Instead of trying to find loopholes in God's commandment or trying to convince ourselves that our spouse is not a Christian or is at least not behaving as one and therefore divorceable, we ought to be shouting the holiness of marriage from the housetops. It is better to endure much personal unhappiness than to treat as expendable the solemn vows of the wedding service.
James Montgomery Boice

Purgatory The Unfinished Work

Purgatory The Unfinished Work

PURGATORY: THE “UNFINISHED WORK” OF CHRIST

By Rob Zins

As a little boy, I was always mindful of saying my prayers before I went to sleep. I can still remember a little invocation rhyme which must have been the most popular night time prayer for children. Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, if I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. Amen.

Since becoming a Christian, I have come to know that God will take my soul should I die. I no longer have to pray this prayer.

As a young boy growing up in the Roman Catholic religion, I was taught to pray for people in Purgatory. Night after night I imagined an infinite line of suffering people who were all chained together. They were waiting for someone to pray them out of their sufferings. I took the responsiblity very seriously. But it seemed the more I prayed, the longer the line. Until at last, fatigued and tired, I would fall asleep. Inevitably, I felt guilty for not praying at least on more person out of suffering. I always promised God to do better the next night. I never really did much better. I consistantly fell asleep with many more stranded in Purgatory for yet another day. Eventually, I simply gave up. I stopped praying for the endless faces of those in torment.

But the Roman Catholic doctrine of Purgatory was imbedded deep within me. Finally, the guilt of not praying for “the tormented souls in Purgatory” became too heavey when added to all the other guilt associated with the Romanist religion. Eventually, I left the Roman Catholic church.

It wasn’t until becoming a Christian that I found out that Purgatory was a lie. There is no such place as Purgatory. I had been lied to all those years. All those guilt ridden days and nights spent as a child were for the sake of a lie.

Today, I am a Christian. The doctrine of Purgatory seems so long ago. Having been trained in the Scriptures, I marvel at how i could have been so foolish. But a child is trusting. A child believes his elders especially about things such as Heaven and Hell and Purgatory. I am most grateful to God that he has led me to the truth of His word and freed me from the despair of Romanism. He has taught me the Bible is trustworthy.

The Bible does not teach Purgatory or any other doctrine of “self atonement” related to personal “purgation of sins” (Isa. 64:6).

It is my hope that Roman Catolics will believe the truth about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and just say “no” to the horrid inventions of men. Purgatory is one such invention (Col. 2:8).

In Contrast, the “Good News” of the Gospel is that Jesus died on the cross so that all those who believe in Him do not have to suffer for sins commited. Not here or in the life hereafter.

The essence of the Gospel is that one perfect offering satisfied the penalty due to sin. He [Jesus] was crushed for our iniquities, Isa. 53:5.

Purgatory is a terrible lie because it violates the value of Christ’s death. Purgatory shatters the comfort of the precious grace gift of God. God’s forgiving love is endowed without penalty because He is appeased with the full payment in the death of His son, Jesus.

Purgatory threatens the soul with untold aeons of agony. This nullifies the “Good News” of the gospel and replaces it with a self affliction as the penalty for sin and thus contributing to one’s own justification before God (Luke 16:15, Gal. 2:16).

The roman Catholic religion teaches the work of Christ is not enough to end the terror of punishment due sin. Catholics are taught that God forgives sins but the saints need to add their own agony for final purification. This suffering is said to be the distress of Purgatory.

The Romanist arrives at purgatorial suffering on the basis of false distinction between “forgiveness” of sins and paying a “penalty” due personal sin. By contrst, in Christianity, forgiveness is the removal of all penalty based on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Sad to say, the self sacrificing nature of the Roman Catholic religion absolutely denies full satisfaction. Christians believe Christ offers forgiveness and freedom from paying the penalty of sin once and for all. The two cannot be separated.

Purgatory, like its earthly sisters Penance and Indulgences, absolutely ruins the significance of the death of Christ. The damnable doctrine of self purgation of sins is simply one of the many logical consequences underlying the ugly truth of Rome’s works-righteousness system of salvation. The Biblical witness tells us that there is “no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus” Rom. 8:1. Also, those who believe in Christ have eternal life and need not fear suffering for their own sins. Our peace with God is based on the fact of Christ’s atoning work, Rom. 5:1. We no longer have to suffer the penalty of sins. We no longer dread the presence of God. We are not involved in any attempt to “pay the price” of our sins in our bodies. We believe that anything added to the death of Christ, for our acceptance before God, is another gospel and needs to be rejected.

We can only hope and pray that those who see the folly of Rome’s Purgatory will leave it. We hope that forsaking it will be the first step in arriving at the Christ of Scripture. This mighty Savior came to die in place of those who could NEVER pay the penalty due their sin. For by His stripes are we healed. Hebrews 7:25: ” … He is able to save them to the uttermost…”

Rob Zins, is the Executive Director of Christians Evangelizing Catholics. He has a Th.M. in Historical Theology. If you have further questions about the Roman Catholic church, feel free to write Rob at: P.O. Box 6409 Rutland, Vermont 05702

This text file may not be altered in any fashion or edited. For further questions concerning reproduction please contact the author Rob Zins at the address above. This text file may be uploaded or downloaded freely and without charge.

This text file originated from the Inspiration BBS (512) 452-6350, and was prepared by Counter Cult Consultants, Executive Director Jim L. Toungate Jr.