We have all heard of the Roman Catholic doctrine of purgatory. I recall my grandmother's funeral where the "father that dresses like a mother" asked his Saviour, Mary, to please have mercy on this faithful Catholic woman (whom God graciously allowed me to lead to the Lord a few weeks prior) and cleanse her with the flames of purgatory. Uh, no, she was seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus - not consigned to flames (hell).
But I do see a 'purgatory' of sorts in the Word of God.
"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high" (Hebrews 1:1-3).
"And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission" (Hebrews 9:22).
"For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins" (Hebrews 10:1-2).
No long drawn out tome needs to be presented here . . . Scriptures say all that is needed to be said.
Timothy tells us that we even have an opportunity to participate in our Christian life in the sense of sanctification . . . after mentioning vessels of honor and dishonor - something which a Christian might become if not walking daily with the Saviour, he writes:
"If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work" (II Timothy 2:21).
One useful tool for doing this is:
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9). And that because we have an "Advocate with the Father!" Amen!!!
but what of those that do not walk with the Saviour as they should and do not apply the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ upon their lives regularly? Have they lost their salvation? Well, you tell me . . . based on the verse from Peter.
After mentioning some good qualities a believer should strive for, he writes, "For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins" (II Peter 1:8-9).
SUMMATION:
1) We have been purged from our sins by the blood of Jesus Christ.
2) It is possible to forget that we have been purged and stray from our fellowship of our Saviour and great God, Jesus Christ.
3) Fellowship may be restored as easily as applying I John 1:9 and receiving a clean slate.
But I do see a 'purgatory' of sorts in the Word of God.
"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high" (Hebrews 1:1-3).
"And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission" (Hebrews 9:22).
"For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins" (Hebrews 10:1-2).
No long drawn out tome needs to be presented here . . . Scriptures say all that is needed to be said.
Timothy tells us that we even have an opportunity to participate in our Christian life in the sense of sanctification . . . after mentioning vessels of honor and dishonor - something which a Christian might become if not walking daily with the Saviour, he writes:
"If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work" (II Timothy 2:21).
One useful tool for doing this is:
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9). And that because we have an "Advocate with the Father!" Amen!!!
but what of those that do not walk with the Saviour as they should and do not apply the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ upon their lives regularly? Have they lost their salvation? Well, you tell me . . . based on the verse from Peter.
After mentioning some good qualities a believer should strive for, he writes, "For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins" (II Peter 1:8-9).
SUMMATION:
1) We have been purged from our sins by the blood of Jesus Christ.
2) It is possible to forget that we have been purged and stray from our fellowship of our Saviour and great God, Jesus Christ.
3) Fellowship may be restored as easily as applying I John 1:9 and receiving a clean slate.
