What does the Bible say about the concept of purgatory? [Spirituality & Religion]
I’m very sensitive to those who believe that choices regarding salvation can be made after we die, however, this is where careful bible study comes in. We never want to “read in” what we’d [u]like[/u] scripture to say, but rather, carefully study what scripture accurately teaches. Of course, open, respectful discussion is welcome. If you think this post is inaccurate, please let me know, so we can discuss it.
First, it must be clearly noted that the Bible does not teach purgatory. Scripture is adamant about teaching us that one’s sins must be reconciled with God BEFORE we die.
In fact, nowhere in scripture does God say there are second chances. This is why we have Jesus as our only Mediator between God and man...to have our sins forgiven while on earth, before our soul departs this earth. If not, there would have been no need whatsoever for Jesus to die on the cross, to pay with His blood, our sin debt, so we could repent while on earth.
In scripture, believers are not called to offer prayers or works on behalf of the dead. The dead's eternity has already been decided by them, while on earth. That is why the Jesus said, “TODAY is the day of salvation, for you know not what tomorrow shall bring.” In other words, don’t wait until you die to make that decision. If you do, it will be too late. Further, He warns not to put that decision off, because you also don’t know when your time is up, and He doesn’t want you to miss Heaven. That is why we seek to grow in Christ and share Him with others, so they may know these things. God didn’t leave us to guess about life and death. The truth is there to be found in His Word, to be studied.
When a man dies, his soul is still alive, and he returns to God, where the Bible tells us he faces judgment for "what he has done in the body, whether good or evil" (Hebrews 9:27; 2 Corinthians 5:10). Do [u]not[/u] confuse this with trying to earn your way to heaven. Jesus said that won’t work, lest everyone would boast that they saved themselves, which is an impossibility. You are saved by grace alone. It is a gift...you don’t earn gifts...you receive them.
The fact is, there is a way to escape hell and the sin that brings judgment upon us. God is fair....SIN is not, and brings condemnation upon our soul...but God is also love, and in His love He took our sins upon Himself at the cross. Christ paid the judgment in full, so that we don't have to face hell. Paul writes, "but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him." (Romans 5:8–9).
On an American troopship, the soldiers crowded around their chaplain, asking, "Do you believe in hell?" "I do not", replied the chaplain. "Well, then, will you please resign, for if there is no hell, we do not need you, and if there is a hell, we do not wish to be led astray."
If there is no hell, then there is no need for a cross or a Savior. But hell is very real, and as Christian author Os Guinness says, "For some, Hell is simply a truth realized too late." It is a sobering fact that those who choose to reject Jesus in this life, will have their request honored in the next by God, who will indeed acquiesce to their wishes, and send them to the choice they themselves have made.
That confirms my idea that many believers believe and do what they do because of fear of punishment in the afterlife. If there was no hell, they would not act righteously, because there would be nothing motivating them to do so.
I understand what you’re saying, and that would seem to make sense, however believers don’t do it for that reason. That just happens to be included in the salvation experience. If there were no reward or punishment, we would still love Jesus, simply because of who He is, but the fact is, the analysis is hardly fair, sensible, or accurate, because of one important fact that will never change. What Jesus did on the cross for all of us, can never be undermined. His sacrifice is ineffable. He not only said He loves us. He proved it. Scenarios and assumptions are useless when it comes to how horribly this man suffered so we might have eternal life. It was certainly a reality for Him. @SW-User
I don’t believe those ministers should use fear as motivation to come to Christ. Even Christ, Himself, did not use scare tactics. He taught the love of God and how their Father in heaven loves them so much, He provided them a way to have eternal life regardless of their sins. @SW-User
This is where the overwhelming desire that is built in each and every one of us from this fallen world of ours comes in. Now, there's nothing wrong with wanting to be right, it's when we hang the truth in our zeal to be right is the problem.
Thank you. I feel sensitive to how people feel about this, but Jesus doesn’t want anyone waiting till they die before considering salvation. That is why He says to get right with Him before their time is over on earth. Even in the Garden of Paradise, Satan lied to Adam and Eve and told them it was okay to eat from the Tree of Knowledge, that God had lied to them, and they would not die at all, if they ate from that tree. So they did, and they died spiritually, their sins separating them from God. Satan is doing the same thing here, lying to people, telling them they have [i]plenty of time[/i] to repent....no big deal...they can bother with that [b]after[/b] they die, then laughs at them. He knows full well it will be too late then, and in fact, is counting on it, as he wants their souls. That is why God felt it important to bring this up in His Word. @1234567890a
