Introduction

The doctrine of Purgatory concerns a process or place of purification that takes place before one enters heaven (i.e. it is not a place for unbelievers, nor is it in hell). This involves pain or suffering which can be alleviated to some degree by the prayers of the living (the practice of paying to get people out of Purgatory was one of the primary causes of Luther's Reformation). What is Purgatory for? It is basically the doctrine of sanctification only in the afterlife. Purgatory is a preparation for heaven, while unbelievers go to hell. The purpose of purgatory is to cleanse one from venial (not mortal) sins. Purgatory is temporal, not eternal - people spend more or less time there depending on their sins.

Arguments for Purgatory

There are no biblical verses that clearly teach this doctrine, however there are some apocryphal writings that support it (e.g. 2 Maccabees 12:42-46). 1 Corinthians 3:15 has been seen to indicate that if someone's work is burned up, one will suffer loss, and the person will be saved is referring to purification punishment. Matthew 5:26 is seen as expressing purgatorial punishment. The main proofs for the existence of the cleansing fire lies in the testimony of the Latin Church Fathers (e.g. Cyprian and Augustine). They also reason that only completely pure souls can enter Heaven and the punishment of sins still present will cleanse them before entrance. The Roman Catholic Church has declared (in The Council of Trent) that "if anyone says that after the reception of the grace of justification the guilt is so remitted and the debt of eternal punishment so blotted out to every repentant sinner, that no debt of temporal punishment remains to be discharged, either in this world or in Purgatory, before the gates of Heaven can be opened, let him be anathema."

Response to Arguments for Purgatory

There is no direct proof for Purgatory in Scripture (even including the Apocrypha). The book of Second Maccabees was not accepted as inspired by the Jewish community that wrote the Old Testament, nor was it accepted by Jesus and the apostles and many important early Fathers of the church, including Jerome. Matthew 12:32 is not speaking about forgiveness in the next life after suffering for sins but the fact that there will be no forgiveness for this sin "in the world to come". This sin will never be forgiven but Purgatory is all about the cleansing of sin! Not only that but this sin is obviously mortal, not merely venial, and is not committed by a believer. 1 Corinthians 3:15 is speaking of believers who will one day be given a reward. The loss is a loss of reward for not serving Christ faithfully not suffering for sins in purgatory (note that only their works are burned - not them). Further, this book was written to those who were already said to be sanctified in Christ (1:2). Matthew 5:26 is not speaking about a "spiritual prison" after death but a physical prison before death. To make this refer to purgatory is to assume there is a purgatory to begin with. Tradition is not 100% in agreement nor is it infallible. It was not even added to the Roman Catholic Bible until after the Reformation.

Conclusion

Whether or not there seems to be good reason to posit Purgatory, it contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture that there is nothing temporal or eternal left to pay for the consequences of our sins. Salvation has three stages: justification, sanctification, and glorification. Justification is at the moment of belief - we are immediately seen as not-guilty for our sin (Rom. 5:19; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 12:23). Sanctification occurs in this life before death (1 Cor. 3:10-13; 2 Cor. 5:10; Rev. 22:12). After death comes glorification (Rom. 8:30; 1 John 3:2). Sanctification is not a process of paying for our sins - rather it is the supernatural process through which God removes sin from our lives. Salvation in all three stages is by God's grace (Eph. 2:8-9). Christ's death on the cross was for all our sins and all their consequences (John 19:30; Heb. 10:14). To say there is some suffering for sins left for us contradicts these teachings.