Whether you’re a member of the Greek Orthodox Church or not, you’ll be interested to know that purgatory isn’t a practice of theirs. Rather, it is a practice of Protestantism. In fact, many Protestants, particularly Catholics, have long held the belief that purgatory is a place where those who die in their sins are punished. But is purgatory a place where the ‘brand of fire’ is plucked from the earth?
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Hell is retributive, punitive, tormenting, destructive, and everlasting
Traditionally, hell is viewed as a place of literal everlasting punishment for the wicked. This view has been a major stumbling block for believers, and a powerful weapon against those who are trying to discredit the Christian message.
The traditional view of hell depends heavily on a dualistic view of human nature. This is a view that views death as the cessation of life for the whole person.
This is not a view of the Bible, and is a misconception of human nature. In fact, the Biblical view of human nature is a far cry from the dualistic view.
One major problem with the traditional view of hell is the inconsistency with the biblical depiction of the end times. According to the traditional view, a person’s sins are punished in a literal, everlasting, and unending fire. This is a view that is difficult to reconcile with the prophetic picture of a new heaven and a new earth.
Aerial toll-houses
Until recently, there was no official doctrine of Aerial Toll Houses in the Eastern Orthodox Church. Although some Orthodox accept this doctrine, it has not been widely accepted by the Orthodox community. However, it has been accepted by a few schismatic groups and some priests. In recent years, some schismatic groups have been re-integrated into full communion.
Toll Houses are symbolic places where demons accuse souls of sins. The soul then must pass through twenty different toll houses. Each toll house has demons devoted to specific sins. If the soul is unclean, the demons take it to hell. If it is cleansed, the demons erase the sins from their records.
This tradition is present in the lives of many Church Fathers. There are mentions in the lives of saints and in hymnology. The Orthodox Church has a rich and varied tradition. However, this book only captures a part of the tradition.
Prayer for the dead vs defense for purgatory
During the Middle Ages, Christians were plagued by the fear of death. This fear led to a widespread belief in the existence of purgatory, which was defined as a place where the souls of the departed are freed from sin.
There are several passages in the Bible that bear directly on the issue of prayers for the dead. One of these is found in St. Paul’s Epistles. The authors of the passages endorse the use of prayers for the dead and recommend them to the dead.
The Catholic Church adds an official intercession to the person who performs indulgenced works. It also beseeches God to apply superabundant satisfactions of Christ to the souls of the dead.
It is not difficult to defend the doctrine of prayers for the dead. However, it is not easy to defend purgatory. The question of whether it exists has been discussed throughout the centuries.
‘Brand plucked from the fire’ does not refer to purgatory since Joshua was alive on earth
‘Brand plucked from the fire’ does not mean purgatory, as Joshua was still alive on earth. He was not confined to it, as the rest of the Bible makes clear.
As the high priest, he was intercessory and bears a representative character. He confessed the sins of Israel on behalf of the people’s lot. This allowed Satan to take advantage of his position.
A similar statement is found in the vision of the ephah. It shows a religious iniquity that was taken away. The word “light” may refer to centuries of Jewish suffering, after Titus took the city. The vision also shows moral transgressions of the Jews.
The prophet looks ahead to a time when Jehovah will come with the holy ones. They will have a new relationship with the Lord. The Jews will have been converted. They will also be exposed to nations.
If and when they become saints, death has no power over them
Among the hundreds of religions that claim to be the one true church, the Catholic Church is a tad different. Although there are about 2000 candidates being screened for canonization today, not all of them are deemed worthy of sainthood. The process is a little more complex than you may think. In fact, it has been said that only a fraction of the Catholic Church’s approximately 3,000 members have been officially canonized.
The word saint may seem like a oxymoron in this case, but there are a number of reasons for the reluctance of the Catholic Church to recognize its most deserving members. For example, it is not uncommon for a Catholic to have an unorthodox belief about a person, which is why the church has a process of sorts to determine who deserves sainthood.
