The existence of Purgatory has been a much debated topic between Catholics and Protestants for years.
Many Protestants argue that the Catholic Church simply created Purgatory as a way to guilt people into believing in Catholicism. That accusation is both ridiculous, and incredibly false. Protestants back up this claim by stating that since the word, “purgatory,” can not be found in the Bible, then it is a false teaching. This type of allegation is made by Protestants who believe in sola scriptura, the Latin ablative meaning, “by scripture alone.”
Even though Catholics understand that this teaching of using scripture alone is false, it is to our advantage that we defend the faith by using a method that Protestants will understand. What does this mean? In this case, use scripture right back at them, to defend your argument.
If you happen to be conversing with a Protestant who believes that the deuterocanonical books (7 books missing from the Protestant Bible) are part of the Bible, then consider yourself blessed. At this point in the debate, go ahead and inform them that in 2 Macabees 12:46 it states, “Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be freed from sin.” In this chapter it shows how the Jews prayed for the dead, which in turn shows that they believed in a place where the dead could be helped, i.e. “purgatory.”
If the person you’re debating with still has doubt, remind them that this chapter emphasizes the practice of purgatory shown from God’s chosen people. Now you can give yourself a pat on the back, for defending the faith, and offer your guest a glass of wine. Unless they’re Southern Baptists, or Church of Christ (etc) then you should pop out the grape juice instead. Cheers!
If you are talking to a Protestant who disowns the deuterocanonical books, do not worry. There is plenty of scriptural evidence that will support your argument, and leave the other person speechless. Prepare yourself for the following awesomeness: Have them open up their bible to two places, 2 Samuel 12: 1-31 and Isaiah 6:5-7. Start with the book of Isaiah first, it will read:
“Then I said, “Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, holding an ember which he had taken with tongs from the altar. He touched my mouth with it. “See,” he said, “now that this has touched your lips, your wickedness is removed, your sin is purged.”
In this story, Isaiah has sinned and the seraphim (angel) touches a piece of burning coal to his lips and says, “your wickedness is removed, your sin is purged.” In order to be atoned for his sins, a fiery ember was used to purify him– does this remind you of anything? Yes! Purgatory. This is precisely what purgatory is. This is clear, biblical evidence on the existence of purgatory. In fact, the word “purge,” used in this chapter, comes from the Latin word purgare— Anglicized as, “purgatory.” It is simply a state of suffering, in order to atone for sins.
To further your argument more, reiterate a verse in Revelation 21:27, which reads, “but nothing unclean will enter it, nor any[one] who does abominable things or tells lies, only those will enter whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Nothing unclean will enter Heaven– we are sinful and unclean. If we do not confess our sins before our death, we are considered unclean. This is a very clear-cut fact. Is there hope? Yes, atonement in Purgatory.
The next, and last, biblical example I will use is in 2 Samuel 12:1-31. This chapter talks about King David sinning, by sleeping with Bathsheba. God punishes David, just as any father would, but still forgives David. This example can be applied to Purgatory. Why? When we sin against God, as King David did, God still forgives us completely, however ,God knows that we must learn a lesson, so He makes us atone for our sins. For example, when I was a teenager, I got a speeding ticket, and my parents forgave me, but I did end up paying $200 for the ticket. My parents did not love me any less after that, but I did have to pay the consequences. The same analogy goes for Purgatory.
In conclusion, since humans are sinful, and nothing unclean can enter heaven, and there is biblical evidence that supports it, then it is reasonable to assume that Purgatory is, in fact, real. Besides the obvious scriptural evidence of Purgatory, if you think about it, it just comes down to logic. Purgatory is logical. If the Protestant you are chatting with still has doubts, that’s okay, you did what you could! Let them mull everything over. Your job was to defend the faith, and if you used the examples above, then I’d say you did so very well.
The most important thing to remember when debating with a Protestant, or anyone for that matter, is to have a loving spirit and attitude.
“The truth is like a lion. You don’t have to defend it, let it loose, and it will defend itself.” -St. Augustine of Hippo
By Elizabeth Giddens
PURGATORY IN SCRIPTURES
THE SCRIPTURE SAY’S A State After Death of Suffering and Forgiveness
⤿ Matt. 5:26,18:34; Luke 12:58-59 – Jesus teaches us, “Come to terms with your opponent or you will be handed over to the judge and thrown into prison. You will not get out until you have paid the last penny.” The word “opponent” (antidiko) is likely a reference to the devil (see the same word for devil in 1 Pet. 5:8) who is an accuser against man (c.f. Job 1.6-12; Zech. 3.1; Rev. 12.10), and God is the judge. If we have not adequately dealt with satan and sin in this life, we will be held in a temporary state called a prison, and we won’t get out until we have satisfied our entire debt to God. This “prison” is purgatory where we will not get out until the last penny is paid.
⤿ Matt. 5:48 – Jesus says, “be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect.” We are only made perfect through purification, and in Catholic teaching, this purification, if not completed on earth, is continued in a transitional state we call purgatory.
⤿ Matt. 12:32 – Jesus says, “And anyone who says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but no one who speaks against the Holy Spirit will be forgiven either in this world or in the next.” Jesus thus clearly provides that there is forgiveness after death. The phrase “in the next” (from the Greek “en to mellonti”) generally refers to the afterlife (see, for example, Mark 10.30; Luke 18.30; 20.34-35; Eph. 1.21 for similar language). Forgiveness is not necessary in heaven, and there is no forgiveness in hell. This proves that there is another state after death, and the Church for 2,000 years has called this state purgatory.
⤿ Luke 12:47-48 – when the Master comes (at the end of time), some will receive light or heavy beatings but will live. This state is not heaven or hell, because in heaven there are no beatings, and in hell we will no longer live with the Master.
⤿ Luke 16:19-31 – in this story, we see that the dead rich man is suffering but still feels compassion for his brothers and wants to warn them of his place of suffering. But there is no suffering in heaven or compassion in hell because compassion is a grace from God and those in hell are deprived from God’s graces for all eternity. So where is the rich man? He is in purgatory.
⤿ 1 Cor. 15:29-30 – Paul mentions people being baptized on behalf of the dead, in the context of atoning for their sins (people are baptized on the dead’s behalf so the dead can be raised). These people cannot be in heaven because they are still with sin, but they also cannot be in hell because their sins can no longer be atoned for. They are in purgatory. These verses directly correspond to 2 Macc. 12:44-45 which also shows specific prayers for the dead, so that they may be forgiven of their sin.
⤿ Phil. 2:10 – every knee bends to Jesus, in heaven, on earth, and “under the earth” which is the realm of the righteous dead, or purgatory.
⤿ 2 Tim. 1:16-18 – Onesiphorus is dead but Paul asks for mercy on him “on that day.” Paul’s use of “that day” demonstrates its eschatological usage (see, for example, Rom. 2.5,16; 1 Cor. 1.8; 3.13; 5.5; 2 Cor. 1.14; Phil. 1.6,10; 2.16; 1 Thess. 5.2,4,5,8; 2 Thess. 2.2,3; 2 Tim. 4.8). Of course, there is no need for mercy in heaven, and there is no mercy given in hell. Where is Onesiphorus? He is in purgatory.
⤿ Heb. 12:14 – without holiness no one will see the Lord. We need final sanctification to attain true holiness before God, and this process occurs during our lives and, if not completed during our lives, in the transitional state of purgatory.
⤿ Heb. 12:23 – the spirits of just men who died in godliness are “made” perfect. They do not necessarily arrive perfect. They are made perfect after their death. But those in heaven are already perfect, and those in hell can no longer be made perfect. These spirits are in purgatory.
⤿ 1 Peter 3:19; 4:6 – Jesus preached to the spirits in the “prison.” These are the righteous souls being purified for the beatific vision.
⤿ Rev. 21:4 – God shall wipe away their tears, and there will be no mourning or pain, but only after the coming of the new heaven and the passing away of the current heaven and earth. Note the elimination of tears and pain only occurs at the end of time. But there is no morning or pain in heaven, and God will not wipe away their tears in hell. These are the souls experiencing purgatory.
⤿ Rev. 21:27 – nothing unclean shall enter heaven. The word “unclean” comes from the Greek word “koinon” which refers to a spiritual corruption. Even the propensity to sin is spiritually corrupt, or considered unclean, and must be purified before entering heaven. It is amazing how many Protestants do not want to believe in purgatory. Purgatory exists because of the mercy of God. If there were no purgatory, this would also likely mean no salvation for most people. God is merciful indeed.
⤿ Luke 23:43 – many Protestants argue that, because Jesus sent the good thief right to heaven, there can be no purgatory. There are several rebuttals. First, when Jesus uses the word “paradise,” He did not mean heaven. Paradise, from the Hebrew “sheol,” meant the realm of the righteous dead. This was the place of the dead who were destined for heaven, but who were captive until the Lord’s resurrection. Second, since there was no punctuation in the original manuscript, Jesus’ statement “I say to you today you will be with me in paradise” does not mean there was a comma after the first word “you.” This means Jesus could have said, “I say to you today, you will be with me in paradise” (meaning, Jesus could have emphasized with exclamation his statement was “today” or “now,” and that some time in the future the good thief would go to heaven). Third, even if the thief went straight to heaven, this does not prove there is no purgatory (those who are fully sanctified in this life – perhaps by a bloody and repentant death – could be ready for admission in to heaven).
⤿ Gen. 50:10; Num. 20:29; Deut. 34:8 – here are some examples of ritual prayer and penitent mourning for the dead for specific periods of time. The Jewish understanding of these practices was that the prayers freed the souls from their painful state of purification, and expedited their journey to God.
⤿ Baruch 3:4 – Baruch asks the Lord to hear the prayers of the dead of Israel. Prayers for the dead are unnecessary in heaven and unnecessary in hell. These dead are in purgatory.
⤿ Zech. 9:11 – God, through the blood of His covenant, will set those free from the waterless pit, a spiritual abode of suffering which the Church calls purgatory.
⤿ 2 Macc. 12:43-45 – the prayers for the dead help free them from sin and help them to the reward of heaven. Those in heaven have no sin, and those in hell can no longer be freed from sin. They are in purgatory. Luther was particularly troubled with these verses because he rejected the age-old teaching of purgatory. As a result, he removed Maccabees from the canon of the Bible.
Purification After Death By Fire
⤿ Heb. 12:29 – God is a consuming fire ( of love in heaven, of purgation in purgatory, or of suffering and damnation in hell ).
⤿ 1 Cor. 3:10-15 – works are judged after death and tested by fire. Some works are lost, but the person is still saved. Paul is referring to the state of purgation called purgatory. The venial sins (bad works) that were committed are burned up after death, but the person is still brought to salvation. This state after death cannot be heaven (no one with venial sins is present) or hell (there is no forgiveness and salvation).
⤿ 1 Cor. 3:15 – “if any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.” The phrase for “suffer loss” in the Greek is “zemiothesetai.” The root word is “zemioo” which also refers to punishment. The construction “zemiothesetai” is used in Ex. 21:22 and Prov. 19:19 which refers to punishment (from the Hebrew “anash” meaning “punish” or “penalty”). Hence, this verse proves that there is an expiation of temporal punishment after our death, but the person is still saved. This cannot mean heaven (there is no punishment in heaven) and this cannot mean hell (the possibility of expiation no longer exists and the person is not saved).
⤿ 1 Cor. 3:15 – further, Paul writes “he himself will be saved, “but only” (or “yet so”) as through fire.” “He will be saved” in the Greek is “sothesetai” (which means eternal salvation). The phrase “but only” (or “yet so”) in the Greek is “houtos” which means “in the same manner.” This means that man is both eternally rewarded and eternally saved in the same manner by fire.
⤿ 1 Cor. 3:13 – when Paul writes about God revealing the quality of each man’s work by fire and purifying him, this purification relates to his sins (not just his good works). Protestants, in attempting to disprove the reality of purgatory, argue that Paul was only writing about rewarding good works, and not punishing sins (because punishing and purifying a man from sins would be admitting that there is a purgatory).
⤿ 1 Cor. 3:17 – but this verse proves that the purgation after death deals with punishing sin. That is, destroying God’s temple is a bad work, which is a mortal sin, which leads to death. 1 Cor. 3:14,15,17 – purgatory thus reveals the state of righteousness (v.14), state of venial sin (v.15) and the state of mortal sin (v.17), all of which are judged after death.
⤿ 1 Peter 1:6-7 – Peter refers to this purgatorial fire to test the fruits of our faith.
⤿ Jude 1:23 – the people who are saved are being snatched out of the fire. People are already saved if they are in heaven, and there is no possibility of salvation if they are in hell. These people are being led to heaven from purgatory.
⤿ Rev. 3:18-19 – Jesus refers to this fire as what refines into gold those He loves if they repent of their sins. This is in the context of after death because Jesus, speaking from heaven, awards the white garment of salvation after the purgation of fire (both after death).
⤿ Dan 12:10 – Daniel refers to this refining by saying many shall purify themselves, make themselves white and be refined.
⤿ Wis. 3:5-6 – the dead are disciplined and tested by fire to receive their heavenly reward. This is the fire of purgatory.
⤿ Sirach 2:5 – for gold is tested in the fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of humiliation.
⤿ Zech. 13:8-9 – God says 2/3 shall perish, and 1/3 shall be left alive, put into the fire, and refined like silver and tested like gold. The ones that perish go to hell, and there is no need for refinement in heaven, so those being refined are in purgatory.
⤿ Mal. 3:2-3 – also refers to God’s purification of the righteous at their death.
The Poor Souls Novena: Prayers for Every Day
Sunday
O Lord God omnipotent, I beseech Thee by the Precious Blood, which Thy divine Son Jesus shed in the Garden, deliver the souls in purgatory, and especially that one which is the most forsaken of all, bring it into Thy glory, where it may praise and bless Thee forever. Amen
(Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Eternal Rest grant unto them and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace)
Monday
O Lord God omnipotent, I beseech Thee by the Precious Blood, which Thy divine Son Jesus shed in His cruel scourging, deliver the souls in purgatory, and among them all, especially that soul which is nearest to its entrance into Thy glory, that it may soon begin to praise Thee and bless Thee forever. Amen.
(Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Eternal Rest grant unto them and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace)
Tuesday
O Lord God omnipotent, I beseech Thee by the Precious Blood of Thy divine Son Jesus that was shed in His bitter crowning with thorns, deliver the souls in purgatory, and among hem all, particularly that soul which is in the greatest need of our prayers, in order that it may not long be delayed in praising Thee in Thy glory and blessing Thee forever. Amen.
(Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Eternal Rest grant unto them and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace)
Wednesday
O Lord God omnipotent, I beseech Thee by the Precious Blood which Thy divine Son Jesus that was shed in the streets of Jerusalem whilst He carried on His sacred shoulders the heavy burden of the Cross, deliver the souls in purgatory and especially that one which is richest in merits in Thy sight, so that, having soon attained the high place place in glory to which it is destined, it may praise Thee triumphantly and bless Thee forever. Amen.
(Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Eternal Rest grant unto them and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace)
Thursday
O Lord God omnipotent, I beseech Thee by the Precious Body and Blood of Thy divine Son Jesus, which He Himself on the night before His passion gave as meat and drink to His beloved Apostles and bequeathed to His holy Church to be the perpetual Sacrifice and life-giving nourishment of His faithful people, deliver the souls in purgatory, but most of all, that soul which was most devoted to the Mystery of infinite love, in order that it may praise Thee therefore, together with Thy divine Son and the Holy Spirit in Thy glory forever. Amen
(Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Eternal Rest grant unto them and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace)
Friday
O Lord God omnipotent, I beseech Thee by the Precious Blood which Thy divine Son Jesus did shed this day upon the tree of the Cross, especially from His sacred hands and feet, deliver the souls in purgatory, and particularly the souls for whom I am most bound to pray, in order that I may not be the cause which hinders Thee from admitting it quickly to the possession of Thy glory where it may praise Thee and bless Thee forevermore. Amen.
(Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Eternal Rest grant unto them and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace)
Saturday
O Lord God omnipotent, I beseech Thee by the Precious Blood, which gushed forth from the sacred Side of Thy divine Son Jesus in the presence and to the great sorrow of His most holy Mother, deliver the souls in purgatory, and among them all, especially that soul which has been most devout to this noble Lady, that it may come quickly into Thy glory, there to praise Thee in her, and her in Thee through all the ages. Amen.
(Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Eternal Rest grant unto them and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace)
*Every Day of the Novena*
photo: Our Lady of Mount Carmel the Brown scapular and the Sabbatine Privilege
*The Sabbatine Privilege is based on the Papal Bull issued on March 3, 1322 by Pope John XXII. This Privilege was approved and confirmed by many popes including St. Pius V. It essentially says that those who wear the Scapular and fulfill two other conditions can obtain early liberation from Purgatory, through the special intercession of the Virgin Mary, on the day consecrated to her, Saturday.
Power of God 
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