People Good Enough to Qualify
Purgatory is a comforting doctrine for the Catholic. You wouldn’t think that a place of suffering and purgation would bring comfort. But purgatory is a safety net for the semi-honest Catholic. The honesty arises from understanding that they are not good enouugh to go directly to heaven – they have debts that must be satisfied first. However, the great lie that they tell themselves is that they have attended enough masses, confessed all mortal sins, and basically are good enough to qualify for purgatory!
The “good Catholic” (I was one) must be convinced by the Holy Spirit that THEY ARE NOT GOOD! Jesus says that no one is good but God (Lk 18:19Lk 18:19
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19 Jesus asked him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good, except one—God.). Paul says that everyone is under sin, that no one is righteous (Rom 3:9-10Rom 3:9-10
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9 What then? Are we better than they? No, in no way. For we previously charged both Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin.
10 As it is written,
“There is no one righteous.
No, not one.), and that all have sinned and fallen short (Rom 3:23Rom 3:23
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23 for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;). The penalty for sin? Eternal death (Rom 6:23Rom 6:23
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23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.).
The population of purgatory is zero, because it doesn’t exist. It doesn’t exist because Jesus paid the full penalty for sin. THE DOCTRINE OF PURGATORY IS WICKED – IT DECEIVES CATHOLICS INTO SELF- ( AND CHURCH-) RELIANCE AND KEEPS THEM FROM THE FINISHED WORK OF THE SAVIOR.
Catholicism is a hard sell without purgatory.
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Purgatory. The place of suffering for those who die in a state of grace, yet in need of purification because of sin. The atonement of Jesus only removed the guilt of sin. The temporal consequences of sin remain and we must pay for our sins while alive or after death. The soul in purgatory is entirely passive. Therefore the only way to gain heaven is by suffering in purgatory or through the intercession of the Church. The pope can mitigate the consequences of purgatory by dispensing indulgences to the faithful. The righteousness of Jesus, Mary and the Saints has been stored up by God in the Treasury of Merit. The souls in purgatory may receive infusions of righteousness from this heavenly bank account to pay for sin. The soul in purgatory gets “time off for good behavior.” It is not their behavior, but rather the actions of the living faithful who gain indulgences on their behalf.
Jesus paid the entire penalty for our sin (Rom 6:23Rom 6:23
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23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.). No one deserves heaven. By the perfect righteousness of Jesus we are reconciled to God (Rom 5:18Rom 5:18
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18 So then as through one trespass, all men were condemned; even so through one act of righteousness, all men were justified to life.). Purgatory is a wicked doctrine, since it provides a false sanctuary for the poor deceived Catholic. It also denies the abundant grace and love of God, making Him the miserly God of double jeopardy. The idea of merit is based on the false idea that the original sin of Adam only weakened our nature. In reality, we are born in a state of spiritual death (Eph 2:5Eph 2:5
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5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ ,). Jesus confirmed that no one is good but God (Mk 10:17Mk 10:17
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17 As he was going out into the way, one ran to him, knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”). Salvation is entirely a gift of God – so that no one can boast (Eph 2:9Eph 2:9
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9 not of works, that no one would boast.).
