
I have been born again 44 years and until recently, understanding purgatory was not a priority for me. However, since many of those who seek deliverance from Pam Sheppard Ministries are Catholic, it was mandatory that I study its implications toward addressing why so many Catholics need deliverance. Since the Lord Jesus Christ said that knowing the truth will set captives free, it’s time to fathom the hold that purgatory has had over the lives of many.
Catholicism teaches that there are two kinds of sin: mortal and venial. Venial sins are not considered deadly, but as indicated from Catholic.com, even though mortal sins can be forgiven, venial sins need to be purified because though not deadly, venial sins are impurities that require a temporary punishment.
As purgatory is defined, Catholics are taught that it is a necessary spiritual place “out there in the ether somewhere,” that is like a holding center for the spirits of dead Catholics in order to purify their already dead souls as a prelude to entrance into heaven. The scripture used to support this teaching is found in Revelation 21:27:and nothing unclean and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
My first observation is to ask “Why would the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth shed His blood for the remission of sin, pay the punishment for all sinners in His blood, be resurrected, go into hell and release all the captives out of Abraham’s bosom, and yet maintain a holding cell for the purification of “venial” sins? Is not purgatory a sign that the Lord’s blood is not powerful enough? did Jesus lie when He declared “It is finished?”
So I perceive that those who promulgated this blasphemous heresy do not understand the power of the blood of Jesus Christ of Nazareth within the context of redemption sanctification, justification and rebirth.
1. Redemption: To be redeemed is to be purchased. The sinner is akin to a slave on the eternal auction block, owned by Satan. Those whom God has called have been purchased by the Lord’s blood, and their spirits were eternally cleansed, purified at the moment the Lord cried out from the cross “it is finished!!!”
2. Sanctification: To Be sanctified is to “be made holy.” To be Holy is to be clean. We have been taken from among the heathen and gathered out. He says “I will sprinkle clean water upon you.” look at God”s emphasis. On all the “I will’s.” He says “I will sprinkle clean water upon you. I will give you a new heart, I will give you a new spirit, I will put a new spirit within you, I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, I will put My Spirit in you, and I will cause you to walk in My statutes and you shall keep My judgments and do them.” IN THE BLOOD OF JESUS, WE ARE CLEAN!!!! ( Ezekiel 36)
3. Justification: To be justified is to be declared INNOCENT EVEN THOUGH YOU WERE ONCE GUILTY! This occurs because in His blood and by His resurrection, we become new creatures. Old things are passed away including ALL past sins. All things become new. The blood of Jesus speaks and declares that we are no longer sinners once we have been made new. Sure, we will sin because our souls must be renewed within our daily walk. But John tells us that when we DO sin, the blood of Jesus cleanses us of the sin once we have truly repented.b(1John1)
4. Rebirth: We are a three part being, spirit, soul and body. What is reborn and made completely clean is our spirits, not our souls and not our bodies. Our spirits are instantly purified in the blood of Jesus the moment we become “born again.” So when we die, since ALL of our spirits ARE purified in His blood and by His resurrection, our spirits immediately go to heaven. So, why purgatory?
Here is the deal. Catholicism is based on works. It’s religious legalism, straight and simple. Catholic priests cannot cast out evil spirits because these entities only respond to faith in the cross and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Consequently, all of that Catholic exorcism stuff is a sham. A play or movie whose director is The devil. A belief in purgatory is the first domino to fall. Included in all of these false or mixed teachings is the divinity of Mary. It is also a deception.Why? because Mary was alive at the cross. For as He hung there, the Lord called on John to “look after His mother.” So Mary stayed on earth until she died and then her spirit went to heaven just as all who die in Christ do.
Also, praying to dead saints is necromancy, needing an article or two all to itself!!!
I could go on and on here, but for now, I will simply say, “there is no such place as purgatory.”
If you need to be set free from religiosity, call PSM at 888-818-1117 or send an email to getreadyforthelord@gmail.com