RE: How would you know?
August 7, 2012 at 8:56 am
(This post was last modified: August 7, 2012 at 9:24 am by spockrates.)
I should repeat that I'm not trying to prove Purgatory's existence; just trying to show why some believe the Bible supports the notion. Also, I should say again that I agree the word Purgatory does not appear in the Bible, but neither do other words the concepts of which are clearly taught. The word incarnation, for example is nowhere found is scripture, but the doctrine that Christ was God incarnate is clearly taught.
But sorry for taking so long. I promised another biblical passage...
You are probably already aware of this one. Protestants and Catholics alike use it to support their ideas of what hell is like. The greedy, uncaring man was in hell.
But ask a Protestant where Abraham was. She might say he was in Abraham's bosom, if she is familiar with the King James version. But Abraham's bosom simply means next to Abraham, so it does not answer the question. Ask her if Abraham was in heaven, and she will likely assert that no one but God and his angels was heaven prior to Christ's death and resurrection.
So even the Protestant will admit the Bible teaches there is (or was) a place (or state of existence) after death other than heaven, or hell, I think. Please tell me what you think, Napoleon.
19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In hell,[c] where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
(Luke 16)
But sorry for taking so long. I promised another biblical passage...
You are probably already aware of this one. Protestants and Catholics alike use it to support their ideas of what hell is like. The greedy, uncaring man was in hell.
But ask a Protestant where Abraham was. She might say he was in Abraham's bosom, if she is familiar with the King James version. But Abraham's bosom simply means next to Abraham, so it does not answer the question. Ask her if Abraham was in heaven, and she will likely assert that no one but God and his angels was heaven prior to Christ's death and resurrection.
So even the Protestant will admit the Bible teaches there is (or was) a place (or state of existence) after death other than heaven, or hell, I think. Please tell me what you think, Napoleon.
19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In hell,[c] where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
(Luke 16)
"If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains (no matter how improbable) must be the truth."
--Spock
--Spock
