The full taking away and, as it is called, reparation of sins requires two things. Firstly, friendship with God must be restored. Amends must be made for offending his wisdom and goodness. This is done by a sincere conversion of mind. Secondly, all the personal and social values, as well as those that are universal, which sin has lessened or destroyed must be fully made good. This is done in two ways. The first is by feely making reparation, which involves punishment. The second is by accepting the punishments God's just and most holy wisdom has appointed. From this the holiness and splendor of his glory shine out through the world. [54]
According to Vatican II, as a result of sin, friendship with God must be restored, and amends must be made. One way this is done is through "punishment." Vatican II continues:
The doctrine of purgatory clearly demonstrates that even when the guilt of sin has been taken away, punishment for it or the consequences of it may remain to be expiated or cleansed. They often are. In fact, in purgatory the souls of those 'who died in the charity of God and truly repentant, but who had not made satisfaction with adequate penance for their sins and omissions' are cleansed after death with punishment designed to purge away their debt. [55]
Please note the language of Vatican II: "even when the guilt of sin has been taken away." So according to the Roman Catholic Church, one can have his or her guilt taken away, but still require cleansing in a place they have named "Purgatory." This is a place for those "who died in the charity of God and truly repentant."
We should wonder: if someone has died in God's charity, and are truly repentant, and has their guilt taken away, then why is more cleansing necessary?
The Catechism of the Catholic Church says:
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. [56]
The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned. The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. The tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire. [57]
According to Roman Catholic doctrine, a person can die "in God's grace and friendship" yet still not be totally justified. In order to be more perfectly justified, a "cleansing fire" is necessary.
The Council of Trent decreed emphatically:
If anyone says that after the reception of the grace of justification the guilt is so remitted and the debt of eternal punishment so blotted out to every repentant sinner, that no debt of temporal punishment remains to be discharged either in this world or in purgatory before the gates of heaven can be opened, LET HIM BE ANATHEMA. [58]
We've seen what Vatican II, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and the Council of Trent had to say about purgatory. But as Christians, we are interested in what the Bible has to say about it.
Scripture sets the believer's heart to rest. "You were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Corinthians 6:11). It's not purgatory's flames that cleanse the sinner from evil. The Word of God teaches that "the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). The blood of Christ is thoroughly effective and purifies from all defilement. His blood really and actually cleanses "from all sin."
Nobody will ever be heard boasting that he succeeded to enter heaven because of his penances and sufferings. Heaven will be populated by those who trust completely in the Son of God.
This is the song that they joyfully sing: "To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen" (Revelation 1:5,6). This is the Christians' confession about their Lord Jesus Christ: "When He had by Himself purged our sins, [He] sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high" (Hebrews 1:3).
Jesus Christ, and nothing else, is our purification, our purgatory. [59]
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