Second-chance Purgatory?

[morgannicole555]

Hello, I've never been on one of these forums before but have to hear some other opinions on this. I was raised to believe that if you do not accept Jesus into your heart, you go to hell... period. Well the other night this topic somehow came up with my boyfriend and he does not feel the same way (he grew up Christian as well). He believes that people across the world who did not grow up in a Christian society and who were raised by their families to believe a different religion, will not automatically go to hell, but instead go to some sort of purgatory where God will give them a second chance. He doesn't believe that God would condemn someone to hell for believing in the religion their parents taught them to. I'm not sure of anything like this being referenced in the Bible and am feeling very conflicted now. Thoughts?

 

[Dave-W]

That is a catholic doctrine but has little to no support in either scripture or early Jewish tradition.

 

[Dave-W]

Anyway, Morgan; welcome to the forums! It is good to see you here.

Please put up an introduction in the Introduce Yourself forum.

 

[grasping the after wind]

That is a catholic doctrine but has little to no support in either scripture or early Jewish tradition.

I was not aware that the Catholic church believed that non believers got a chance in Purgatory to become believers. Are you sure this is the doctrine of the RCC?

 

[FenderTL5]

...people across the world who did not grow up in a Christian society and who were raised by their families to believe a different religion, will not automatically go to hell, but instead go to some sort of purgatory where God will give them a second chance...

That is a catholic doctrine but has little to no support in either scripture or early Jewish tradition.

Dave, I'm not sure that the OP accurately depicts the RCC belief on Purgatory. I'll defer to them since it is not a teaching in the Orthodox Church.
However, it is my understanding that Purgatory in the Latin church is the place of purification for believers who died with sin in their lives. iirc, It is loosely supported in I Corinthians 3.

 

[AvilaSurfer]

Purgatory is not a second chance. It is a cleansing period to achieve perfection before entering heaven.

 

[Dave-W]

I was not aware that the Catholic church believed that non believers got a chance in Purgatory to become believers. Are you sure this is the doctrine of the RCC?

OK valid point.

Not raised RCC myself, I have only heard from practicing catholics what purgatory was. Some have said it is possible that people from other religions may have to go there.

So my understanding may be faulty on that.

 

[eleos1954]

Hello, I've never been on one of these forums before but have to hear some other opinions on this. I was raised to believe that if you do not accept Jesus into your heart, you go to hell... period. Well the other night this topic somehow came up with my boyfriend and he does not feel the same way (he grew up Christian as well). He believes that people across the world who did not grow up in a Christian society and who were raised by their families to believe a different religion, will not automatically go to hell, but instead go to some sort of purgatory where God will give them a second chance. He doesn't believe that God would condemn someone to hell for believing in the religion their parents taught them to. I'm not sure of anything like this being referenced in the Bible and am feeling very conflicted now. Thoughts?

All people who die an earthly death wait in the grave (in a dormant state) and the saved will be resurrected in the 1st resurrection. The lost are later resurrected in the 2nd resurrection. There is not any "in between" place where people go.

Ecclesiastes 9

5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, because the memory of them is forgotten.

1 Thessalonians 4

The Return of the Lord

13Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope. 14For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.

15By the word of the Lord, we declare to you that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise. 17After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.

18Therefore encourage one another with these words.

There are many many references in the bible about being in the grave (as an unconsciousness sleep).

There are no 2nd chances after death.

God Bless.

 

[thecolorsblend]

I was not aware that the Catholic church believed that non believers got a chance in Purgatory to become believers. Are you sure this is the doctrine of the RCC?

The Catholic Church teaches the reality of Purgatory.

However, though with respect, the OP does not teach the Catholic understanding of Purgatory.

The Church teaches that those who die in God’s friendship but who are still attached to sin in some way will be purged by God in the afterlife. It’s a process of sanctification rather than salvation. “This mortal must put on immortality.”

In no way is this some type of “second chance”. Generally, if someone rejects Our Lord’s offer of salvation in life then they won’t go to Heaven after death.

 

[~Zao~]

Maybe what he was referring to was this verse about those who have never heard the gospel preached but have no doubt have had the revelation of God given to them thru His creation. However it says nothing about being given purgatory, it just says they are without excuse. Romans 1:18-20

For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law; for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus (Romans 2:12-16).​

 

[HTacianas]

Hello, I've never been on one of these forums before but have to hear some other opinions on this. I was raised to believe that if you do not accept Jesus into your heart, you go to hell... period. Well the other night this topic somehow came up with my boyfriend and he does not feel the same way (he grew up Christian as well). He believes that people across the world who did not grow up in a Christian society and who were raised by their families to believe a different religion, will not automatically go to hell, but instead go to some sort of purgatory where God will give them a second chance. He doesn't believe that God would condemn someone to hell for believing in the religion their parents taught them to. I'm not sure of anything like this being referenced in the Bible and am feeling very conflicted now. Thoughts?

Romans chapter 2 explains in depth the judgment of those who have never heard of Christ. They are judged based on their conduct in life. Those who have done good will be rewarded, those who have done evil will be punished.

It is the belief of Christianity that those who in this life have not been made perfect before death will be subject to an intermediate state after death where they will be made perfect before entering heaven. It is perhaps most well known by the Roman Church's term "purgatory". While that term is not universally accepted by all of Christianity, and the Roman Church's description of the nature of purgatory is not universally accepted, the idea of it is.

But to say that all of those who have never heard of Christ will be condemned cannot be supported by the bible and has never been the teaching of Christianity.

 

[HTacianas]

That is a catholic doctrine but has little to no support in either scripture or early Jewish tradition.

See II Maccabees 12:38-46.

 

[~Zao~]

Hell is for the devil and all his family by choose. The burning of ‘pergatory’ is defined as that which purges the nature to become fitting to the new nature and is also seen in the sanctification process.

 

[Dave-W]

See II Maccabees 12:38-46.

Not in the Jewish canon, nor the protestant canon

 

[HTacianas]

Not in the protestant canon, nor the Jewish canon

It is in the Christian canon.

 

[Dave-W]

It is in the Christian canon.

That is close to saying the protestants are not christian.

As a messianic, we follow the Jewish canon on the Hebrew scriptures. Maccabees are not in Hebrew. Never were.

 

[HTacianas]

That is close to saying the protestants are not christian.

We should take this up in another thread.

 

[SleepingAtLast]

This is kind of a lazy answer, but every new day on earth is another day in second-chance purgatory, IMO.

 

[grasping the after wind]

OK valid point.

Not raised RCC myself, I have only heard from practicing catholics what purgatory was. Some have said it is possible that people from other religions may have to go there.

So my understanding may be faulty on that.

I was raised Catholic but I do not claim to be a Catholic theologian. It was my, admittedly childlike, impression that Purgatory was the place one was assigned to temporarily in order to serve some time for ones less heinous sins before being allowed into heaven. It was, if my recollection is correct and my instruction was not flawed, not open for business for non believers. There was however a way to be saved for those that, though not specifically recognizing Jesus due to lack of information, to spiritually or inherently recognize Him in a semi relational sort of
way and be considered to be something equivalent to a believer. In those cases I would guess
that Purgatory might be an option. Purgatory was not a place to become a believer as some sort of belief is assumed to already exist for those that end up there and , just as the rest of the denizens of Purgatory, they must pay a price for their less important i.e. venial sins. Now I may be completely wrong on that but that is what I recall being taught so if I am wrong it is either my poor memory or poor instruction that is to blame.

 

[grasping the after wind]

The Catholic Church teaches the reality of Purgatory.

However, though with respect, the OP does not teach the Catholic understanding of Purgatory.

The Church teaches that those who die in God’s friendship but who are still attached to sin in some way will be purged by God in the afterlife. It’s a process of sanctification rather than salvation. “This mortal must put on immortality.”

In no way is this some type of “second chance”. Generally, if someone rejects Our Lord’s offer of salvation in life then they won’t go to Heaven after death.

Thanks for the clarification. I think my understanding of the doctrine, though less accurate was not all that far off.