The Bible contains references to many Christian doctrines, but fails to call them out by name. One might as well even deny that there is something called the Bible because no such name is found in the Bible. Furthermore, one might as well deny the Trinity, Incarnation, and so forth because these exact words are not found in the Bible.
The name does not make the place; the place must exist first, then we give it a name. We call this place “purgatory” because it means “a cleansing place.” Therein souls are purged from the small stains of sin, which prevent their immediate entrance into Heaven.
In the Old Testament
The first mention of Purgatory in the Bible is in 2 Maccabees 12:46: “Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be freed from sin.” This book is not in the protestant Bible.
Some people do not accept Maccabees as book of the Bible. This is unfortunate since it is that their Bibles have been edited and are missing books. (Find out Why Catholic Bibles Are Different) Even if a person does not accept the book of Maccabees, it at least has historical value for we can learn what the pre-Christian community believed.
In Chapter 12 of Second Maccabees we read Scriptural proof for Purgatory and evidence that the Jews had sacrifices offered for those of their brothers who had lost their lives in battle. That the Jews prayed for the dead shows that they believed in a place where they could be helped (which we now call purgatory) and that the prayers of their living brothers and sisters could help them in that place. This is closely related to the Catholic doctrine of the communion of saints.
During the Reformation in the 15th century, when Martin Luther was deciding to remove books from the Bible, these words in the book of Maccabees had so clearly favored Catholic teaching, that the whole book was removed from the Protestant Bible. Unfortunately for Protestants, even if they feel that the book was not inspired, it still tells us of the practice of God’s chosen people.
In the New Testament
In Matthew 5:26 and Luke 12:59 Christ is condemning sin and speaks of liberation only after expiation. “Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.” Now we know that no last penny needs to be paid in Heaven and from Hell there is no liberation at all; hence the reference must apply to a third place.
Matthew 12:32 says, “And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” Here Jesus speaks of sin against the Holy Spirit. The implication is that some sins can be forgiven in the world to come. We know that in Hell there is no liberation and in Heaven nothing imperfect can enter it as we see in the next part. Sin is not forgiven when a soul reaches its final destination because in heaven there is no need for forgiveness of sin and in hell the choice to go there is already made.
Revelation 3:4 ..”But thou hast a few persons at Sardis who have not defiled their garments , and they shall walk with me in white.
Revelation 21:27: “…but nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who does abominable things or tells lies.” The place that is to be entered (the place to which this passage refers) is heaven (read the text around it for context).
The Bible clearly implies a place for an intermediate state of purification after we die in the many passages which tell that God will reward or punish according to a person’s life.
Purgatory’s demise at the general judgment.
It is the general opinion of the Church that because of the influence of the AntiChrist that survival for Traditional Catholics will be very difficult, so much so, that at the end the world we will be divided as either Saints or Sinners. You have this in “The Catechism Explained” by Fr’s Spirago and Clark. 1921. The other source is, “Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma,” by Dr. Ludwig Ott Page 485, 1955.
The purifying fire will not continue after the General Judgment.
Matt: 25: 34-41. No place in between here. St. Augustine says, “Let purification punishments be counted on only before that last and terrible judgment.” Dr. Ott
The existing universe will be destroyed by fire. (?) and this fire will purge those who have yet to do penance for sin; and since there will be no purgatory after the Day (week) of Judgment the want of duration will be made up by the intensity of the pain…….Fr’s. Spirago and Clark
That’s why Our Lord made it very clear when He said, and which I have quoted thousands of times, “And unless those days had been shortened. no living creature would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.” The only thing I can add to this is God help us if He’s not talking about us.
Grace be with you, in Christ, Joseph