According to Roman Catholics, purgatory is a place for imperfect saints who received Gods grace. They go through a purification process such that all of their sins are purged. After they are purified temporarily, they enter heaven. Catholics believe that Jesus + Purgatory = Salvation while Protestant Christians believe that Jesus alone = Salvation. Although Christian Research Institute (CRI) does not consider the Catholic Church as a cult, they claimed that more than 75% of Roman Catholic priests believe that good people of other religions can enter purgatory and ultimately enter heaven through good works. This seems to contradict the idea of salvation by grace through faith alone. Joseph Pohle, a Catholic scholar, said, "[Purgatory is] a state of temporary punishment for those who, departing this life in the grace of God, are not entirely free from venial [means "forgiveable"] sins or have not yet fully paid the satisfactory due to their transgression." On the other hand, Christians believe that only Jesus Christ can purify us of all our sins and no additional sufficient works of punishment are necessary while other Christians like Geisler and MacKenzie believe that purgatory is denial of the sufficiency of the cross.
1. "Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come." Matthew 12:32.
Catholics use this verse to support the existence of purgatory and they believe that Jesus implies that some sins can be forgiven in the next world. They also claim that sin cannot be forgiven in hell and that there is no sin to be forgiven in heaven. So, any forgiveness of sin in the next world can refer only to purgatory.
Despite what the Catholics believe, Geisler and MacKenzie rebutted by saying that purgatory involves only venial sins, but this sin [referred in Matthew 12:32] is not venial; it is mortal, being eternal and unforgiveable. The word "Purgatory" does not exist in the Bible, and Matthew 12:32 does not directly say that purgatory exists. Their implication that sins can be forgiven in the next world is simply not there. If you want to know what the verse is really trying to say, it said that if you deny Christ when you die, then you will not be forgiven. You will not enter heaven if you are not forgiven, and unfortunately, you will burn in hell. There is no second chances. There are only heaven and hell.
2. "If someone's work is burned up, that one will suffer loss; the person will be saved, but only as through fire." 1 Corinthians 3:15
Catholics like to refer this verse as a temporal loss of vision of God and a purifying suffering for a time in purgatory, until the soul is admitted to heaven.
Since Joseph Pohle represents what Catholics believe, it is obvious that purgatory implies a salvation by works. Joseph Pohle believes that punishment is needed in order to go to heaven, and punishment in purgatory is a form of works. Geisler and MacKenzie said, "The text said nothing about believers suffering the temporal consequences for their sins in purgatory. They are not burned in the fire; only their works are burned. Believers see their works burn but they escape from the fire." Anyway, is it grace when God punishes us in purgatory before we go to heaven?
3. "For Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that He might lead you to God. Put to death in the flesh, He was brought to life in the spirit. In it He also went to preach to the spirits in prison, who had been disobedient while God patiently waited in the days of Noah during the building of the ark, in which a few persons, eight in all, were saved through water." 1 Peter 3:18-20
Catholics thought that God said that the spirits of Noah's family were imprisoned at purgatory. They interpreted the verse as saying that all eight of Noah's family were spirits in prison.
Actually, God was referring to the men who rejected Noah and died during the flood. Since they rejected Noah, the people, who died in the flood, had all gone to hell. (Please see Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee).
4. "For this is why the gospel was preached even to the dead that, though condemned in the flesh in human estimation, they might live in the spirit in the estimation of God." 1 Peter 4:6
Catholics believe that the dead were in purgatory. The Catholics argument is that if there is no purgatory why should we preach to the dead so that they might live.
Evangelicals believed that the dead refers to the spiritual death of a nonbeliever, who are alive and deny Christ as their Lord and Savior. (Please see Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee).
"I [Jesus] tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over death to life." John 5:24
You can see that death is referring to the spiritual death of a nonbeliever rather than a physical death.
Please share this religion pamphlet to your Christian friends by forwarding this e-mail.
I would like to thank a brother in Christ from Bethel English Ministry for helping me write this religion pamphlet. If you want to buy Roman Catholics and Evangelicals Agreements and Differences by Norman Geisler and Ralph E. MacKenzie, then call CBD at (800) CHRISTIan for a lower price compared to other Christian bookstores.
