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Uganda: Does Purgatory Exist?
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New Vision (Kampala)
OPINION
10 May 2008
Posted to the web 12 May 2008
Kampala
PURGATORY is defined by The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) as "purification after death, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven".
It is experienced by those "who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified" (CCC 1030). The Catholic Church teaches that purification is necessary because nothing unclean will enter the presence of God in heaven (Revelation 21:27) and, while we may die with our mortal sins forgiven, there can still be many impurities in us, specifically venial sins, and the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven. Moses Mulondo interviewed a Catholic turned Pentecostal preacher, Apostle Alex Mitala, and Father Lawrence Kanyike, the chaplain of Makerere University's St. Augustine Chapel, on this Catholic doctrine, which other churches are opposed to.
What is purgatory?
Before baptism we are in the state of the first Adam who, after separating from God, lost God's protection. If man were left on his own, that would only make his situation worse. Baptism into the new Adam, Jesus, gives us hope that our situation can be better. We still have the propensity to sin and still remain sinners, but sinners with hope. Hence we all die as sinners in need of perfection before we meet God face to face. So we have to face the gracious wrath of God to perfect us. This is purgatory, the absence of which would mean that we die perfect and not as sinners.
What is the purpose of purgatory?
It is to cleanse us of our propensity to sin which we die with and enable us to face God perfectly.
Is purgatory biblical?
Here I must warn you on the use of the Bible.
The New Testament is a testimony of the Apostolic faith handed down to us and, therefore, has an apostolic interpretation. It is not the letter that saves, but the Spirit and this is the way the Bible should be approached. Purgatory is an encounter with God. The closest biblical reference is 2 Maccabeus 12:42-46, a prayer of Judas Maccabeus and his men that the sinful deeds of the deceased soldiers be blotted out in light of the resurrection of the dead.
But Hebrews 9:27 says after death, judgment follows.
That is precisely why we need purification. Since no human being is perfect, there is need for judgment. We all fall short of that perfection we ought to have. Therefore, the necessity of judgment and purification.
If all people die imperfect, why are some sent to hell?
While some people absolutely separate themselves from God and choose to be in hell, the Church preaches a message of salvation, not damnation.
Isn't the belief in purgatory against Jesus' teaching on being born-again?
To be baptised or become born-again does not take away the propensity to sin. Being born-again only gives us hope to be saved, but we can still sin.
Does that opinion contradict Romans 6:1-2 and 1 John 3:9 which imply that true Christians are not supposed to sin any more?
Sin is not a credit. Christians are not supposed to sin, but they sin. That is why they constantly need the grace of God. We must constantly be aware that the grace of God is there to encourage us not to despair.
Apostle Alex Mitala
Is the purgatory teaching biblical?
The answer is no. It is not found anywhere in the Bible. It is a Roman Catholic Church-founded dogma which has no scriptural truth at all. It is just a man-made philosophy about what happens after death. If it were not so, the Bible wouldn't have failed to mention it. Even Jesus, the saviour of mankind, or his Apostles, would have given it some attention.
Why don't you believe it is a sound doctrine?
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Because anything that is not rooted in the Bible is outside our Christian faith and is a man-made doctrine and, therefore, considered false. The Bible is crystal clear in Hebrews 9:27 where it says: "Just as man is destined to die once and after that to face judgement " This clearly implies that doing the will of God is before death; after death man faces judgement for whatever he has done on earth.
Those who believe in purgatory argue that it is impossible to live a holy life on earth yet heaven is for holy people, thus the need to go to purgatory for purification. What about that?
It is a lie that we cannot live a holy life on earth and it dilutes the meaning and purpose of Jesus' salvation.
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