The Pope and Purgatory
At the end of his recent trip to Croatia, while visiting the “Shrine of Our Lady of Trsat”, the Pope again asked for prayer for himself during his life and after his death. It seems that, in spite of all the powers ascribed to him, and although he is so often described as “His Holiness”, the Pope does not expect to go straight to heaven. He, like his followers – unless they are extraordinarily holy – must, according to Roman Catholic teaching, pass through the fires of purgatory. And the prayers of the faithful will help to bring him out before too long.
If “His Holiness” needs to endure long years in the flames of purgatory, surely ordinary Roman Catholics must be there for even longer. The fact is, however, that purgatory does not exist, for Scripture is perfectly silent on the mater. But it is certainly not silent on eternity, where we are all going – either to heaven or to hell. And God in His goodness has revealed a way of salvation whereby sinners are justified – altogether delivered from condemnation. Those who believe in Christ are free from all possibility of further punishment. This is the salvation the Pope and his clergy are keeping back from their people. Yet this is the salvation that sinners everywhere need. Let us value a pure gospel.
Return to Table of Contents for The Free Presbyterian Magazine – August 2003