A Simple Take on Purgatory

[miamited]

I actually agree with you Ted. All I am saying is that Hell is a real place. It is not mere unconsciousness. It is not temporal. It is eternal torment.

WHO it is that does the actual "tormenting" is not important to me personally.

It seems to me that the real flames of hell will be torment enough.

Hi major1,

Where this really comes into play is when we attempt to share the truth of God with those who have already gained a smattering of what the Scriptures 'say' from those without wisdom. There have been times that I have attempted to share the knowledge of the truth of God with others and they cry out that there's just no way they're going to believe in some God that's going to eternally torment us. So, I'm just offering others who may come up against this argument, the understanding by which they can stop them and say, "Look, God isn't going to torment anyone eternally. God is merely going to separate the wheat from the chaff. All those who are in the chaff group will be eternally tormented by the nature of themselves and all those with which they will spend eternity. So, if you can't believe in a God that would eternally torment us...good! Because I don't believe in a God such as that either and wouldn't want to. I actually believe in a God who knows that this eternal torment thing is going to be the lot of everyone. Not by His effort, but by the effort and nature of mankind. God however, is being merciful to all of us in offering us a way out of that existence."

I believe that the Scriptures are pretty clear that there is coming a day when every man will be judged. On that day we are told that God is going to separate those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life from those whose names are not found there. Those whose names are in the book will receive eternal life with God where He will be our God and we will be His people. Those whose names are not found in the book will be cast away from God and that life will be a life of eternal torment. But not because God is doing anything to torment them. It just is a life of continual torment due to the nature of that life.

The people in the eternal life with God will understand that God is the supreme authority and will choose to live under His authority. As Jesus asked in his prayer, they will all be of one mind that God is their God. Those outside of that group will all be bickering and fighting for survival. They will not understand the benefit that only living by God's rules for life, for lack of a better term, brings satisfaction and happiness to everybody. They will constantly batter and bicker and fight and destroy to satisfy their 'I'm my own god' complex. To fulfill their own continuing lusts for power and position. That kind of civilization is going to be one of eternal torment for all those living within it.

God bless,
In Christ, ted

 

[thecolorsblend]

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[Major1]

Then why did you mention what I did/didn't do??

There you go again, you're talking about what I didn't do.

Still, quite true. You're right about that.

Still NO Scriptures on Purgatory????

 

[Major1]

Hi major1,

Where this really comes into play is when we attempt to share the truth of God with those who have already gained a smattering of what the Scriptures 'say' from those without wisdom. There have been times that I have attempted to share the knowledge of the truth of God with others and they cry out that there's just no way they're going to believe in some God that's going to eternally torment us. So, I'm just offering others who may come up against this argument, the understanding by which they can stop them and say, "Look, God isn't going to torment anyone eternally. God is merely going to separate the wheat from the chaff. All those who are in the chaff group will be eternally tormented by the nature of themselves and all those with which they will spend eternity. So, if you can't believe in a God that would eternally torment us...good! Because I don't believe in a God such as that either and wouldn't want to. I actually believe in a God who knows that this eternal torment thing is going to be the lot of everyone. Not by His effort, but by the effort and nature of mankind. God however, is being merciful to all of us in offering us a way out of that existence."

I believe that the Scriptures are pretty clear that there is coming a day when every man will be judged. On that day we are told that God is going to separate those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life from those whose names are not found there. Those whose names are in the book will receive eternal life with God where He will be our God and we will be His people. Those whose names are not found in the book will be cast away from God and that life will be a life of eternal torment. But not because God is doing anything to torment them. It just is a life of continual torment due to the nature of that life.

The people in the eternal life with God will understand that God is the supreme authority and will choose to live under His authority. As Jesus asked in his prayer, they will all be of one mind that God is their God. Those outside of that group will all be bickering and fighting for survival. They will not understand the benefit that only living by God's rules for life, for lack of a better term, brings satisfaction and happiness to everybody. They will constantly batter and bicker and fight and destroy to satisfy their 'I'm my own god' complex. To fulfill their own continuing lusts for power and position. That kind of civilization is going to be one of eternal torment for all those living within it.

God bless,
In Christ, ted

I agree Ted. We are surrounded by people who know just enough Bible truth to be dangerous.

I am astounded by those who are educated beyond their intelligence.

 

[thecolorsblend]

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[Major1]

You keep asking about this. There are.

Then why have you not posted them????

Why are you being so childish and coy?

If there are any Scriptures, simply post them and we can move on.

 

[thecolorsblend]

Then why have you not posted them????

Why are you being so childish and coy?

If there are any Scriptures, simply post them and we can move on.

It's in the Bible, my friend. You can deny it if you want but it's in there.

 

[Major1]

It's in the Bible, my friend. You can deny it if you want but it's in there.

THEN PROVE IT. Stop talking about it and prove it!!!

 

[Chris Jones]

Since nothing unclean enters heaven, and since we are supposedly totally depraved (our sins merely covered by the blood of Christ), at what point are we made clean? The only possibility is purgatory.

Good point, although a lot of us (Christians) don't embrace that characterization of total depravity - still need cleaning up though.

 

[BNR32FAN]

C. S. Lewis talked about purgatory as an extension of God's grace. He used imagery something like this to defend his point:

Imagine you're dead, you've gone up to the pearly gates. Your clothes are torn up, your whole body is coated in mud, your breathe stinks, and you're just all-around nasty (this referring to our sin, of course). St. Peter walks over to you, and says, "Hey, come on in to heaven!"

You reply, "Uh, thank you, but can I take a shower & change first?"

He replies, "Oh, you're fine, come on in!"

And you say, "No, really, I want to take a shower, clean up, look nicer, and then I'll come in."

And cleaning up will hurt; you've got open wounds, and the mouthwash will burn, but this is all preparation for entering heaven; Revelation 21:27 says "Nothing impure will ever enter it [heaven]...", and all the verses about being cleansed from sin, such as 1 John 1:9, fit in quite nicely with Lewis' analogy of a cleansing before entering heaven. Romans 8:1 says "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus", and purgatory isn't condemnation, it's cleansing before your promised stay in heaven. As the article so beautifully stated, purgatory is a place of hope.

I think that's covered everything that's been brought up; hope it helps!

Where’s the verse that says we are unclean if we are in Christ?

 

[Major1]

Where’s the verse that says we are unclean if we are in Christ?

Of course there is NO such verse!

 

[Major1]

Good point, although a lot of us (Christians) don't embrace that characterization of total depravity - still need cleaning up though.

It is very much like the word SIN. Many people change that word to "Mistakes" or "Bad Choice". Those words sound more ACCEPTABLE to us.

It is like ABORTION sounds better than "Baby Killing".
"Gay" sounds better that Homosexual.

Because the name “total depravity” can cause people to have wrong ideas about what is meant, some people prefer to use terms like “total inability,” “righteous incapability,” “radical corruption” or even “moral inability.”

Yet what is important is not the name assigned to the doctrine but how accurately the doctrine summarizes what the Bible teaches about the spiritual condition of fallen man. No matter which name you use to refer to “total depravity,” the fact remains that when properly understood it is an accurate description of what the Bible does teach on this important subject.