And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment – Hebrews 9:27.

According to Webster’s Dictionary, Purgatory is a state or place after death for expiating sins by suffering.

The doctrine of purgatory is a teaching of the Roman Catholic Church. It may be defined as an intermediate place or state after death where souls who die in God’s grace make atonement, or satisfaction, for past sins and become fit for heaven. This satisfaction is a temporary punishment afflicts the souls until the demand for God’s justice is fully met.

This doctrine teaches that once a soul is actually in purgatory, it is assured of eventually entering heaven. In the meantime, the faithful on earth may shorten the time a loved one spends in purgatory by obtaining indulgences by having Masses said or offered for them and praying for them. The doctrines of purgatory and prayer for the dead came into the church through human teachings, not by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

This teaching could have come from the Scriptures about the rich man and Lazarus, the beggar. Lazarus the beggar sat at the rich man’s gate, desiring to get the crumbs from his table. Lazarus the beggar died in went into the bosom of Abraham. The rich man died also and found himself in hell.

The rich man’s request from Abraham was to send Lazarus to dip his finger in water to cool his tongue because he was in torment from the flame. Abraham reminded him how he lived in his lifetime having what he needed while Lazarus received evil things. Now Lazarus was comforted, and he was being tormented.

Abraham told him there was a great gulf between them and him. Those from his side couldn’t pass to him, and those on his side couldn’t pass to where he and Lazarus were. Jesus gave the parable, but some took the teachings as saying the dead are in a holding place, such as purgatory.

Once one dies, they will either enter heaven or hell. There is no holding place. Once a person dies, they can’t make up for their sins. Jesus died for our sins so that we wouldn’t be in bondage to sin. All we have to do is apply the instructions to our daily lives so we will not end up in hell.

Only Jesus can give remission of sins; we can’t do nothing. All of our righteousness is like filthy rags (But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags, and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away – Isaiah 64:6). We can only live righteous through the Spirit of Jesus living within our hearts.

As soon as our spirit lives our bodies, we are either going to enter heaven or hell (And as it is appointed unto men to die, but after this the judgment – Hebrews 9:27). There is no holding place once we die. Secondly, we can do nothing after we die to correct what needs to be corrected with God. Whatever state we’re in when death comes will determine where we will spend eternity, heaven or hell.

As Christians, we are responsible for reading and studying the Bible; it’s our responsibility to know what God expects out of us as Christians. It’s our responsibility to apply His written instructions to our lives daily. It’s the responsibility of the Christian to get knowledge of their Father and Lord.

When we get to know God for ourselves and know His Word, we will not be easily influenced into man-made doctrines that will hinder our spiritual growth as well as keep us from having a relationship with the Father.

False doctrine teaches that Christians can indulge in two types of sin, mortal sins, which will damn the soul) and venial sins that will not damn the soul but will consign the person to purgatory. Those who die in venial sins or with temporal punishment of their sins still unpaid must atone for them in purgatory. No one can pay for their sins! Jesus is the only One who paid for our sins.

None of the godly men in the Bible could atone for the sins of mankind and the world but Jesus. Without the shedding of His blood, there would be no remission of sin (For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission [forgiveness] of sins – Matthew 26:28. It is not God’s desire for anyone to die and go to hell this is why He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to die for the sins of the word (For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life – John 3:16). God loved His people so much to allow them to continue to live in their sins so He gave His Son for our sins.

The only way we will be able to enter heaven is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of our sins and to apply the Word of God in our lives daily (That if thou shall confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation – Romans 10:9-10).

Take the time to read the Bible for yourself; where you will spend eternity depends on what you believe and whether you follow the instructions of God’s written Word, the Bible.