURGATORY IS BLASPHEMY! BY SOLA FIDE, WE'RE ALL SAVED! "...fides sine operibus mortua est." (faith without works is dead, James 2:26)
To start with, Purgatory is from Latin term "Purgatorium", which means purification.
My fellow Catholics, perhaps some of you are aware of the concept of Purgatory, but it may not be well-explored since it is not frequently discussed during our Holy Masses. But truth must be told, some of us rarely, if ever, read the Bible. As Christians, it is our duty to acquire at least a reasonable level of understanding about our faith.
Anyway, Purgatory is one of the Catholic Teachings that is frequently debated by our non-Catholic friends. For them, it may not be real, but for us Catholics, we should embrace what I consider to be a "gift from God" for the ultimate salvation of our souls.
Now, let's look at these 4 principles that support the idea of Purgatory. I'll be using Bible passages to support my point and some examples in our today's situation, they may be cut short, but rest assured we'll stay within the context.
2 Samuel 12:14:13-- Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has allowed your sin to pass; you shall not die. However, since by this deed you have shown utter disrespect for the Lord, the child himself who is born to you shall certainly die.” [the child died in verse 18]
Here it says that King David, after all his inequities, although forgiven yet still punished. In today's world, It's like going into prison even if forgiven by the victim.
From Revelation 21:27-- ...and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it [heaven]...
Nothing unclean! We all know that heaven is a place without errors. No more death or mourning or crying or pain. Even white lies could stain our souls with sin. Imagine a white bond paper, if even a tiny dot is added, it can never return to its original state. Again, heaven is without errors.
From Hebrew 12:22-23-- But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect...
Spirits of the righteous made perfect. Emphasis on 'made perfect' suggests that there's a process, a process towards attaining perfection, as seen in the lives of Saints who, just like you and me, are also human beings.
From 1 Corinthians 3:13-15-- ...each one’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each one’s work. If anyone’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet only so as through fire.
Where might this place be, where we must endure suffering but can attain salvation through the process of purification by fire?
Hell? There's no escape once you're there. (Matthew 25:46)
Heaven? There's no suffering in heaven. (Revelation 21:4)
Hmmm?
Pro Deo et Ecclesia!
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