Being Purged of Sin in Purgatory

One of the key belief differences between Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox Christians is the issue of purgatory – Catholics believe it exists, but Protestants and Orthodox believers don’t.

 

The belief in a place called purgatory evolved over many centuries. Although it’s not the Christian Church’s official teaching, some early Church fathers and writers, including Augustine, believed in an intermediate state that exists after death but before heaven. The Catholic Church made this part of their official doctrine in the 16^th century.

 

In general, purgatory serves as an interim place for people who will eventually go to heaven but who aren’t yet purified enough to do so. In Catholic teaching, purgatory isn’t a place where unsaved people get a second chance to avoid going to hell. Instead, it’s a place for eventual heaven-to-be’s to wait expectantly for the joys to come.

 

Catholics: Purgatory is part of God’s plan

Catholics believe that a person must be purified before entering heaven. Martyrs (Christians who’ve been killed for their faith) and a few rare Christians who’ve lived exceptionally holy and pure lives – have already accomplished that purification. So, upon death, they immediately go to heaven. However, most other folks need some more time before they’re able to be cleansed of their sin enough to be considered holy for heaven. Catholics believe that purgatory isn’t a place where you go to receive forgiveness (because only Christians, who asked for forgiveness during their earthly life, and those who aren’t capable of making decisions for Christ go to purgatory), but instead to get rid of the baggage that accompanies sin. Therefore, the grace and love of God scrub away these nasty effects of sin in a person’s life.

 

The exact time that Catholics believe a person stays in purgatory varies. If you were a pretty decent sort of person – didn’t rob any banks, helped out your neighbour, and flossed regularly – your time is pretty short. But, if you were a really bad boy or girl, watch out, because you’ll have a lot of time to kill before seeing those pearly gates of heaven.

 

That’s why Catholics believe in praying for people who’ve died. The belief is that the more people who are living on earth pray for you, the quicker the purification process becomes, which in turn shortens your time in purgatory.

 

Neither the Old Testament nor the New Testament mentions purgatory. However, as Chapter 6 details, Catholic Bibles include an additional set of books called the Apocrypha. The ancient Jews didn’t accept these books as part of the Old Testament; as such, Jesus and the early Church wouldn’t have recognized them as scripture. It’s at one point in one of these disputed writings that we read about praying for people in purgatory: “It was a holy and pious thought to pray for the dead so that they may be freed from sins” (2 Maccabees 12:46).

 

Catholics believe that all souls in purgatory will be released at the time of Christ’s Second Coming, will join Jesus immediately, and will go to heaven.