Where is Purgatory in the Bible?
The concept of purgatory has been around for a very long time, dating back to ancient civilisations. It is the belief that after death, people will suffer for their sins in a place of purification before entering Heaven. The question is, does the Bible mention this place? Here’s what Bible scholars have to say about the location of purgatory.
What is Purgatory?
Purgatory, also known as an intermediate place or by the Latin term, purgatorius, is an idea that has been around for centuries. It is commonly thought of as a place where the souls of sinners are purified or cleansed in order to enter Heaven. Once in Heaven, the soul is restored to its original state and no longer suffers any pain or punishment. Believers of this doctrine argue that purgatory allows for the soul to be purged of its sins and make up for the acts it did in life.
Although the concept of purgatory is accepted by many denominations of the Christian faith, it is not part of the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church or those of the Protestant sects. Despite this, the Catholic Church, in a papal decree in the 1500s, declared that the existence of purgatory was to be acknowledged and accepted as a belief among their community. Since then, there has been much debate between Catholics and Protestants over whether or not the Bible discusses purgatory.
What Does the Bible Say about Purgatory?
The Bible does not explicitly mention or discuss the topic of purgatory, so most Christian denominations take it as a point of faith, and believe that it is a place of temporary punishment or purification for those who have not fully paid the price for their sins. Because of the lack of scriptural evidence, some denominations reject the concept altogether, instead believing in what is known as “soul sleep”, where a person’s soul is not fully conscious after death, until they are resurrected and judged.
Apart from the Biblical silence on the subject of Purgatory, other evidence that may point to a discussion of it includes the writings of early church fathers such as Augustine, for example, who wrote about the concept of purification after death before entering into Heaven.
Additionally, some Biblical verses could be interpreted as referring to Purgatory. For example, in 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, Paul writes about being judged by fire. This could be interpreted by some to mean a judgement and a purification of the soul after death, which would possibly point to the concept of Purgatory.
Heaven and Hell
The Bible makes it clear that there are only two places of eternal residence: Heaven and Hell. To enter Heaven, one must be born again and be made righteous in God’s eyes, through accepting Jesus as saviour and repenting of one’s sins. If a person has not done these things, they will enter Hell, a place of eternal torture and damnation.
There is no scriptural evidence to suggest that a person can be purified of their sins in Purgatory, or perhaps enter a “second chance” for redemption. The Bible clearly states that once a person dies, their fate is sealed and there is no hope for their soul. This leaves the concept of Purgatory as a place of temporary purgation and divinely supervised punishment without support from Scripture.
The Middle State
The middle state is an idea held by many Christian denominations, which speculates that a person’s soul may enter a state in-between Heaven and Hell after death, in order to be judged on their earthly works. This state is often referred to as “Limbo”.
Various denominations hold a variety of views on the concept of limbo, some believing it to be a place of no punishment, while others believe it to be a place of some punishment. Regardless, the idea of a middle state is completely different from the concept of Purgatory in the sense that Purgatory implies a place of punishment after death, while the middle state speculates that a person may be judged and rewarded (or punished) for their works on Earth, before entering either Heaven or Hell.
The Final Judgment
The Bible does discuss the ultimate destination of the soul after death: the final judgement. In this judgement, a person’s salvation or damnation is decided by God based on their life on Earth. This judgement is one of the most widely discussed and argued topics in Christian theology.
At the final judgement, believers believe that Jesus will judge the living and the dead and will give a person what they deserve based on their works here on Earth. This judgement is considered to be the ultimate destination for all souls, the one place where a soul is either rewarded for their works, or punished for their sins.
Other Scriptures
Although the concept of Purgatory is not explicitly mentioned in the bible, there are other Biblical passages that could be interpreted as referring to a place of purgatory or purification. One of the most well-known passages is Revelation 21:27, which states that nothing unclean or immoral will be allowed into Heaven. This could be interpreted as suggesting that a person may have to go through a purification process in-between death and their final judgement in order to be worthy of Heaven.
The Bible also speaks of resurrection in places such as John 5:28-29 and 1Thess 4:14. This could be interpreted as meaning that a person’s soul is raised after death, and is either punished or rewarded, implying an in-between place of judgement before entering into Heaven or Hell.
Conclusion
The Bible does not explicitly mention or discuss the concept of Purgatory. That being said, some theorists and believers have interpreted various Biblical passages as referring to a place of purification or judgement prior to a person entering Heaven or Hell. Ultimately, the location or existence of Purgatory is subject to interpretation, and is a point of faith for many denominations.
