Testing a Biblical Objection to Purgatory

[Nagomirov]

Interesting

Did the Church Fathers Believe in Purgatory? (Response to Gavin Ortlund)

 

[AlexB23]

Did the Church Fathers Believe in Purgatory? (Response to Gavin Ortlund)

Ok

 

[Nagomirov]

Does purgatory have a prayer with Protestants?

 

[WarriorAngel]

I know Protestants who say rest in peace.
At least they say that much.

 

[WarriorAngel]

Does purgatory have a prayer with Protestants?

I hope they convert.
So many souls are in need.
Some moan so achingly in pain it would melt any heart to hear it.

 

[Nagomirov]

Protestants think of justification as a judicial decision, but for Augustine and the entire Christian tradition, justification is connected with real righteousness. Now some Protestants believe in purgatory and see it as justified. Purgatory-believing Protestant Jerry L. Walls writes: "Some Protestants go so far as to insist that purgatory is tantamount to denying justification by faith. However, I insist that everything depends on what is meant by justification and faith. As Alistair McGrath has shown, the traditional view has been that justification actually makes us righteous, and that this is what ultimately restores us to a loving relationship with God. The Protestant innovation was the separation of justification from sanctification and the interpretation of the former primarily in legal and judicial terms. But since justification, understood in this way, does not make us truly righteous, it is simply inappropriate as an objection to purgatory. Erickson's objection misses the mark for the same reasons. To insist that we must be completely transformed by freely cooperating with God before we can fully enter into His presence is not to deny the fact that grace is the foundation of our relationship with Him. For His grace is exactly what takes the initiative and makes our transformation possible. Erickson's objection to purgatory implies that grace is primarily, if not exclusively, a matter of forgiveness. It is this narrowly judicial concept of grace that must be questioned."

 

[WarriorAngel]

Protestants think of justification as a judicial decision, but for Augustine and the entire Christian tradition, justification is connected with real righteousness. Now some Protestants believe in purgatory and see it as justified. Purgatory-believing Protestant Jerry L. Walls writes: "Some Protestants go so far as to insist that purgatory is tantamount to denying justification by faith. However, I insist that everything depends on what is meant by justification and faith. As Alistair McGrath has shown, the traditional view has been that justification actually makes us righteous, and that this is what ultimately restores us to a loving relationship with God. The Protestant innovation was the separation of justification from sanctification and the interpretation of the former primarily in legal and judicial terms. But since justification, understood in this way, does not make us truly righteous, it is simply inappropriate as an objection to purgatory. Erickson's objection misses the mark for the same reasons. To insist that we must be completely transformed by freely cooperating with God before we can fully enter into His presence is not to deny the fact that grace is the foundation of our relationship with Him. For His grace is exactly what takes the initiative and makes our transformation possible. Erickson's objection to purgatory implies that grace is primarily, if not exclusively, a matter of forgiveness. It is this narrowly judicial concept of grace that must be questioned."

I sure hope more Protestants follow.
This was the main division that created many to 'preach' their own ideas.

Eventually, he might become Catholic because as he figures out by grace, that there is truth in the Church, he may continue to uncover things.

 

[Chrystal-J]

I always thought this verse had a lot to do with purgatory.

Truly I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny. Matthew 5:26

 

[WarriorAngel]

I always thought this verse had a lot to do with purgatory.

Truly I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny. Matthew 5:26

Yes it is.
Hold no grudges and don't teach others to do so.

 

[Lady Bug]

What about that one part of the Gospel where Jesus talks about two groups of people...one group who unknowingly doesn't do the will of God will receive a light beating, and one that knowingly doesn't do the will of God will receive a greater beating. That's cryptic. It doesn't look like either heaven or hell. I feel that no one talks about this.