Purgatory again
Hi!
I was just wondering if you could comment on something my pentecostal grandmother told me about Purgatory. She said there is not anything like a purgatory where you go and be punished for your sins after your death. She said that in the bible there talks about there being different degrees of punishment in hell, and that if you do make it to heaven, that a person can lose their reward like the person in the bible that barely escaped a burning house, he just barely got out, but his life was saved, but he lost all of his belongings. She said we can make it to heaven but still lose are reward. Do you know of that story in the Bible? If so what does that mean? Also she says that the Bible says our soul how it is when death takes us, is how it will be for all eternity and we cannot cleanse ourself after death. what are your comments about this?/ Please don't explain again what Purgatory is becasue i know exactly what it is, I just need a response to what she said. Thank You.
Yvonne
QUESTION from Yvonne on November 25, 2003
ANSWER by Staff on November 27, 2003
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Dear Yvonne: Well, your grandmother does not understand the doctrine of purgatory. Purgatory is NOT punishment for sin. Our sins are forgiven and paid for by the Cross of Jesus. Purgatory is a place where the "consequences" that remain from our sins are burned off. If we through a rock through a window in anger, we have sinned. We can ask God for forgiveness and we can ask forgiveness from the owner of the window. Even though forgiven for the sin of throwing a rock through a window in anger, the window is still broken. The sin has been paid for by the Cross, the penalty for the sin has been paid for by the Cross, but the window is still broken and we have an obligation to fix the window. Purgatory is a place where reparation for all the broken windows in our lives that did not get fixed during our lifetime. Your grandmother is correct about the state of our soul at death. Our eternal destination -- heaven or hell -- is determined at the moment of our death. This does not relate to purgatory. EVERYONE in purgatory going to heaven. Purgatory is about losing one's reward yet still being saved. The story your grandmother tells about losing reward is actually a story of purgatory. I cannot find this story as you relate it, however. I suspect that what she is referring to is 1 Corinthians 3:11-15
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. This passage is the dictionary definition of purgatory. There are many other passages in the Bible that refer to purgatory, but this passage, 1 Cor 3:15 is one of the primary verses. It is a virtual dictionary definition of purgatory. By the way, some people call this the "Judgment Seat of Christ". This is the EXACT same thing as "purgatory". Same concept, just different terminology. I hope this helps you.
God Bless, |