Catechism and Purgatory

Catechism and Purgatory

Comparison between "Catechism of the Catholic Church"
(published in 1995 by Doubleday, 1540 Broadway, New York, New York 10036)
and the Bible -- the Authorized King James Version of 1611

RCC Catechism

Bible

Jesus is not enough to purify sins
"All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven." (Pg. 291, #1030)
Jesus purifies from ALL sin

Jesus is Enough and His one-time sacrifice alone saves us to an eternity with God. Jesus nailed our sins to the cross. He took care of business and left none of it undone.

...the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. -1 John 1:7

[Jesus] Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross. -Colossians 2:14

For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. - Hebrews 10:14

In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. - Colossians 1:14

Jesus said that His crucifixion completes the payment for sin. He hung suspended between the earth and heaven for six hours taking the brutal payment for your wickedness and mine. After He had taken on the sins of this whole wicked world, He said these words just before He died,

"It is finished."
John 19:30

Everytime a person says, "I gotta go to purgatory to pay for the rest," he calls Jesus a liar. Out of a love that cannot be comprehended, Jesus died for every sin, past, present and future. All we have to do is believe on Him. He said,

This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. -John 6:29

You cannot pay for your crimes (sins) against God for they are eternal in nature. THAT is why Jesus came. The Everlasting God shed His blood which eternally blots out your transgressions if you'll believe on Jesus Christ. If you think you have anything to offer God outside of believing on Jesus, read on about yourself:

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. - Isaiah 64:6

To say, "We must purify ourselves" negates the work that Jesus did and puts our salvation in your own hands. You'll NEVER make it in on your own. Turn while there is time. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.

Purgatory is an intermediate to heaven
"The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect.." (Pg. 291, #1031)

"The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent." (Pg. 291, #1031)
Heaven or hell

(a) Nowhere in Scripture does it say one will have to undergo "purification" after death. There is no detour to heaven.

"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement." -Heb. 9:27

No amount of purification is necessary in a fictitious place called purgatory. When one accepts Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour, he gets the "free gift" of Salvation, and is immediately justified. Justified means to "declare free from blame." If you are a born again believer, your justification is by the BLOOD (not a limited time in purgatory). There is no punishment for sin in the afterlife.

"Much more then, BEING NOW JUSTIFIED BY HIS BLOOD, we shall be saved from the wrath through him." -Rom. 5:9

"...by the righteousness of one [Jesus] THE FREE GIFT came upon all men unto JUSTIFICATION of life." -Rom. 5:18

"Being JUSTIFIED FREELY by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:" -Rom. 3:24

"And such were some of you: but ye are WASHED, but ye are SANCTIFIED, but ye are JUSTIFIED in the name of the Lord Jesus.." -Cor. 6:11

(b) To insist that one must go through purification after death before one can get to heaven, is to say the sacrifice of Christ on the cross was insufficient. This would wipe out many passages in the New Testament which tells us of our stand before God now, and after death. God says if you believe on Him, you will not come into condemnation:

"...He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, HATH EVERLASTING LIFE, and SHALL NOT COME INTO CONDEMNATION; but is passed from death to life." -John 5:24

For a born again believer, to die is to gain and to be present with the Lord, not a limited time in purgatory:

"For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." -Phil. 1:21

"We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." -2 Cor. 5

(c) Should you worry about a place called "purgatory?" Can it be found in the Bible? No. The Church itself ADMITS that it is their own invention. The Council of Trent took place in 1545 and approved this superstitious belief along with many others. The decrees were made by the council of MEN, not the God of the Bible. And those who would refuse to believe the decrees of Rome were under the threat of "anathema," and the curse has not yet been lifted to this day while they cry for unity with Bible believing Christians.

Some people are being purified in purgatory right now
"But at the present time some of his disciples are pilgrims on earth. Others have died and are being purified, while still others are in glory..." (Pg. 270, #954)
The dead are either in heaven or hell

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. - John 3:36

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. -Matthew 25:46

Is the wrath of God abiding on you today? Which will you choose? The real Jesus or the false christ of Romanism?

To Think About...

This Catholic idea of "being purified" (#954, p. 270) is interesting, because the church has yet to define exactly how many prayers, masses, and good works it will take to get one out of purgatory. What kind of contact does the Roman Catholic church have with God in order to know who made it to heaven and those who are still being purified? How do they know?

To believe in a man-made doctrine is to refuse to believe God, who told you eternal life is a free gift. No where did He say you would have to suffer in the afterlife to get it. You get it NOW by BELIEVING ON JESUS CHRIST and what He did for you on the cross. Your sins were taken care of at the cross: past, present, and future. Before Jesus took His last breath, He cried, "IT IS FINISHED." You have been bought with a price, and that price required the BLOOD of God.

"For ye are BOUGHT WITH A PRICE: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." -1 Cor. 6:20

"...feed the church of God, which he hath PURCHASED WITH HIS OWN BLOOD." -Acts 20:28

My friend, Jesus is God. He came down from Heaven and became a man to pay the price for your sins. He has no need for a place called purgatory, because He did it all! It only required ONE SACRIFICE, not yours in purgatory. Ask Jesus into your life to be your Lord and Saviour. Once you do, you will be purged NOW of all sin.

"...when he had by himself PURGED OUR SINS, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." -Heb. 1:3

"There is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION to them which are in Christ Jesus," -Rom. 8:1

Back to Table of Contents for 'Catechism vs. the Bible'

RCC Catechism	Bible
Jesus is not enough to purify sins "All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven." (Pg. 291, #1030)	Jesus purifies from ALL sin Jesus is Enough and His one-time sacrifice alone saves us to an eternity with God. Jesus nailed our sins to the cross. He took care of business and left none of it undone. ...the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. -1 John 1:7 [Jesus] Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross. -Colossians 2:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. - Hebrews 10:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. - Colossians 1:14 Jesus said that His crucifixion completes the payment for sin. He hung suspended between the earth and heaven for six hours taking the brutal payment for your wickedness and mine. After He had taken on the sins of this whole wicked world, He said these words just before He died, "It is finished." John 19:30 Everytime a person says, "I gotta go to purgatory to pay for the rest," he calls Jesus a liar. Out of a love that cannot be comprehended, Jesus died for every sin, past, present and future. All we have to do is believe on Him. He said, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. -John 6:29 You cannot pay for your crimes (sins) against God for they are eternal in nature. THAT is why Jesus came. The Everlasting God shed His blood which eternally blots out your transgressions if you'll believe on Jesus Christ. If you think you have anything to offer God outside of believing on Jesus, read on about yourself: But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. - Isaiah 64:6 To say, "We must purify ourselves" negates the work that Jesus did and puts our salvation in your own hands. You'll NEVER make it in on your own. Turn while there is time. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.
Purgatory is an intermediate to heaven "The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect.." (Pg. 291, #1031) "The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent." (Pg. 291, #1031)	Heaven or hell (a) Nowhere in Scripture does it say one will have to undergo "purification" after death. There is no detour to heaven. "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement." -Heb. 9:27 No amount of purification is necessary in a fictitious place called purgatory. When one accepts Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour, he gets the "free gift" of Salvation, and is immediately justified. Justified means to "declare free from blame." If you are a born again believer, your justification is by the BLOOD (not a limited time in purgatory). There is no punishment for sin in the afterlife. "Much more then, BEING NOW JUSTIFIED BY HIS BLOOD, we shall be saved from the wrath through him." -Rom. 5:9 "...by the righteousness of one [Jesus] THE FREE GIFT came upon all men unto JUSTIFICATION of life." -Rom. 5:18 "Being JUSTIFIED FREELY by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:" -Rom. 3:24 "And such were some of you: but ye are WASHED, but ye are SANCTIFIED, but ye are JUSTIFIED in the name of the Lord Jesus.." -Cor. 6:11 (b) To insist that one must go through purification after death before one can get to heaven, is to say the sacrifice of Christ on the cross was insufficient. This would wipe out many passages in the New Testament which tells us of our stand before God now, and after death. God says if you believe on Him, you will not come into condemnation: "...He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, HATH EVERLASTING LIFE, and SHALL NOT COME INTO CONDEMNATION; but is passed from death to life." -John 5:24 For a born again believer, to die is to gain and to be present with the Lord, not a limited time in purgatory: "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." -Phil. 1:21 "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." -2 Cor. 5 (c) Should you worry about a place called "purgatory?" Can it be found in the Bible? No. The Church itself ADMITS that it is their own invention. The Council of Trent took place in 1545 and approved this superstitious belief along with many others. The decrees were made by the council of MEN, not the God of the Bible. And those who would refuse to believe the decrees of Rome were under the threat of "anathema," and the curse has not yet been lifted to this day while they cry for unity with Bible believing Christians.
Some people are being purified in purgatory right now "But at the present time some of his disciples are pilgrims on earth. Others have died and are being purified, while still others are in glory..." (Pg. 270, #954)	The dead are either in heaven or hell He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. - John 3:36 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. -Matthew 25:46 Is the wrath of God abiding on you today? Which will you choose? The real Jesus or the false christ of Romanism?