PURGATORY

 

1.    During the past several weeks a lot of attention has been paid to Catholicism.

2.    I recently had one preacher say this to me:

3.    “I am itching to say something about what is going on, but no one wants to hear it.”

4.    My response was “A wise man said there is a time and a place for certain discussions.”

 

TONIGHT WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT A WELL KNOWN DOCTRINE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH:  THE TEACHING CALLED PURGATORY.

 

a)      This teaching is a doctrine that brings in a great deal of money for the Catholic church.

b)      Even if this were not the original intent of the doctrine, this is what purgatory does.

c)      See if you do not agree after some facts are given.

 

2)      When a person dies, many often wonder if he or she has gone to heaven.

a)      It so happened that such a person phoned me this past week.

b)      A man called me and said to me these exact words:  “Do people need to be saved?”

c)      I have been asked some pretty strange questions, but never a question quite like this.

d)      To be sure I understood him I asked him to repeat the question and he said the same thing.

e)      A simple “yes” didn’t seem sufficient.

f)        I responded by saying “The Bible has a lot to say about a little word called sin.

i)        One verse is Rom. 6:23.”

g)      “Jesus came for the reason stated in Lk. 19:10.

h)      “Because of these and other verses, yes, a person does need to be saved.”

i)        The man then said this:  “I believe that too.  I want to know about ____ (a man who had just died).

j)        The caller incorrectly thought this person had worshipped here.

k)      What the caller really wanted was for me to pass judgment on the deceased.

l)        He wanted me to say the departed fellow was either saved or lost.

 

3)      Even if people are not real interested in their own spiritual state, they are often curious about others.

4)      Catholicism has used this interest to rake in a lot of money with the doctrine of purgatory. 

a)      Purgatory says “Here is a person who was unprepared to meet God” (i.e. not saved).

b)      Because the person was unprepared to die, he or she is now suffering in torment.

c)      This is not Hell, but an intermediate state called purgatory.

d)      The Catholic church has come along and said, “There is hope.  The suffering can be terminated.”

e)      Someone on the earth can pay a certain amount of money to a priest.

f)        Once the right sum (enough money is paid, the person who is suffering is released from agony.

g)      An ancient Catholic preacher put the matter in this way:

h)      “Once the coin into the coffer clings, a soul from purgatory heavenward springs.”

i)        This was from a Catholic, not someone speaking about the matter with derision.

 

5)      Some of us may probably looked at the Catholic Dictionary from time to time.

6)      In at least the past editions of this authors said purgatory is not exactly a scriptural teaching.

7)      This source has said the idea has been gleaned from the “general principles” of Scripture.

8)      It is not wrong to adopt something because it is “generally taught” in the Bible.

9)      At times we do draw conclusions based upon the “general teaching” of the Scripture.

10)  This statement in an of itself is not wrong.

11)  When we look deeper, we begin to find some serious flaws with purgatory.

12)  From Catholic sources tell us “most Catholics” who die go to purgatory.

13)  If most go there, and one needs to pay to get them out, a lot of money is changing hands.

14)  There is no other conclusion to draw.

15)  This is exactly what we saw with recent pictures from within the Vatican.

16)  The doctrine of purgatory also implies a “second chance” at eternal life.

a)      We will deal with this momentarily.

b)      First, let’s consider the idea that most (or at least most Catholics) go to purgatory.

c)      What does this say about the forgiveness of sins?

 

17)  I have selected some passages which are direct to the point, the first of which is Heb. 9:14 – READ.

a)      This author refers to the “blood of Christ.”

b)      We know a little something about the Lord’s blood.

c)      Jesus died a horrific death on a cross.

d)      He came from heaven to die for sins.

e)      His blood, according to this passage, “cleanses the conscience.”

i)        How can our conscience be cleansed if we are still unholy and in our sins?

f)        With Christ, we must be cleansed of our sins and have a clean conscience.

 

18)  Let’s study this point a little further.

19)  Shortly after the book of Hebrews we come to First Peter.

20)  We want 1 Pet. 1:18-19, and I will read these two verses in reverse.

21)  Verse 19 – READ.

a)      Here is the same blood discussed in Heb. 9:14.

b)      Here, however, the text makes another point about it:  Christ’s blood is “precious.”

c)      What does this “precious blood” do?  Verse 18 – READ.

d)      How does verse 18 stack up against the idea of purgatory?

e)      With purgatory, money is paid to redeem a person.

f)        The Catholic church says if a person pays enough, a soul springs heavenward.

g)      God says it is through Christ’s blood we are redeemed.

h)      Since we have two contrasting sources of redemption, which are we to accept?

 

22)  Someone might say we cannot be spotless and blames in this life and this carries over into death.

23)  Peter took care of this objection in his second letter, 2 Pet. 3:14.

24)  Peter had to deal with a lot of false teachers.

25)  He may not have dealt with the exact error we are looking at tonight, but his words certainly apply.

26)  2 Pet. 3:14 – READ.

a)      Can we be without spot and blemish as we live our lives?  Absolutely.

b)      If we are living in this state upon the earth, such a state will follow us after death.

 

27)  Paul told the Colossians we are “reconciled” to God in this life (Col. 1:22).

28)  If this were not enough, he said this in Col. 1:28 – READ.

29)  Paul really believed this.

30)  When ending the Thessalonians letter (1 Thess. 5:23) he spoke of being “wholly sanctified.”

 

THE DOCTRINE OF PURGATORY IS IN THE SAME CATEGORY AS MANY OTHER CATHOLIC BELIEFS, AND THESE BELIEFS ALL COME DOWN TO A SINGLE POINT:  AUTHROITY.

 

a)      Religious beliefs must come from somewhere; where is the source of and for them?

b)      With Catholicism, much of what they believe and accept is from Popes, tradition, and councils.

c)      Unless our head has been buried in the sand, we have probably heard the following statements:

d)      “Most holy father” has been uttered by numerous newscasters and written in scores of newspapers.

e)      The pope has been called “the head of the church,” and this description has not been rejected.

f)        “The church’s leader” is also an expression we have heard.

 

2)      If we know anything at all about the New Testament, this descriptions should rankle us.

3)      It should get our attention and it certainly must get the attention of  God.

a)      What did Christ say in Mt. 28:18?

b)      We know about the great commission in verses 19-20 of Mt. 28.

c)      Why and how could Jesus give that commission?

d)      Verse 18 says, “all authority has been given unto me.”

 

4)      If Christ is the supreme head with all authority, how much is left for a mere man?  None.

5)      There is only one Father (Mt. 23:9), so Christ said call no man “Father” in a religious sense.

6)      What did Peter preach on the Day of Pentecost?

7)      Acts 2:36 says, “God had made Him both Lord and Christ.”

8)      Jesus’ supreme authority was a key point when the first gospel sermon was preached.

a)      Jesus’ authority extends to both the living and the dead.

b)      If I were a Catholic willing to the accept the Scriptures, Rom. 14:9 would make me quake.

c)      I would run from this religious group as fast as I could because of what Paul said.

d)      Jesus’ authority is partially demonstrated in the 9^th verse of Rom. 14.

e)      Here is how that passage reads – READ.

 

9)      A Catholic priest tells people, “pay and a soul will be released from purgatory.”

10)  Does a man, just like us, have the right to say and do that?  Absolutely not.

11)  Christ is Lord of the “living” as well as the “dead.”

12)  It is Jesus who has the keys to Hades and death, Rev. 1:18.

13)  When a man says money can be paid to release a soul from punishment, he steps on Christ’s authority.

a)      Purgatory is not just a “general principle.”

b)      It is a doctrine.  It is a doctrine that is in stark contrast to the New Testament.

c)      Heb. 9:27 says we die and then comes judgment.

d)      We are judged by our works, 2 Cor. 5:10, not how much money is paid after our death.

e)      Consider this point as well:

f)        If Christ’s blood does not do it all, but money will, which is more powerful:  cash or Christ?

 

14)  Earlier 1 Pet. 1:18.  was cited.  Peter specifically said we are NOT REDEEMED by “silver and gold.”

15)  Does this mean there is no price (cost) for our redemption.  No.

16)  1 Cor. 6:20 says we are “bought with a price.”

17)  Must a price be paid for our salvation?  Yes; without paying a cost we are all lost.

18)  The cost (price) is not earthly wealth.

 

19)  When we look at the doctrine of purgatory we find an addition.

a)      Clear back in the Old Testament God said something about His word.

b)      He told people they were not to add to or take from it (Deut. 4:2).

c)      Later in that same book He made the point again (Deut. 12:32).

d)      In the “wisdom literature” this point is found again (Prov. 30:6).

e)      When john wrote Revelation, He appealed to this same idea (Rev. 22:18-19).

 

20)  Adding to or taking away from God’s word corrupts the faith.

21)  One corruption, one vile example of gross deceit, is the doctrine of purgatory.

22)  People are talking about this religious system, the pope, and related matters like purgatory.

23)  These are issues we need to be ready to discuss (1 Pet. 3:15).

24)  We want to be people who follow God’s word and Christ and nothing more.

25)  It is our job to encourage others in the world to make this same choice.

26)  Tonight we hope you have committed to Christ and Him only.