Explorations Class #8
Purgatory, Limbo, and the State of the
Dead
Part 1: Purgatory
"Purgatory (Lat., "purgare",
to make clean, to purify) in accordance with Catholic teaching is
a place or condition of temporal punishment for those who, departing
this life in God's grace, are, not entirely free from venial faults,
or have not fully paid the satisfaction for their transgressions.
. . The Catholic doctrine of purgatory supposes the fact that some
die with smaller faults for which there was no true repentance, and
also the fact that the temporal penalty due to sin is at times not
wholly paid in the life. . .
Clement of Alexandria . . . puzzled over the question
of the state or condition of the man who, reconciled to God on his
death-bed, had no time for the fulfilment of penance due his transgression.
His answer is: ' the believer through discipline divests himself
of his passions and passes to the mansion which is better than the
former one, passes to the greatest torment, taking with him the characteristic
of repentance for the faults he may have committed after baptism.
He is tortured then still more, not yet attaining what he sees others
have acquired. The greatest torments are assigned to the believer,
for God's righteousness is good, and His goodness righteous, and
though these punishments cease in the course of the expiation and
purification of each one. . .' Gregory the Great speaks of those
who after this life 'will expiate their faults by purgatorial flames',
and he adds, 'that the pain be more intolerable than anyone can suffer
in this life'.
The Council of Trent . . . asserts . . . 'that
the souls therein detained are aided by the suffrages of the faithful
and principally by the acceptable sacrifice of the altar.' . . .
Whether our works of satisfaction performed on behalf of the dead
avail purely out of God's benevolence and mercy, or whether God obliges
himself in justice to accept our vicarious atonement is not a settled
question. . . . 'the pope does not absolve the soul in purgatory
from the punishment due his sin, but offers to God from the treasure
of the Church whatever may be necessary for the cancelling out of
this punishment." (Catholic Encyclopedia)
1. Based on the information above, describe:
- the function of Purgatory
- the means by which this function is directly carried
out
- the effect of the actions of the faithful on souls
in Purgatory
- the options of the Pope with regard to souls in
Purgatory
2. Based on our previous study of the economy of grace,
describe the Bible doctrine of justification. (Rom 3:20,24,28) What
does this say about the function of Purgatory?
3. The RCC doctrine of Purgatory requires that there
be a prolonged process of purification after sins are forgiven before
a sinner can stand sinless before God. What does Paul say about the
time required for this? (1 Cor 15:50-54)
4. Certain texts are cited by the RCC to support the
idea of Purgatory. We have dealt with 1 Cor 3:10-15 previously. The
RCC claims that Matt 12:31-32 refers to Purgatory. What does this text
say about a place of purging of sin after death?
The deuterocanonical books (apocrypha) were added
to the Catholic Bible in the 16th century during the Protestant Reformation.
They are Old Testament books which were not recognized by Jesus (Luke
24:44). 2 Maccabees is one of those books.
"Therefore [Judas Maccabeus] made atonement
for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin." 2
Maccabees 12:46
5. What may we conclude regarding the inclusion of
these books in the RCC canon from this passage? Given that persons
in Purgatory are supposed to have their sins forgiven prior to
entry into Purgatory, what effect does 2 Macc 12:46 have on the veracity
of the dogma?
6. Purgatorial fire is alleged to cleanse the sinner
of the temporal effects of his sins. When our sins are forgiven, what
temporal effects (punishments) are required of us? (Heb 8:8-12)
"If anyone shall say that after the reception
of the grace of justification, to every penitent sinner the guilt
is so remitted and the penalty of eternal punishment so blotted out
that no penalty of temporal punishment remains to be discharged either
in this world or in the world to come in purgatory before the entrance
to the kingdom can be opened: let him be anathema." (Council
of Trent, Session 6, Canon 30)
"Now the Church . . . instituted by God's
authority, Sunday as the day of worship. This same Church, by the
same divine authority, taught the doctrine of Purgatory . . . We
have, therefore, the same authority for Purgatory as we have for
Sunday." (Martin J. Scott, "Things Catholics Are Asked
About")
"To enhance his position as source of mercy
for the faithful suffering in Purgatory, Prince Albert had something
special, his collection of relics (all, of course, fraudulent): a
wisp of straw from the manger where the baby Jesus lay on the first
Christmas night, four hairs from the Virgin's head, fourteen pieces
of her clothing, a strand of Christ's beard, a nail from Christ's
cross, a little over 19,093 sacred bone parts of saints and martyrs.
For venerating this and a payment, anyone -- prince or pauper --
could shorten the stay of any close friend or relative in Purgatory
by 1,902,202 years and 270 days." (Malachi Martin, "The
Decline and Fall of the Roman Church")
7. Many Jews believed in a concept analogous to Purgatory.
So did Greek and Egyptian pagans. What may we properly conclude regarding
the existence of Purgatory?
Part 2: Limbo
"Limbo (a) the temporary place or
state of the souls of the just who, although purified from sin, were
excluded from the beatific vision until Christ's triumphal ascension
into Heaven (the 'limbus patrum'); or (b) the permanent place
or state of those unbaptized children and others who, dying without
grievous personal sin, are excluded from the beatific vision on account
of original sin alone (the 'limbus infantum' or 'puerorum').
. .
Consequently, the just who had lived under the
Old Dispensation, and who, either at death or after a course of purgatorial
discipline, had attained the perfect holiness required for entrance
into glory, were obliged to await the coming of the Incarnate Son
of God and the full accomplishment of His visible earthly mission.
. .
(Regarding the 'limbus infantum') There
is no evidence to prove that any Greek or Latin Father before St.
Augustine ever taught that original sin of itself involved any severer
penalty after death than exclusion from the beatific vision. . .
Now it may be confidently said that, as the result of centuries of
speculation on the subject, we ought to believe that these souls
enjoy and will eternally enjoy a state of perfect natural happiness.
. ." (Catholic Encyclopedia)
8. The RCC insists that the requirement for baptism
by water and the Holy Ghost (John 3:5) is absolute, leading many to
a state where they do not deserve hell, but cannot earn heaven. What
does Paul say about this? (Rom 1:16-20, Psalm 19:1-4)
9. The RCC states that limbo is explicitly referenced
in scripture (Matt 8:11; 25:10, Luke 14:15; 23:43). What direct understanding
regarding the state of the dead may be implied from these passages?
10. The story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke
16:19-31 is often proposed as a proof of the awareness of people after
death. Its specific reference to flames (v 24) is used as proof of
the flames of Purgatory. How should we understand this story? (v 31)
11. If we take the story literally (as required by
the Purgatory "proof"), there are several specifics which
if taken literally, are simply impossible. List three of these impossible
features of the story.
12. Matt 27:50-53 speaks of the resurrection which
occurred at the moment of Jesus' death on the cross. The RCC insists
that this was the end of the "limbus patrum" and the
fulfillment of John 5:28-2. Based on this passage, what may properly
be stated regarding the dogma of limbo?
Part 3: The State of the Dead
13. How does the OT refer to death? (1 Kings 2:10;
11:43; 14:20, 31; 15:8, 2 Chron 21:1; 26:23, Job 14:10-12, Psalm 13:3,
Dan 12:2)
14. How does Jesus refer to death? (Matt 9:24, Mark
5:39, John 11:11-14)
15. How do NT writers refer to death? (Acts 7:60,
1 Cor 15:51-52, 1 Thess 4:13-17, 2 Peter 3:4)
Definition: "Sheol" The place of the dead. This is
to be distinguished from "hell", the place of punishment
for sins. In the NT it is referred to by the Greek term "Hades".
16. What do the dead know? (Psalm 146:4, Eccl 9:5)
Do the dead DO anything? (Eccl 9:10)
17. Is there anything that the living can do which
will benefit the dead? (Eccl 9:6)
18. Many Christians believe that when saved people
die, they go to heaven. Is this possible? (Psalm 115:17, see also Rev
14:1-3; 19:1)
19. At death, the spirit goes back to God (Eccl 12:7).
How can we understand this in the light of what we have just covered?
(In particular Eccl 9, see also Eccl 3:19-21)
Note: The Hebrew ruach, translated spirit in
the OT, is never used in a manner which would indicate an intelligent
entity capable of sentient existence separate from the body. It has
a range of uses, from "courage" and "anger" to "moral
character". It generally means the energizing spark of life. The
Greek pneuma is used similarly in the NT.
20. What may we determine from Gen 2:7 regarding whether
the soul is a separate part of the person? Is the soul immortal? (Ezek
18:19-20, Matt 10:28)
21. Where do people go when they die? (Gen 3:19; 37:35,
Psalm 89:48, Num 16:30)
22. From where did Jesus come at His resurrection?
(Psalm 16:10, Acts 2:27, 31)
23. Had He been to heaven? (John 20:17)
24. What will happen to the dead at the second coming?
(1 Thess 4:14-17, 1 Cor 15:50-54, Rev 1:7)
25. Have any of the dead seen (or heard) Jesus before
the second coming? (John 5:28-29, Rev 22:3-4)
26. How many resurrections will there be? (1 Thess
4:14-17, Rev 20:4-5, 12)
27. What is the outcome of the second resurrection?
(Rev 20:12-15)
28. What is the "second death"? (Rev 2:11;
20:6, 14; 21:8)
29. 2 Cor 5:6-8 is often quoted as saying that Paul
believes that a person goes to heaven when he dies. What does Paul
actually mean by this passage? (1 Cor 15:42-44)
Discussion:
-
Should we believe in the concepts of Purgatory
and Limbo?
-
How should we approach those who do believe in
them?
-
Can we use these ideas to bring out the goodness
of Christ and the gospel of salvation by faith alone?
-
Many persons are describing "out of the body" experiences
when they are rescued from death. These "near death experiences" commonly
include approaching a bright light where there is great peace.
These people never return feeling a need for conversion. How should
we deal with such events?
