26. To those who do not believe in Purgatory or in praying for the faithful departed: Before we discuss details on the truth of Purgatory, let us start by mentioning that in Luthers early writings he originally believed in the truth of Purgatory, but later he retracted this belief. If God was guiding him in leading this supposed reform of the Church, why does Luther later change his mind on such an important doctrine that the Catholic Church has always believed since Her earliest years? Never will you see the true Church or its members suddenly change or create new doctrine as Luther has! Consider the verse, Every mans work shall be manifest; for the day of the Lord shall declare it, because it shall be revealed in fire; and the fire shall try every mans work, of what sort it is. If any mans work abide, which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any mans work burn, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire. 1 Corinthians 3:13-15. When the Apostle says he shall be saved, he excludes the fire of hell in which no one can be saved. By saying he shall be saved as by fire can only refer to a purgation as in Purgatory. It is evident from these verses that many who will gain possession of the Kingdom of God will pass through fire. This clearly is not hell fire, so it will therefore be the temporary fire of Purgatory. Consider the verse, Amen I say to thee, thou shalt not go out from thence till thou repay the last farthing. Matthew 5:26. And also There shall not enter into it any thing defiled, or that worketh abomination or maketh a lie, but they that are written in the book of life of the Lamb. Apocalypse 21:27. These verses clearly state we must be perfect before we enter the Kingdom of Heaven. If we die and still have debt remaining for minor sins we have committed, how are we to make up for these unless Purgatory exists? And notice the word farthing, which refers to the smallest money one can owe (not enough to earn us damnation, but too much to allow us to enter heaven). Next we have the verse, It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins. 2 Machabees 12:46. How can one be loosed from their sins after their death if in heaven there is no one with sin, and if hell is eternal? There is clearly a place for the remission of sins after death. This verse is very evident as to its meaning. To avoid this, the Protestant reformers removed this entire book from the Scriptures, holding it as Apocryphal. For what reason was this book removed other than the fact the Protestant reformers had no answers for its contents? This book of Machabees has been held as authentic and sacred by the Third Council of Carthage back in the fourth century when according to the Protestant reformers, the Church was still pure. So to answer this verse by denying the authority of the entire book is to deny the authority of antiquity. Consider the verse, And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but he that shall speak against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come. Matthew 12:32. For Our Lord to say a particular sin cannot be forgiven in this world, nor in the world to come it implies that there may be some remission of other sins in this world or the one to come. Then where can a sin be forgiven outside of this world other than a place like Purgatory? Consider the verse, But I say to you, that whosoever is angry with his brother, shall be in danger of the judgment. And whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council. And whosoever shall say, Thou Fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Matthew 5:22. Notice it is only the third sort of offense is punished with hell. What if one dies with other types of offenses mentioned? Clearly the judgment of God after this life consists of something other than hell. This is the belief of the Ancient Fathers. Consider the verses, That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth Phillipians 2:10 and And no man was able, neither in heaven, nor on earth, nor under the earth, to open the book, nor to look on it Apocalypse 5:3 and And every creature, which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth... Apocalypse 5:13. Where could these references to under the earth refer to other than Purgatory? They certainly do not refer to hell. Consider all of the early Councils of the Church that have approved of prayers for the departed, and also Purgatory such as the Third Council of Carthage, Fourth Council of Carthage, Council of Braga, Council of Chalons, Council of Orleans and Council of Worms and many others afterward. We also have writings of the early Church Fathers such as Tertullian, St. Ambrose, St. Augustine, and St. John Chrysostom which all openly speak of praying for the departed. We have further writings from St. Clement, St. Denis, St. Athanasius, St. Basil, St. Gregory, and countless others who write of and believe in Purgatory and prayer for the departed. The Protestant reformers have chosen to oppose all of antiquity and throw out these beliefs. Consider these other passages from the Old Testament which have always been believed by the true Church to refer to a place of purgation: We have passed through fire and water, and thou hast brought us out into a refreshment. Psalms 65:12 If the Lord shall wash away the filth of the daughters of Sion, and shall wash away the blood of Jerusalem out of the midst thereof, by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning. Isaias 4:4. The phrase wash away the filth is to be understood of the purgation necessary. I will bear the wrath of the Lord, because I have sinned against him; until he judge my cause and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth into the light, I shall behold his justice. Micheas 7:9. Saying I will sit darkness and I will bear the wrath of the Lord and until he judge my cause cannot be understood of pain so properly as that of Purgatory. Thou also by the blood of thy testament hast sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit, wherein is no water. Zacharias 9:11. The pit has always been understood by the Church to be Purgatory. And he shall sit refining and cleansing the silver, and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and shall refine them as gold, and as silver, and they shall offer sacrifices to the Lord in justice. Malachias 3:3. This has also always been understood to mean a purgation. Rebuke me not, O Lord, in thy indignation; nor chastise me in thy wrath. Psalms 37:2.
Posted on: Thu, 13 Mar 2014 07:33:08 +0000