Purgatory
Concept In The Bible
The Bible is very clear about the end of the times and the hereafter. The word “purgatory” is not found in the Holy Scriptures; however, the concept is taught throughout the New Testament. When Christ began preaching in His public ministry (Matthew 4:23), He preached the Gospel (1st mention of Gospel) of the Kingdom. Then He sent the twelve to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom and to heal and later He sent out 70 others to do the same. These servants of the Lord were sent out to prepare people to receive the Lord Jesus when He came to their city.
When He came, He would teach and preach using parables as a means of explanation of the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven. All the parables are talking about Christians and written to Christians. There is going to be a real shock for a lot of Christians when they get to heaven and find out that they didn’t live their lives according to the Word of God. This is called “iniquity”, or “lawlessness”, in the parables. For 1,000 years there is going to be a lot of weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth over the way that they failed to obey the Word of God. Not in hell, but in the outer regions of heaven.
He has given directions on how to carry out His plan. His Holy Spirit lives within us to guide us in doing His plan. There is no excuse for failing to do His plan, but there is a reason – sin! There’s a saying that explains this: “The Bible will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from the Bible.” We need to saturate ourselves with the Word of God. (John 6:53) If not, we will be given directions to do the will of God by every whim of the world., not by the Holy Spirit. That’s lawlessness!
The concept of Purgatory is in the Bible. When people talk about Purgatory, I’ve asked them to tell me, “Where is Purgatory in the Bible?” And they’ll say, “Pastor, I don’t know where it is, but I know it’s there.” Well, I want to tell you that, I believe, the concept of Purgatory is in the Bible, but not the word.
In the mid 1990’s, I think it was in 1994 or ‘95, I flew in to Munich, Germany. Then drove over to Innsbruck, Austria. There I had a central location for some meetings that I had with some businessmen on some bank business.
Later I drove down to Trento, Italy, on the Autobahn, for some meetings down there. I learned that some of those in the meeting were familiar with the Vatican and were pretty devout Catholics. Of course, they were equally excited about meeting a Baptist minister. And they went ‘all out’ to show me anything and everything I wanted to see. The many grape vineyards covering the hillsides, the restaurants and the people. I was so impressed with the way that they treated this Baptist on their turf! It was more, I think, because I was a Baptist than the fact that I was a financial figure that they respected me.
We walked all around Trento, until late into the night. And what a city! Small, but loaded with history!
In 1551 A.D., the Catholics had a historic meeting that lasted several years there in Trento. It was the 21st Council of Trent. The Catholic hierarchy from the surrounding countries met in this council meeting. There were some major differences concerning some of the governmental issues of the Catholic church that were being discussed.
One of the official discussions was to make a decision whether to make Purgatory an official doctrine of the Catholic church or not. It had been designated years prior, but was later taken off of the official doctrine list. This 21st Council reinstated Purgatory as an official doctrine of the Catholic Church.
As an official doctrine, there had to be an explanation of what it meant, how long it was to be, who would participate and how would this participation be affected by outsiders. Based upon the type of sins the person had committed, whether they were venial or mortal, would determine the length and severity of this punishment. You can go to the internet and find out more from the Catholic standpoint of what Purgatory is.
I’ve had people to say, “Pastor, where is Purgatory in the Bible?” I’ll answer in this way:
As the word “rapture” is not in the Bible, neither is the word “purgatory” in the Bible! But!! – the “rapture”, which means “the catching away”, is in the Bible. And the punishment, not in hell, for unconfessed sins committed in the present age is in the Bible, also.
Now, in Matthew 5, 6 & 7, the New Testament message is given by our Lord preparing us to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. This message was first given by Moses in the Old Testament before they were to enter the promised land. It is now given by our Lord preparing us to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Those being judged in Matthew 7 argue with the Lord about their works. They say, “Lord, Lord”, so that means that they are saved. The Bible says, “No man can say ‘Lord’ but by the Holy Ghost.” “Depart from me” out of the throne room, Jesus was saying. “I don’t know you” about these works – they were done in the flesh, not by the law of God. Therefore, they are called “iniquity” or “lawlessness”.
Then go to the Parables. All of them have to do with the Kingdom of Heaven for 1,000 years. Read Revelation 2 & 3 to see the opposite reward for the non-overcomers. These non-overcomers in Revelation and in the Parables, are not in hell. They are in heaven in the place that has been prepared for them, based on the results of the Judgment Seat of Christ. There is weeping and wailing for a 1,000 years. This will bring revival, if it would be preached, but it’s not being done! In Luke 18:8, the Lord says that when He comes back, the Son of Man, that’s a millennial name, (a messianic name), that the faith, (that’s a particular faith), will not be preached in the last days of this age. He will not find that faith preached. That’s a particular faith in the Gospel of the Kingdom!
Christians should understand that we are saved by faith with the shed blood of the Lamb of God. We’re saved to prepare ourselves for the position He has for us in His kingdom. When the time comes for us to give an account of our preparation, are we going to be prepared to do that job? He says to us, “Occupy til I come”. In Luke 18:8, the Lord says that this will not be preached in the last days of this age! Are you occupying??
There will be “many called” to fill God-given positions in His kingdom. There will be “few chosen” based on the results of the Judgment Seat of Christ! So many failures and so many found unqualified. Satan is doing everything within his power to keep us from being qualified to fill those positions. He is at work “24-7” to see us become distracted, so the result will be like his – unqualified!
Jesus was victorious in His temptations of 40 days & nights, so we could be victorious and rule with Him in His kingdom! The prize, in the temptation, was the authority to rule and reign over the earth. If Jesus had failed, Satan would have kept this authority. Jesus was victorious; however, and gave us an example of victory! When we follow His example, we, too, can be found faithful and qualified to rule with Him.
Many will be found unfaithful and unqualified! They will be assigned to their “place” where there will be weeping and disappointment. Read the parables of the talents and pounds in Matthew’s gospel, chapter 25. This can be compared to what Catholic doctrine states that Purgatory is like. But this is not in hell, it is in the Kingdom of Heaven.
The 1st and 2nd century preachers heard Jesus and the apostles preach the Gospel of the Kingdom (Matthew 4:23), but not the preachers of the 21st century. (Luke 18:8 – no “faith” in this gospel!)
Stay busy occupying in your job, so you will be qualified! Don’t let Satan deceive you, by taking the truth of God’s Word and distorting it like Purgatory. Not all Christians are going to rule and reign with Christ in the throne room. Many will be in the outer regions of heaven, weeping and wailing over their denying the Lord during this (age) life, in outer darkness.
Click on the Question Mark for more topics:
And see the box with the question mark in it for the difference in the Kingdom of God, The Kingdom of Heaven and Heaven Eternal is discussed there.