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The Early Church Fathers on Purgatory.

 

  • Early Church Fathers
  • From the Scriptures

 

 

  1. Abercius, (B.C. 5 - A.D. 167)
    St. Clement of Alexandria, (A.D. 150-220)
    Tertullian, (A.D. 160-218)
    St. Hippolytus of Rome, (A.D. 170-236)
    Origen of Alexandria, (A.D. 184-253)
Abercius, ( B.C. 5 - A.D. 167), bishop of Hieropolis and apologist in Phrygia, composed his own epitaph, conveying a vivid impression of his visit to Rome, and giving valuable information about the importance of the Church of Rome in the 2nd century.

Abercius, bishop of Hieropolis, asks others to pray for him, who read and understand his inscription.

The citizen of a prominent city, I erected this while I lived, that I might have a resting place for my body. Abercius is my name, a disciple of the chaste shepherd who feeds his sheep on the mountains and in the fields, who has great eyes surveying everywhere, who taught me the faithful writings of life. Standing by, I, Abercius, ordered this to be inscribed; truly I was in my seventy-second year. May everyone who is in accord with this and who understands it pray for Abercius.

Epitaph of Abercius [A.D. 190]

St. Clement of Alexandria, (A.D. 150-220), Greek; theologian, a scholar of Pantaenus, to whom he succeeded as head of the Catechetical School at Alexandria, Egypt. His writings display great acquaintance with the Gentile philosophy. He wrote with the express design of hiding the mysteries of the Christian religion from the Pagans, and the uninitiated, while at the same time, laboring to show the immense practical superiority of the Christian code of morals over that of every Pagan sect and system of philosophy.

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, "yet" etc.

Stromata 6:14 [A.D. 202]

"When then we hear: "Thy faith hath saved thee", we do not understand Him to say, that they who have believed in any way will be saved, if works have not followed: for He used this language only to Jews, who had lived according to the law, and without reproof; to whom only faith in Christ was wanting. A man, therefore, would not be faithful with intemperance; but even though he should depart this flesh, it is necessary for such a one to lay aside the passions, so as to be enabled to arrive at his appropriate station. For to know is more than to believe; even as, besides being saved, to be found worthy of the highest honor, is more than to be saved.

Wherefore our faithful man, when he has, through much correction, put off the passions, passes on to the severest punishment, but which is better than his former station: bearing with him the peculiar character of penitence required for those sins which he committed after baptism. He is then punished still more; whilst he attains not yet, or not at all, to those things which he sees others partaking of. In addition to this, he is also ashamed of the offenses of which he has been guilty, and these to the faithful are the greatest punishments. For the justice of God is bountiful, and His bounty just. And though at length the chastisements, (which are) for the completion of the penalty and of the purification of each, cease, they feel a very great abiding grief, that, having been found worthy of another station (fold), they are not with those who have been glorified on account of righteousness."

Strom. L. vi. n. 14, p. 794.
The Faith of Catholics, Volume 3, Page 142-143

Tertullian, (A.D. 160-218), North African; ecclesiastical writer, Christian apologist and lawyer, son of a centurion and contemporary of St. Irenæus, a native and citizen of Carthage. The zeal and ability with which he defended the Christian cause, and vindicated its faith and discipline, have immortalized his name, though it has suffered by his adoption, around the year A.D. 200, of some of the Montanist's errors, whose cause he is thought to have supported until his death. His works are numerous, and are written with great ability and erudition, but in an harsh style.

That allegory of the Lord [Matt. 5:25-26] . . . is extremely clear and simple in its meaning . . . [beware lest as] a transgressor of your agreement, before God the judge . . . and lest this judge deliver you over to the angel who is to execute the sentence, and he commit you to the prison of Hell, out of which there will be no dismissal until the smallest even of your delinquencies be paid off in the period before the resurrection. What can be a more fitting sense than this? What a truer interpretation?

The Soul 35 [A.D. 210]

The faithful widow prays for the soul of her husband, and begs for him in the interim repose, and participation in the first resurrection, and offers prayers on the anniversary of his death.

Monogamy 10 [A.D. 213]

"Briefly, since we understand by that prison, which the Gospel points out, the places below (inferos), and the last farthing we interpret to be any small delinquency to be there expiated by a delay of resurrection, no one will doubt that the soul makes some amends in the places below, without the fullness of the resurrection by the flesh also."

De Aniina,, n. 58, p. 307.1
The Faith of Catholics, Volume 3, Page 145

St. Hippolytus of Rome, (A.D. 170-236), Roman; bishop and martyr, probably a scholar of St. Irenæus of Lyons.

"Let the third day of the departed be observed in psalms and prayers, on account of Him who rose again in the space of three days; and the ninth for a memorial of the living and of the dead; and the fortieth according to the ancient pattern, for thus the people bewailed Moses; and the anniversary day in memory of the deceased; and give, of what remains of his substance, to the poor for a memorial of the departed. But we give these directions with regard to the pious; for as regards those without piety, though thou shouldest give the world's substance to the poor, thou wilt nothing profit him. For to him who, when living, God was an enemy, it is manifest that he is also such after he is de parted."

De Charism. Trad. Apost. n. 23, p. 510, Galland.
T. ii. It is also found in the Const. Apost. L. viii. n. 43.
The Faith of Catholics, Volume 3, Page 153

In a preceding treatise, entitled (Adv. Grcaec. et Platonem, ap. Galland. t. ii. pp. 451-2), St. Hippolytus thus describes the place or state of departed spirits, called Hades:

"And this indeed is the place for the evil spirits. But we must now speak of Hades, wherein the souls of the just and the unjust are together. Hades is a place in creation, inform; a subterranean spot, wherein the light of the universe shines not. As light, therefore, shines not in that spot, there must needs be darkness there unceasingly. That spot has been fixed as a receptable for souls, over which guardian angels have been placed, who apportion to the deeds of each the temporary punishments of the (different) places (or, kinds). In that region a certain place is separated, a lake of unquench able fire, into which, indeed, we conjecture that no one has as yet been cast, but it has been prepared for a day foreknown of God, in which one sentence of just judgment will be righteously passed upon all. And the unjust and unbelieving towards God, and who worshipped as God fabricated idols, the foolish works of men's hands, will be adjudged, as having defiled themselves, to this eternal punishment; whilst the just will become possessed of an incorruptible and ever-enduring kingdom. These are now together in Hades, but not in the same spot."

He goes on to explain, at some length, the state of both in expectation of the judgment. The following passage from St. Irenacus may be usefully viewed in connection with the above:

"Wherefore the elders, the disciples of the Apostles, say, that those who are translated are translated thither (he is speaking of Paradise, out of which Adam was ejected), for Paradise has been prepared for just men, and such as have (bear) the Spirit; into which also Paul the Apostle, being carried, heard words unutterable as to us in the present world; and there those who are translated remain till the consummation, there together waiting for the incorruptible state."

L. v. Adv. Hæres. c. v. So again, Ib. c. xx.

It may also be added that both St. Justin and St. Irenæus seem to have thought that the punishment, even of the evil spirits, does not begin before the day of judgment:

"Well has Justin said, that prior to the coming of the Lord, Satan never dared blaspheme against God, inasmuch as he as yet knew not of his condemnation; for in parables and allegories was he spoken of by the prophets. But, after the coming of the Lord, learning clearly from the words of Christ to His Apostles that everlasting fire was prepared for him who departs from God of his own will, and for all who persevere, without penitence, in their apostasy, through these men (the Gnostics) he blasphemes that God who brings in judgment, as being (Satan) already condemned, and imputes the sin of his apostasy to his Maker, and not to his own will and judgment."

Adv. Hæres. I. v. c. xxvi. n. 2, p. 324.

Though St. Justin, both in the above place, and frequently elsewhere, asserts the eternity of future punishments, yet, in his Dialogue with Trypho, he has been thought to advance the opinion that they are but to endure: "as long as God shall will." seems to have proved that his words are to be understood as merely denying the inherent immortality or eternity of the soul.

The Faith of Catholics, Volume 3, Page 153-154

Origen of Alexandria, (A.D. 184-253), Alexandrian; born in Egypt, philosopher, theologian, writer.

If a man departs this life with lighter faults, he is condemned to fire which burns away the lighter materials, and prepares the soul for the kingdom of God, where nothing defiled may enter. For if on the foundation of Christ you have built not only gold and silver and precious stones (I Cor., 3); but also wood and hay and stubble, what do you expect when the soul shall be separated from the body? Would you enter into Heaven with your wood and hay and stubble and thus defile the kingdom of God; or on account of these hindrances would you remain without and receive no reward for your gold and silver and precious stones? Neither is this just. It remains then that you be committed to the fire which will burn the light materials; for our God to those who can comprehend heavenly things is called a cleansing fire. But this fire consumes not the creature, but what the creature has himself built, wood, and hay and stubble. It is manifest that the fire destroys the wood of our transgressions and then returns to us the reward of our great works.

Homilies on Jeremias 13: 445, 448 [A.D. 244]

On Origen's writings:

The reader who is at all familiar with Origen s writings, will know that nothing would be easier than to adduce, not four or five, but very passages from his works, in which he teaches all that is of faith on the doctrine of Purgatory a temporary state, that is, in which souls therein detained are purified and fitted for Heaven. But he will also know that, whilst this doctrine is uniformly attested by Origen, he has engrafted on it various, and often not consistent, opinions of his own. An attempt is made to represent his system in the text. It seems to be as follows: 1st. Every soul, on departing this life, instead of entering at once into Heaven, has to be tried by fire.

The Faith of Catholics, Volume 3, Page 145

"For this cause, therefore, he that is saved, is saved by fire, that if he happen to have any thing of the nature of lead commingled with him, that the fire may burn and melt away, that all men may become pure gold; because the gold of the land, which the saints are to possess, is said to be pure: and as the furnace trieth gold, so doth temptation try the just. (Ecclesiastes 26) All, therefore, must come to the fire— all must come to the furnace. "For the Lord sits and refines, and He shall purify the sons of Judah (Malachi 3) But, also, when we shall have come to that place, if one shall have brought many good works, and some little iniquity, that little is melted away and purified in the fire like lead, and all remains pure gold. And if one have carried thither more lead, he suffers the fire more, that he may be the more refined, in order that, although there may be but some little gold, that residue may still be pure. But if any one should come thither all lead, that will be done with him which is written: He shall be swallowed down into the deep, like lead into the mighty waters (Exodus 15)"

T. ii. Hom. vi. in Exod.n. 4, p. 148.
See also T. ii. Hom. xiv. in Levit. p. 259.
The Faith of Catholics, Volume 3, Page 145-146

"It is a time of war for us in this world; the battle is against Madianites, whether against the vices of the flesh, or against adverse powers. The choir of angels looks on us; the heavenly powers hang over us in holy expectation, when and how we shall return from the conflict; what spoils each of us shall bring back; and they gaze with deeper curiosity, and examine with greater anxiety which of us bears thence most gold, and which shows the greatest weight of silver, or which returns bearing precious stones. They inquire, too, who brings back brass or iron, or lead; or even if there be such as bring a vessel of wood, or of clay, or anything of the kind needful for the service of a great house. For, in a great house, there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth. (1 Timothy 2) There is, therefore, diligent inquiry when we depart thither, what each one of us carries away with him; and according to what he has brought away, according as his labor is proved by the contemplation of his spoils, even so will be the excellence (merit) of the mansion assigned to him. But all these things are tried, some by fire, some by water. "(Note that Origen, with the Greek church generally, did not admit a material fire in Purgatory)" For the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is (1 Corinthians 3) Therefore it is said: This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord hath commanded Moses. Gold, and silver, and brass, and iron, and lead, and tin, and all that passeth through fire, drag through fire, and it shall be purified. But they shall also be purified in the water of purification (Numbers 31:21-23). Seest thou that every one that shall go forth from the battle of this life needs purification. And if this be so— if I may venture to make an assertion after the authority of divine Scripture each one that departs this life cannot be pure. . . . We all, therefore, need purification, yea, purifications. For many and diverse are the purifications that await us. But these things are mystical and ineffable; for who shall be able to tell us what are the purifications prepared for Paul, or Peter, or such as they?"

T. ii. Hom. xxv. in Numb. pp. 368-369.
The Faith of Catholics, Volume 3, Page 146-147

"But we have said that there is a type of the Exodus from Egypt, when the soul leaves the darkness of this world, and the blindness of this corporeal nature, and is translated to an other world, which is pointed out either as Abraham's bosom, as in Lazarus, or as Paradise, in the thief that believed on the cross; or also if there be known unto God other places, or other mansions, through which the soul, that believes in God, passing and coming even to that river that gladdens the city of God, may within it receive the portion of inheritance promised to the fathers."

T. ii. Hom. xxvi. in Numb. p. 372.
The Faith of Catholics, Volume 3, Page 148

"There are other sins, which, when we commit them in ignorance, there is, I believe, decreed and prepared for us, by the command of God, a place where we must dwell for a certain time."

T. ii. Hom. xxviii. in Numb. n. 2, p. 385.
The Faith of Catholics, Volume 3, Page 148

"The wicked have drawn out the sword." (Psalms 36:14) If we make sin die within us, so as that we never, either by thought, word, or deed, draw out the sword of sin, we shall not need the punishment of the eternal fire, nor be condemned to outer darkness, nor undergo the punishments which hang over sinners. But if we, in this life, despise the warning words of the divine Scripture, and will not be cured and corrected by its reproofs, certain it is that there awaits us that fire which has been prepared for sinners; and we shall come unto the fire in which, the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. And, as I think, we must all come unto that fire. Though a man be a Paul, or a Peter, still he comes to that fire. But such men hear: "Though thou pass through fire, the flame shall not burn thee." (Isaiah 43) Whilst if thou be a sinner like myself, he shall come indeed to that fire as Peter and Paul, but not as Peter and Paul shall he pass through it."

T. ii. Hom. iii. in Ps. n. 1, pp. 663-664.
The Faith of Catholics, Volume 3, Page 148

"Wherefore Jesus baptizes— perhaps I now attain to the meaning— in the Holy Ghost and in fire. Not that He baptizes the same person in the Holy Ghost and in fire; but the saintly in the Holy Ghost, and him, who, after believing, after having had vouchsafed to him the Holy Ghost, has again fallen into sin, He washes in fire. . . So, God is a consuming fire; and God is light; a consuming fire to sinners; a light to the just and holy. And Blessed is he that hath a part in the first resurrection (Apocalypse 20), he that hath preserved the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Who is he that is reserved for the second resurrection? He that needs baptism when he comes to that fire; and the fire tries him, and finds the wood, hay, and stubble, that it may thoroughly burn them."

T. iii. Hom. ii. in Jerem. n. 3, p. 139.
The Faith of Catholics, Volume 3, Page 148-149

"But if, after the remission of our sins, and the economy of the laver of regeneration, we sin, as many of us do who are not perfected as the Apostles; yet, after having sinned, or whilst sinning, we act in some things becomingly, what awaits us is now to be considered. Whether, if we depart this life, having sins, but having also virtues, we shall be saved indeed on account of our virtues, and shall be absolved of our sins knowingly committed. Neither the one, nor the other. For I say, that to accept our good deeds, but not to accept our evil deeds, is in accordance with that just God who wishes to purge away and cut off evil. For, be it that, after that foundation, Christ Jesus, in whom thou hast been instructed, thou hast built no abiding gold, and silver, and precious stone; be it that thou hast gold, either much or little; be it that thou hast silver and precious stone. But I say not these alone, but be it that thou hast also wood, and hay, and stubble, what wouldst thou to become of thee after thy departure? Whether, wouldst thou enter into the holy places with thy wood, and thy hay, and thy stubble, thereby to defile the kingdom of God; or, on the other hand, wouldst thou, on account of the wood, and the hay, and the stubble, remain in the fire and receive nothing for the gold, and the silver, and the precious stone? This is not just. What then, does it follow that thou must first receive on account of the wood? It is manifest that the fire will consume the wood, the hay, and the stubble; for, in His essence, our God is said, by those who have been enabled to know, to be a consuming fire. Yet the prophet, when he says Our God is a consuming fire, is silent as to what He consumes; yet, when he said Our God is a consuming fire, he left it to us to understand that there is a something which is consumed. What then is it that is consumed? Truly, He consumes not that which is according to His image and likeness, but the wood, the hay, and the stubble, which have been built upon it. The passage (Jeremiah 16:18) was very difficult to explain. There were promises, and after the promises He says, "And I shall repay first their double iniquities." The word first is necessarily added; for first the deeds of unrighteousness, and then the deeds of righteousness, are recompensed. . . . All we, therefore, who have matter for that fire, first receive (what is due to) our sins."

T. iii. Hom. xvi. in Jerem. n. 5, 6, pp. 231-2.
See T. i. L. i. Princip. c. 2, n. 23.
The Faith of Catholics, Volume 3, Page 149-150

The Commentary of this quote states:

In addition to the passages in the text, in which Origen applies 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 to a state of temporary punishment, numerous other examples are met with in his writings.

"So (as the Baptist) shall the Lord stand in the river of fire near the flaming sword, that whosoever wishes, after his departure out of this life, to pass to Paradise, and yet needs purgation, him He may baptize in this river, and transmit him to the object of His desires; but him who has not the sign of the previous baptisms, He will not baptize in the laver of fire. For a man must needs have been baptized first in water and the Holy Ghost, that so, when he shall come to the river of fire, he may show that he has guarded the baptism of water and of the spirit, and may then deserve to receive also the baptism of fire in Christ Jesus."

T. iii. Hom. xxiv. in Lucam. pp. 961-2.
The Faith of Catholics, Volume 3, Page 150

In his Homily on St. Luke 12:58-59, he says:

"And when thou goest with thine adversary", he says:

"There is no need of further remark, as it may suffice to say in general, that we have to give an account, and if we be found debtors, we shall be drawn to the judge, and by the judge be delivered to the exacter... If I be a debtor, the exacter will cast me into prison, in the order named above; for the adversary will lead me to the prince, the prince to the judge, and the judge will deliver me to the exacter, and the exacter cast me into prison. What is the law of this prison? I go not thence, neither will the exacter suffer me to depart, until I have completely paid every debt. The exacter has not power to remit me even a farthing, or the slightest particle. . . . Thou hast not been found worthy to hear Thy sins are forgiven thee, but art cast into prison, and there thou art assailed for payment, through toil and work, or through pains and punishment, and thou shalt not go thence until thou hast paid the last farthing, or mite. And if we should owe a great sum of money, like him of whom it is written that he owed ten thousand talents, for what length of time we are shut up in prison before we have paid off the debt, I cannot unhesitatingly pronounce. For if he that owes little, (*) shall not go forth until he has paid the least farthing, assuredly the man that is liable for so great a debt, infinite ages will be numbered for him wherein to pay the debt. Wherefore let us strive to be freed from the adversary, whilst we are on the way, and to be united to the Lord Jesus."

T. iii. Hom. xxv. p. 975.
The Faith of Catholics, Volume 3, Page 150-151

(*) For the distinction drawn by Origen between mortal and venial sins, see (t. ii. Hom. xv. in Levit. n. 2, p. 262), where, after making that distinction, he says: "In the more grievous sins, opportunity for penitence is allowed but once; but these common sins, into which we frequently fall, always admit of penitence, and are unceasingly redeemed (sine intermissione redimuntur)."

— In his treatise on St. Paul to the Romans.

 

 

When talking about Purgatory it's important to remember that you won't find the word Purgatory in the Bible nor will you find it among the first Christians before A.D 400. Why? Because Purgatory is a Latin word and, up until the beginning of the fifth century, Greek was the spoken language among the people.

 

That said, Greeks weren't going to give us a Latin word. Nevertheless, you'll see the sediments of the teachings on Purgatory from the Early Church Fathers.


Catholics hold that there is a Purgatory, a place or state, where souls depart from this life who are absolved of their sins as to the guilt, but yet liable to some temporal punishment still remaining. They are not perfectly freed from the blemish of earthly defects which we call venial sins so they are purified before their admittance into Heaven, where nothing defiled can enter:

27 Nothing impure will ever enter it [Heaven], nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.

 

Revelation 21:27

Purgatory is the final purification of the elect. Below are Scriptures that address three different areas on this teaching:

  1. Distinction of sins and of their punishment.
  2. Sins to be forgiven in the next world.
  3. A state which is neither Heaven, nor Hell

 

 

The Church's Scriptures that support the existence of Purgatory.

 

On Second Maccabees

This following passage from 2 Maccabees is historical testimony of the belief and practice of the Jewish church. Even though the inspiration of 2 Maccabees may not be admitted by Protestant Christians, it imposes an obligation on the reader of the New Testament, that, in considering our Saviour's words, and those of the Apostles, he reflect on what would be the impression produced by those words and on men brought up in the faith and practice in which those texts embodied.

Prayers for those killed in battle

39 And the day following Judas cam with his company, to take away the bodies of them that were slain, and to bury them with their kinsmen, in the sepulchres of their fathers. 40 And they found under the coats o the slain some of the donaries of the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbiddeth the Jews: 41 Then they all blessed the just judgment of the Lord, who had discovered the things that were hidden. 42 And so betaking themselves to prayers, they besought him, that the sin which had been committed might be forgotten. But the most valiant Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves from sin, forasmuch as they saw before their eyes what had happened, because of the sins of those that were slain. 43 And making a gathering, he twelve thousand drachms of silver to Jerusalem for sacrifice to be offered for the sins of the dead, thinking well and religiously concerning the resurrection, 44 (For if he had not hoped that the that were slain should rise again, it would have seemed superfluous and vain to pray for the dead,) 45 And because he considered that the who had fallen asleep with godliness, had great grace laid up for them. 46 It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.

2 Maccabees 12:39-46

1. Distinction of sins and of their punishment.

 

Thou shall not go out from hence until thou repays the last farthing

22 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. 23 If therefore thou offer thy gift at the altar, and there thou remember that thy brother hath any thing against thee; 24 Leave there thy offering before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother: and then coming thou shalt offer thy gift. 25 Be at agreement with thy adversary betimes, whilst thou art in the way with him: lest perhaps the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. 26 Amen I say to thee, thou shalt not go out from thence till thou repay the last farthing.

 

Matthew 5:22-26

The Faithful and Unfaithful Servant will be beaten with fewer or more stripes

40 Be you then also ready: for at what hour you think not, the Son of man will come. 43 Blessed is that servant, whom when his lord shall come, he shall find so doing. 44 Verily I say to you, he will set him over all that he possesseth. 45 But if that servant shall say in his heart: My lord is long a coming; and shall begin to strike the menservants and maidservants, and to eat and to drink and be drunk: 46 The lord of that servant will come in the day that he hopeth not, and at the hour that he knoweth not, and shall separate him, and shall appoint him his portion with unbelievers. 47 And that servant who knew the will of his lord, and prepared not himself, and did not according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he that knew not, and did things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. And unto whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required: and to whom they have committed much, of him they will demand the more.

 

Luke 12:40, 43-48

Deadly and non-deadly Sin

15 And we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask: we know that we have the petitions which we request of him. 16 He that knoweth his brother to sin a sin which is not to death, let him ask, and life shall be given to him, who sinneth not to death. There is a sin unto death: for that I say not that any man ask.

 

1 John 5:15-16

A Tree and its fruit

36 But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall render an account for it in the day of judgment. 37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

 

Matthew 12:36-37

The Cross and Self-Denial

27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels: and then will he render to every man according to his works.

 

Matthew 16:27

Compare these previous passages with Revelation 21:27

 

2. Sins to be forgiven in the next world.

 

Jesus and Beelzebul

31 Therefore I say to you: Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but the blasphemy of the Spirit shall not be forgiven. 32 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 12:31-32

Thou shalt not go out until you pay back the last farthing

26 Amen I say to thee, thou shalt not go out from thence till thou repay the last farthing.

 

Matthew 5:26

Compare with 2 Maccabees 12:44-46 above.

 

Ones works will be tested and some will suffer loss, but be saved through fire.

11 For other foundation no man can lay, but that which is laid; which is Christ Jesus. 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble: 13 Every man's 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 man's work, of what sort it is. 14 If any man's work abide, which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man's work burn, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire.

 

1 Corinthians 3:11-15

3. A state which is neither Heaven, nor Hell.

 

Jesus hanging on the Cross with the two thieves.

39 And one of those robbers who were hanged, blasphemed him, saying: If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40 But the other answering, rebuked him, saying: Neither dost thou fear God, seeing thou art condemned under the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this man hath done no evil. 42 And he said to Jesus: Lord, remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said to him: Amen I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with me in paradise.

 

Luke 23:39-43

Why this day is not Heaven.

17 Jesus saith to her: Do not touch me, for I am not yet ascended to my Father. But go to my brethren, and say to them: I ascend to my Father and to your Father, to my God and your God.

 

John 20:17

 

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