Here is an edifying piece from Mike Gendron’s site, proclaiming the Gospel. It is worth reading…
Purgatory: Purifying Fire or Fatal Fable
by Mike Gendron
Catholics who believe a purifying fire will purge away their sins are deluded victims of a fatal fabrication. The invention of a place for purification of sins called Purgatory is one of the most seductive attractions of the Roman Catholic religion. Pastor John MacArthur of Grace Community Church described this deceptive hoax brilliantly. He said: “Purgatory is what makes the whole system work. Take out Purgatory and it’s a hard sell to be a Catholic. Purgatory is the safety net, when you die, you don’t go to hell. You go [to Purgatory] and get things sorted out and finally get to heaven if you’ve been a good Catholic. In the Catholic system you can never know you’re going to heaven. You just keep trying and trying…in a long journey toward perfection. Well, it’s pretty discouraging. People in that system are guilt-ridden, fear-ridden and have no knowledge of whether or not they’re going to get into the Kingdom. If there’s no Purgatory, there’s no safety net to catch me and give me some opportunity to get into heaven. It’s a second chance, it’s another chance after death” (from “The Pope and the Papacy”).
The Origin of Purgatory
There was no mention of Purgatory during the first two centuries of the church. However, when Roman Emperor Theodosius (379-395) decreed that Christianity was to be the official religion of the empire, thousands of pagans flooded into the Church and brought their pagan beliefs and traditions with them. One of those ancient pagan beliefs was a place of purification where souls went to make satisfaction for their sins.
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Gendron: “In the Catholic system you can never know you’re going to heaven.”
I have heard some respected teachers of reformed theology make this same claim regarding their beliefs. They don’t believe in purgatory, but they teach that a professing believer can never know himself/herself that he/she will “endure to the end,” until the “end” actually gets there.
I wonder if Gendron believes there are any non-Catholics who can “know they’re going to heaven.”
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From Gendron’s web site: “Are you aware of one of the greatest truths revealed in the Bible? Did you know it is possible for you to know right here and now, with absolute certainty, that the moment you die, you can enjoy the presence of God forever.”
I guess he answered my question before I asked it.
I just started reading this entire article, in anticipation of my Roman Catholic step-mother visiting next week. One statement JUMPED out at me:
“However, when Roman Emperor Theodosius (379-395) decreed that Christianity was to be the official religion of the empire, thousands of pagans flooded into the Church and brought their pagan beliefs and traditions with them.”
This is what has happened in evangelical churches that strove to be culturally relevant and end up being assimilated by the pagans they were trying to reach.
Ancient and recent history serve to remind us that the church is a gathering of God’s redeemed people – not a gathering of lost souls. The church is to equip the saints for ministry – which includes proclaiming the glorious Gospel of Jesus – and worship our Father. Lost folks cannot do either.
Excellent, factual and well-written article. My mother is also in bondage to this false religion and needs to see the truth.
With the seemingly new inclusion of brother Michael as a contributor, along with the other recent posts it seems the RCC is taking a hammering here at DefCon.
Glory to God!
In addition, the whole notion that the RCC is teaching what every single Christian believed from the earliest days of the TRUE church takes a hammering (to use Matthew Johnston’s term) on this subject alone. After all, it wasn’t until c. 600 AD that the doctrine of Purgatory was dogmatized in the RCC, formulated by Gregory the Great through some rather imaginative (and convoluted) interpretations of various Old Testament texts.
In other words, for the first 600 or so years of the Romish church, belief in Purgatory was not a condition of salvation. Just another stone from which the Catechism of the Catholic Church has been cobbled together.
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Ministry Addict–While some evangelicals may think that one cannot be sure of salvation, Rome teaches that anyone who dares to believe in eternal security is anathema. Just sayin’.