Answer
Short answer: the Bible says nothing about purgatory. But, since many people believe in purgatory, regardless of the Bible’s total lack of information about it, we should discuss the doctrine.
According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, purgatory is “a place or condition of temporal punishment for those who, departing this life in God’s grace, are not entirely free from venial faults, or have not fully paid the satisfaction due to their transgressions.” In other words, in Catholic theology purgatory is the place where a Christian’s soul goes after death to be cleansed of the sins that had not been fully paid for during life. Is the doctrine of purgatory in agreement with the Bible? Absolutely not!
An idea foundational to the doctrine of purgatory is that some of a believer’s sin has not yet been paid for. But Scripture teaches that Jesus died to pay the penalty for all our sins (Romans 5:8). The Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53:5 took our place: “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Jesus suffered for our sins so that we could be delivered from suffering. To say that we must also suffer for our sins is to say that Jesus’ suffering was insufficient in some way. To say that we ourselves must atone for our sins is to deny the adequacy of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus (1 John 2:2). The idea that those who are saved by grace through faith have to pay for their sins after death is contrary to everything the Bible says about salvation.
The primary scriptural passage Catholics point to for evidence of purgatory is 1 Corinthians 3. Verses 10–15 picture the Christian life as a building project, with the caution that “each one should build with care” (1 Corinthians 3:10). Our work will be tested and “will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work” (verse 13). At the judgment seat of Christ, we must give an account of what we’ve done for Christ. First Corinthians 3:14–15 then says, “If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.”
According to 1 Corinthians 3, if our works are of good quality (“gold, silver, costly stones,” verse 12), they will pass through the “fire” unharmed, and we will be rewarded for them. If our works are of poor quality (“wood, hay, or straw,” verse 12), they will be consumed by the “fire,” and there will be no reward. The fire is not literal in this passage, any more than the “gold” is literal gold or the “hay” is literal hay. The passage does not say that believers pass through the fire but that a believer’s works pass through the fire. That is, the works are put to the test. First Corinthians 3:15 refers to the believer “escaping through the flames,” not being cleansed by the flames. There is no purging of sin here, only a testing of works.
Purgatory, like many other Catholic dogmas, misrepresents the nature of Christ’s sacrifice. Catholics view the Mass/Holy Eucharist as a re-presentation of Christ’s sacrifice, ignoring the fact that Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice was absolutely and perfectly sufficient (Hebrews 7:27). Catholics view meritorious works as contributing to one’s salvation rather than recognize that Jesus’ payment has no need of an additional “contribution” from us (Ephesians 2:8–9). Similarly, purgatory is taught to be a place of cleansing in preparation for heaven, overlooking the truth that, because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we are already cleansed. We are also justified, forgiven, redeemed, reconciled, adopted, and sanctified.
The very idea of purgatory and the doctrines that are often attached to it (prayers for the dead, indulgences, meritorious works on behalf of the dead, etc.) implies that Jesus’ death was insufficient to pay the penalty for sin. The Bible says that Jesus, who is God incarnate (John 1:1, 14), paid an infinite price for our sin by providing the only acceptable sacrifice (1 John 2:2). To limit Jesus’ sacrifice to atoning for original sin or sins committed before salvation is an attack on His person and work. If we, in order to be saved, must pay for our own sin, then Jesus’ payment was not enough. If ridding ourselves of sin requires us to suffer interminably in purgatory, then then Jesus’ suffering and death did not provide a powerful, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice.
Due to Christ’s death and resurrection, the believer’s position in heaven is as secure as can be. It’s as if we are already there: “It is by grace you have been saved! And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:5–6, BSB).
After death believers are “away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8; cf. Philippians 1:23). Notice that this verse does not say, “Away from the body and in purgatory suffering in cleansing fire.” Because of the powerful, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice of Jesus, we are taken immediately in the Lord’s presence when we die. Because we are in Christ, we are fully cleansed, free from sin, glorified, and perfected.
