HEAVEN, HELL, & PURGATORY

By Ken Simmons

Most people today have some idea as to the meaning of the words heaven, and hell, but in this effort we are going to examine the topic of purgatory.?????????

a man named Nicodemus, who was a highly-respected Pharisee, approached Jesus and said, “You must be from God because of the signs and wonders that you performed.” Jesus ignored the praise and flattery of Nicodemus, and replied,?????????

“Most assuredly I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3 NKJV).?????????

The word used for “born again” is the Greek word anóthen (?νωθεν), ?and in ?many instances this is often translated “born from above,” but in this case the context of the word literally means “physically born again,” because Nicodemus then asked Jesus, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”?????????

Now to the issue of purgatory, since the issue of being born again plays a critical role in our discussion of heaven, hell, and purgatory.?????????

Although purgatory is a well-known teaching in the Roman Catholic Church, it is not found in the evangelical Christian Bible, nor is it a factor in the theology of evangelical Christians. In our effort we will show that purgatory is not only unscriptural, but it is contrary to the teachings of the scriptures. Please understand, it is not our intention to offend anyone, but some matters are too important to sweep under the proverbial carpet.?

We must delve deep into the matter of purgatory if we are to understand how and why this is truly a matter of spiritual life and death.?????????

In this instance let’s assume this person who died was a family member. ?If we understand the concept of purgatory correctly, it is the notion that says when a family member has passed away and that person’s spiritual condition is uncertain, i.e., the family can only hope they made it to heaven and thereby avoid hell.?

Seeing this matter through the eyes of Catholics, the very uncertainty of the loved one ending up in heaven or hell, and because of that uncertainty it makes purgatory critically important. And here’s how it’s all supposed to work.?????????

Because of that uncertainty, the not knowing of the final outcome or eternal destination, the Catholic family believes that they’ve entered into purgatory, or an “interim heaven,” and it’s up to family members to pray them out of purgatory and into heaven.?

But didn’t Jesus say, “Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God”? There was no wiggle room, there were no ambiguities in what Jesus said.?

And here is the reason why purgatory is contrary to scripture. If friends or loved ones can pray someone out of purgatory (or a way station between this life and the next) then Jesus would never have needed to leave heaven and come to earth, to have voluntarily taken all of my sins, and your sins, and all the filthy sins that mankind has ever committed, to be spit on, beaten, stripped naked, and hanged on a cross. No, none of that would be necessary if family members, aunts and uncles and well-wishers could pray and we could escape the punishment we rightfully deserve. But thank God that Jesus did all of this because the Bible says,?

“ . . . looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (See Hebrews 12:1-2 NKJV).

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