Is Purgatory A Lie Of The Devil?

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IS PURGATORY A LIE OF THE DEVIL?

Pastor Mike here.

I’m answering questions about the Bible.

The question today is: Is Purgatory A Lie Of The Devil?

PURGATORY DEFINED

Merriam-Webster defines purgatory this way…

An intermediate state after death for expiatory purification specifically :

It goes on…

A place or state of punishment wherein according to Roman Catholic doctrine the souls of those who die in God’s grace may make satisfaction for past sins and so become fit for heaven.

And so purgatory is the place where people go after they die to atone for sins and after having done so, they are allowed to enter heaven.

NO BIBLICAL TEXT SUPPORTS PURGATORY

Now the problem with this thinking is there’s no Biblical text that supports this.

Notwithstanding Scripture can be and is twisted to try to back the idea of purgatory.

Along these lines, according to Britannica…

Supporters of the Roman Catholic belief cite biblical passages in which there are intimations of the three major components of purgatory: prayer for the dead, an active interim state between death and resurrection, and a purifying fire after death. These texts yield a consistent notion of purgatory, however, only when viewed from the standpoint of the formal Roman Catholic doctrine.

STORY OF THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS

Now one place in the Bible where purgatory falls apart is in Christ’s story of The Rich Man And Lazarus.

In Luke chapter 16, beginning in v. 19, Jesus says…

19 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.

20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,

21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried,

And let’s just pause for a moment.

What I want to draw your attention to here is the fact that two men die.

Of course, one is rich and the other is poor.

And then now v. 23 of the passage continues…

23 and in Hades, being in torment, he (the rich man) lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.

And so now we find the rich man, after he dies, is in hell suffering torment and the poor man, Lazarus, after he dies, is in heaven experiencing bliss (which is what “Abraham’s bosom” represents).

And then now in v. 24, the text goes on…

24 And he (the rich man) called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’

25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.

26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’”

And let’s just stop right there and ask the question: Is there anything of a purgatory being communicated here?

Is there anybody atoning for their sins so that after having done so, they would be allowed to enter heaven?

No.

There isn’t.

There’s a rich man who received good things in life, but now has bad things after he dies.

There’s a poor man who received bad things in life, but now has good things after he dies.

And the rich man is begging for mercy, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me,” but there is no mercy to be found.

And here now is the key point.

Even if someone wanted to pass from one side (hell) to the other side (heaven) in v. 26, like the idea of purgatory suggests, there’s a great chasm fixed so that no one can cross.

And so even if purgatory was true, it is simply impossible to bridge that void.

PURGATORY IS A LIE OF THE DEVIL

And so, Is purgatory a lie of the devil?

Yes, it is.

A person cannot atone for their sins after this life is through.

Your sins must be atoned for while you’re still living.

ONLY ONE ATONEMENT FOR SINS: CHRIST’S DYING ON THE CROSS

And let me just conclude by talking about this.

There is only one atonement for sins:

Christ bleeding and dying on the cross in our place.

Contrary to popular belief, the rich man wasn’t in hell because he didn’t show mercy to the poor man during his life.

Though that – the rich man not showing mercy – was certainly a bad thing for him to treat Lazarus that way.

It was a sin worthy of hell.

But, and also contrary to popular belief, neither was Lazarus in heaven because he was poor and mistreated during his life.

Instead, everything hinged upon each man’s faith – as it does with us – and whether they believed in the atonement for sins that Christ won on the cross on their behalf.

The rich man did not believe and that was why he was in hell.

The poor man did believe and that was why he was in heaven.