Purgatory
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Purgatory (Latin, "purgare", to purify) in Catholicism, is the place where those who are saved but, who have not wholly paid for their venial sins in this life, for which there was no true repentance, go to be purged of their venial sins before they can finally enter Heaven.
Within Catholicism, Purgatory is also called the "final purification of the elect". It is taught that Purgatory is experienced only by those souls judged by God at the moment of death to be destined for heaven, and only by those that are not yet perfectly holy. Purgatory involves temporal punishment for venial sin, which is entirely different from the eternal punishment of the damned in hell for mortal sin.
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Catholic doctrine
Purgatory in accordance with Catholic teaching is 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.
The faith of the Church concerning purgatory is clearly expressed in the Decree of Union drawn up by the Council of Florence (Mansi, t. XXXI, col. 1031), and in the decree of the Council of Trent which (Sess. XXV) defined:
| “ | Whereas the Catholic Church, instructed by the Holy Ghost, has from the Sacred Scriptures and the ancient tradition of the Fathers taught in Councils and very recently in this Ecumenical synod that there is a purgatory, and that the souls therein are helped by the suffrages of the faithful, but principally by the acceptable Sacrifice of the Altar; the Holy Synod enjoins on the Bishops that they diligently endeavor to have the sound doctrine of the Fathers in Councils regarding purgatory everywhere taught and preached, held and believed by the faithful.[1] | ” |
Further than this the definitions of the Church do not go, but the tradition of the Fathers and the Schoolmen must be consulted to explain the teachings of the councils, and to make clear the belief and the practices of the faithful.
Evidence
Scripture
Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny. Matthew 5:26
And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. Matthew 18:34
As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison. I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny. Luke 12:58-59
The word "accuser" (ἀντίδικος, antidiko[2]) is likely a reference to the devil (see the same word for devil in 1 Peter 5:8[3]) who is an accuser against man (Job 1:6-12; Zechariah 3:1; Revelation 12:10), and God is the judge. If people do not adequately deal with Satan and sin in this life, they will be held in a temporary state called a prison, and won’t get out until they have satisfied their entire debt to God. This "prison" is purgatory where they will not get out until the last penny is paid.
You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:48
Humans are only made perfect through purification, and in Catholic teaching, this purification, if not completed on earth, is continued in a transitional state called purgatory.
According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw — each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. 1_Corinthians 3:10-15
These verses tell us that works are judged after death and tested by fire. Some works are lost, but the person is still saved. Paul is referring to the state of purgation called purgatory. The venial sins (bad works) that were committed are burned up after death, but the person is still brought to salvation. This state after death cannot be heaven (no one with venial sins is present) or hell (there is no forgiveness and salvation).
in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison 1_Peter 3:19
For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does. 1_Peter 4:6
These verses state that Jesus preached to the spirits in the "prison." These are the righteous souls being purified for the beatific vision.
But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Revelation 21:27
Revelation 21:27 states that nothing unclean shall enter heaven. The word "unclean" comes from the Greek word κοινόω (koinon) which refers to a spiritual corruption. Even the propensity to sin is spiritually corrupt, or considered unclean, and must be purified before entering heaven.
Tradition and Church Fathers
Gregory the Great commenting on Matthew's gospel (12:32) states that
| “ | Each one will be presented to the Judge exactly as he was when he departed this life. Yet, there must be a cleansing fire before judgment, because of some minor faults that may remain to be purged away. Does not Christ, the Truth, say that if anyone blasphemes against the Holy Spirit he shall not be forgiven 'either in this world or in the world to come' (Mt. 12:32)? From this statement we learn that some sins can be forgiven in this world and some in the world to come. For, if forgiveness is refused for a particular sin, we conclude logically that it is granted for others. This must apply, as I said, to slight transgressions.[4] | ” |
Speaking of purgatory, St. Cyprian says that
| “ | For to adulterers even a time of repentance is granted by us, and peace is given. Yet virginity is not therefore deficient in the Church, nor does the glorious design of continence languish through the sins of others. The Church, crowned with so many virgins, flourishes; and chastity and modesty preserve the tenor of their glory. Nor is the vigour of continence broken down because repentance and pardon are facilitated to the adulterer. It is one thing to stand for pardon, another thing to attain to glory: it is one thing, when cast into prison, not to go out thence until one has paid the uttermost farthing; another thing at once to receive the wages of faith and courage. It is one thing, tortured by long suffering for sins, to be cleansed and long purged by fire; another to have purged all sins by suffering. It is one thing, in fine, to be in suspense till the sentence of God at the day of judgment; another to be at once crowned by the Lord.[5] | ” |
St. Basil of Caesarea notes the following in his Homilies on the Psalms:
| “ | I think that the noble athletes of God, who have wrestled all their lives with the invisible enemies, after they have escaped all of their persecutions and have come to the end of life, are examined by the prince of this world; and if they are found to have any wounds from their wrestling, any stains or effects of sin, they are detained. If, however they are found unwounded and without stain, they are, as unconquered, brought by Christ into their rest."[6] | ” |
In his Faith and Works, Saint Augustine remarks that
| “ | If the baptized person fulfills the obligations demanded of a Christian, he does well. If he does not — provided he keeps the faith, without which he would perish forever--no matter in what sin or impurity remains, he will be saved, as it were, by fire; as one who has built on the foundation, which is Christ, not gold, silver, and precious stones, but wood, hay straw, that is, not just and chasted works but wicked and unchaste works.[7] | ” |
Related References
- Purgatory - The Catholic Encyclopedia
- Purgatory - Biblical and Patristic Insight
- Purgatory & the Bible
- Catholic Doctrine of Purgatory by St. Francis De Sales
- The Catholic Church Has The Answer - Where is Purgatory mentioned in the Bible?
- ↑ Denzinger, Enchiridon, 983
- ↑ Blue Letter Bible. "Dictionary and Word Search for antidikos (Strong's 476)". Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2008. 19 Dec 2008. < [1] >
- ↑ Ibid.
- ↑ Gregory the Great [regn. A.D. 590-604], Dialogues, 4:39 (594 AD).
- ↑ Cyprian, To Antonianus, Epistle 51 (55):20 (A.D. 253)
- ↑ Basil, Homilies on the Psalms, 7:2 (ante 370 AD)
- ↑ Augustine, On Faith and Works, 1:1 (413 AD)
See Also
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