Thursday, November 11, 2010
When we do something wrong to another, there are generally two issues to be addressed. One is seeking the forgiveness of the person who was hurt and the other is performing restitution. For example, if you were to break a neighbor’s window, the chances are that they would forgive you. You would however, still owe them for the replacement of the window.This is like the Catholic understanding of our relationship with God. The Catholic Encyclopedia defines Purgatory as "the condition or state for those who have not totally alienated themselves from God by their sins, but who are temporarily and partially alienated from God while their love is made perfect and they give satisfaction for their sins".
So if we die while still owing restitution to God, we Catholics believe that our souls must pass through a cleansing state before entering Heaven. Scriptures refers to this in Revelation 21:27 where it states that nothing unclean shall enter Heaven. Also in 1 Corinthians 3:15, St. Paul tells us that each man's works will be tried after his death. If his works fail, he will be the loser and yet he himself will be saved, though only as men are saved by passing through fire. This penalty can not refer to Hell since no one is saved from Hell. It can't refer to Heaven since there is no pain in Heaven. Therefore, there must be some other state or process after our death.
The Catholics have another scripture reference in 2 Maccabees 12:39-45, one of the books that Luther removed from the Bible. This book has a direct reference to praying for the dead. Why should one pray for the dead if they are in Heaven? Or why pray for the dead in Hell since it can't help them?
Who decides which position is correct? Who decides if Maccabees is or is not an inspired book of the Bible? For Catholics it's simple. The Church, using her teaching authority from Christ, is the only one authorized to make such a decision.
