RR MY VISIT TO “PURGATORY” – WILL YOU ALSO VISIT? (Part 1 of 2) By Dr. Raymond Finney
Shavuah Tov {{firstName}},
PERSONAL NOTE: Let me briefly explain today’s RR. Rabbi Weiner has afforded me the privilege of writing an RR article every other Sunday. I entered a Knoxville hospital nearly two years ago (October, 2023) for what I thought would be a relatively minor cervical spine surgery. While there, I contracted COVID. I existed in a stupor for a protracted time. I almost died-- near coma due to low blood oxygen content, cardiac arrests, etc. I now have long COVID. I was at bed rest for months. I still cannot walk, but I get around in a wheelchair. My wife also suffers from long COVID and has severe heart and lung problems. (FYI: If you want authoritative information on any medical topic, access Google Scholar ( www.scholar.google.com ). Type in a word or phrase in the search box, and enter. Most scientific journal articles published in the English language will be available for your reading.)
MY VISIT TO “PURGATORY:” After months of studying the ceilings in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and my bedroom, I decided to make better use of my time. Since I had flirted with death a few times in preceding months, I reflected on the end of life, as did the Apostle Paul. As Paul languished in Roman prisons awaiting death at the pleasure of the emperor, he eloquently wrote of his life and his willingness to meet his beloved Yeshua in the afterlife he so eloquently proclaimed.
Purgatory is best connected to the Roman Catholic Church. Other denominations teaching purgatory include Eastern Orthodoxy and Anglicanism. Purgatory is suggested in the Apocrypha (2 Maccabees 12:42-46). Catholics may point to such Scriptures as 2 Timothy 1:18; Matthew 12:32; Luke 16:19-26; Luke 23:43; 1 Corinthians 3:11,15; and Hebrews 12:29, but millions of Believers are not persuaded.
Catholic dogma concerning purgatory may be read in paragraphs 1030-1032 and 1472-1473 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (https://www.vatican.va › archive › ENG0015 › _INDEX.HTM ).
Purgatory is said to be a temporary state of the soul after death for sins to be forgiven and the soul purged (freed) of sins that would offend God. God will not tolerate sin in the final age of humans. All humans sin (Romans 3:23: … for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God). Yeshua’s crucifixion provided the vicarious blood sacrifice for the atonement of all Believers’ sins. Childlike faith in Him secures that sacrifice (and salvation) for any Believer. I personally find the concept of purgatory offensive, as it would seemingly nullify or minimize the sacrifice of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah for the remission of our sins (multiple Scripture sources).
However, a Believer may voluntarily (without dying first!) enter his/her own “purgatory.” In this RR, I enclose purgatory in quotation marks -- “purgatory” – to indicate a self-imposed examination of self to purge undesirable elements (sins), not the state of purgatory (not in quotation marks) described by Catholics.
My visit to “purgatory” has given me the most peace I have ever enjoyed (Philippians 4:7: And the shalom of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Messiah Yeshua). I sincerely invite you to make your own visit to “purgatory.” Such visit may change your life more than you think possible.
FOCAL SCRIPTURE: I begin my journey with a very familiar passage known to most Believers– the Lord’s Prayer (the Model Prayer). Yeshua’s disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray. He gave them a simple prayer (Matthew 6:9-13): Matthew 6:9: [Yeshua answered] “Therefore, pray in this way: ‘Our Father in heaven, sanctified be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread.12 And forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’’’’
Let us concentrate on one sentence in this prayer (Matthew 6:12: And forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors).
Now, what “debt” do we seek forgiveness? A Believer should not ask for his/her mortgage (a significant debt) to be forgiven. Nations would collapse, if God canceled all legitimate debts and started giving “freebies” to the faithful. Translators have had trouble with this verse. “Debts” translates the Greek opheilema. Opheilema is a legally owed debt, as is a home mortgage in the example I used. A debt we owe God is to lead a moral life and love Him and neighbors. Yeshua was not teaching (praying for) finances and business law, however, but He referenced metaphorical debts. Such metaphorical or spiritual debts can be better interpreted as sins. God creates each of His children as sin-free creatures, but we soon succumb to Satan’s wiles and become sinful creatures (see Romans 3:23, previously cited).
I congratulate the Tree of Life Version translators for their faithful translation of verse 12b. As I remember my college Greek (the only course I actually enjoyed in college), the proper translation is forgive our sins “as we also have already forgiven our debtors,” rather than the more familiar translation, “forgive those who have sinned against us.” In other words, forgive others BEFORE seeking forgiveness for self.
Yeshua also told a Believer to reconcile him-/her-self with others BEFORE giving a gift to God. In the Scriptures, prayer is considered an offering to God placed on His altar. See Matthew 5:22a, 23-24: (Matthew 5:22: [Yeshua said] “But I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be subject to judgment…. 23 “Therefore if you are presenting your offering upon the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your offering there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.)
TO BE CONTINUED. In Part 2 (to be issued August 24), I will conclude with important consequences of my trip to “purgatory.” I hope you will make the same trip for yourself. Such trip may make your life much better. Until then, Shalom and Maranatha.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Sun10-Aug 202516th of Av, 5785
De 7:12-8:10Ez 401 Ch 181 Ti 2 (Jn 7)
PERSONAL NOTE: Let me briefly explain today’s RR. Rabbi Weiner has afforded me the privilege of writing an RR article every other Sunday. I entered a Knoxville hospital nearly two years ago (October, 2023) for what I thought would be a relatively minor cervical spine surgery. While there, I contracted COVID. I existed in a stupor for a protracted time. I almost died-- near coma due to low blood oxygen content, cardiac arrests, etc. I now have long COVID. I was at bed rest for months. I still cannot walk, but I get around in a wheelchair. My wife also suffers from long COVID and has severe heart and lung problems. (FYI: If you want authoritative information on any medical topic, access Google Scholar ( www.scholar.google.com ). Type in a word or phrase in the search box, and enter. Most scientific journal articles published in the English language will be available for your reading.)
MY VISIT TO “PURGATORY:” After months of studying the ceilings in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and my bedroom, I decided to make better use of my time. Since I had flirted with death a few times in preceding months, I reflected on the end of life, as did the Apostle Paul. As Paul languished in Roman prisons awaiting death at the pleasure of the emperor, he eloquently wrote of his life and his willingness to meet his beloved Yeshua in the afterlife he so eloquently proclaimed.
Purgatory is best connected to the Roman Catholic Church. Other denominations teaching purgatory include Eastern Orthodoxy and Anglicanism. Purgatory is suggested in the Apocrypha (2 Maccabees 12:42-46). Catholics may point to such Scriptures as 2 Timothy 1:18; Matthew 12:32; Luke 16:19-26; Luke 23:43; 1 Corinthians 3:11,15; and Hebrews 12:29, but millions of Believers are not persuaded.
Catholic dogma concerning purgatory may be read in paragraphs 1030-1032 and 1472-1473 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (https://www.vatican.va › archive › ENG0015 › _INDEX.HTM ).
Purgatory is said to be a temporary state of the soul after death for sins to be forgiven and the soul purged (freed) of sins that would offend God. God will not tolerate sin in the final age of humans. All humans sin (Romans 3:23: … for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God). Yeshua’s crucifixion provided the vicarious blood sacrifice for the atonement of all Believers’ sins. Childlike faith in Him secures that sacrifice (and salvation) for any Believer. I personally find the concept of purgatory offensive, as it would seemingly nullify or minimize the sacrifice of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah for the remission of our sins (multiple Scripture sources).
However, a Believer may voluntarily (without dying first!) enter his/her own “purgatory.” In this RR, I enclose purgatory in quotation marks -- “purgatory” – to indicate a self-imposed examination of self to purge undesirable elements (sins), not the state of purgatory (not in quotation marks) described by Catholics.
My visit to “purgatory” has given me the most peace I have ever enjoyed (Philippians 4:7: And the shalom of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Messiah Yeshua). I sincerely invite you to make your own visit to “purgatory.” Such visit may change your life more than you think possible.
FOCAL SCRIPTURE: I begin my journey with a very familiar passage known to most Believers– the Lord’s Prayer (the Model Prayer). Yeshua’s disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray. He gave them a simple prayer (Matthew 6:9-13): Matthew 6:9: [Yeshua answered] “Therefore, pray in this way: ‘Our Father in heaven, sanctified be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread.12 And forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’’’’
Let us concentrate on one sentence in this prayer (Matthew 6:12: And forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors).
Now, what “debt” do we seek forgiveness? A Believer should not ask for his/her mortgage (a significant debt) to be forgiven. Nations would collapse, if God canceled all legitimate debts and started giving “freebies” to the faithful. Translators have had trouble with this verse. “Debts” translates the Greek opheilema. Opheilema is a legally owed debt, as is a home mortgage in the example I used. A debt we owe God is to lead a moral life and love Him and neighbors. Yeshua was not teaching (praying for) finances and business law, however, but He referenced metaphorical debts. Such metaphorical or spiritual debts can be better interpreted as sins. God creates each of His children as sin-free creatures, but we soon succumb to Satan’s wiles and become sinful creatures (see Romans 3:23, previously cited).
I congratulate the Tree of Life Version translators for their faithful translation of verse 12b. As I remember my college Greek (the only course I actually enjoyed in college), the proper translation is forgive our sins “as we also have already forgiven our debtors,” rather than the more familiar translation, “forgive those who have sinned against us.” In other words, forgive others BEFORE seeking forgiveness for self.
Yeshua also told a Believer to reconcile him-/her-self with others BEFORE giving a gift to God. In the Scriptures, prayer is considered an offering to God placed on His altar. See Matthew 5:22a, 23-24: (Matthew 5:22: [Yeshua said] “But I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be subject to judgment…. 23 “Therefore if you are presenting your offering upon the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your offering there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.)
TO BE CONTINUED. In Part 2 (to be issued August 24), I will conclude with important consequences of my trip to “purgatory.” I hope you will make the same trip for yourself. Such trip may make your life much better. Until then, Shalom and Maranatha.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Sun10-Aug 202516th of Av, 5785
De 7:12-8:10Ez 401 Ch 181 Ti 2 (Jn 7)
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