What does the Bible say about Purgatory? | GotQuestions.org

GotQuestions.org

Subscribe

Download

Share

00

00:00

Today's question is, what does the Bible say about purgatory? In this video I'll answer that question from a biblical perspective.

00:06

Then afterwards, as always, I'll share some helpful resources, so stick around until the end.

00:19

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, purgatory 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.

00:34

To summarize, in Catholic theology, purgatory is a place that a Christian soul goes to after death to be cleansed of the sins that had not been fully satisfied during life.

00:45

Is this doctrine of purgatory in agreement with the Bible? Absolutely not. Jesus died to pay the penalty for all of our sins,

00:53

Romans 5, verse 8. Isaiah 53, verse 5 declares, but He was pierced for our transgressions,

00:59

He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.

01:07

Jesus suffered for our sins so that we could be delivered from suffering. To say that we must also suffer for our sins is to say that Jesus' suffering was insufficient.

01:17

To say that we must atone for our sins by cleansing in purgatory is to deny the sufficiency of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus, 1

01:24

John 2, verse 2. The idea that we have to suffer for our sins after death is contrary to everything the

01:32

Bible says about salvation. The primary scriptural passage Catholics point to for evidence of purgatory is 1

01:38

Corinthians 3, verse 15, which says, "...if it is burned up, he will suffer loss.

01:44

He himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames." The passage is using an illustration of things going through fire as a description of believers' works being judged.

01:55

If our works are of good quality—gold, silver, and costly stones—they will pass through the fire unharmed, and we will be rewarded for them.

02:04

If our works are of poor quality—wood, hay, and straw—they will be consumed by the fire, and there will be no reward.

02:10

The passage does not say that believers pass through the fire, but rather that a believer's works pass through the fire.

02:17

1 Corinthians 3, verse 15 refers to the believer escaping through the flames, not being cleansed by the flames.

02:24

Purgatory, like many other Catholic dogmas, is based on a misunderstanding of the nature of Christ's sacrifice.

02:31

Catholics view the Mass or Eucharist as a representation of Christ's sacrifice because they fail to understand that Jesus' once -and -for -all sacrifice was absolutely and perfectly sufficient —Hebrews 7, verse 27.

02:46

Catholics view meritorious works as contributing to salvation due to a failure to recognize that Jesus' sacrificial payment has no need for additional contribution—Ephesians 2, verses 8 -9.

02:59

Similarly, purgatory is understood by Catholics as a place of cleansing in preparation for heaven because they do not recognize that because of Jesus' sacrifice, we are already cleansed, declared righteous, forgiven, redeemed, reconciled, and sanctified.

03:16

The very idea of purgatory and the doctrines that are often attached to it—prayer for the dead, indulgences, meritorious works on behalf of the dead, etc .—fail

03:26

to recognize that Jesus' death was sufficient to pay the penalty for all of our sins. Jesus, who was

03:32

God incarnate—John 1, verse 1 and verse 14—paid an infinite price for our sins.

03:38

Jesus died for our sins—1 Corinthians 15, verse 3. Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sins—1

03:45

John 2, verse 2. To limit Jesus' sacrifice to atoning for original sin or sins committed before salvation is an attack on the person and work of Jesus Christ.

03:56

If we must, in order to be saved, pay for, atone for, or suffer because of our sins, then

04:02

Jesus' death was not a perfect, complete, and sufficient sacrifice. For believers, after death is to be away from the body and at home with the

04:10

Lord—2 Corinthians 5, verses 6 -8. Notice that this does not say, away from the body in purgatory with the cleansing of fire.

04:18

No, because of the perfection, completion, and sufficiency of Jesus' sacrifice, we are immediately in the

04:25

Lord's presence after death—fully cleansed, free from sin, glorified, perfected, and ultimately sanctified.

04:33

Want to learn more? Subscribe so you don't miss the next video! Visit GotQuestions .org for more great content. And check out the details section below this video, there you'll find one book

04:40

I recommend, along with links to several related questions. If you'd like to learn about Bible Munch, or if you're interested in Bite -sized devotionals, subscribe to Bible Munch on YouTube, it's linked right here.