Still Praying for the Souls of Deceased Loved Ones in Purgatory?

It's Chinese Ghost Month and some Chinese-Filipino syncretists have combined the Chinese superstition with Roman Catholic doctrine. How often it is to see a Chinese-Filipino Catholic who is also a member of a Taoist temple and a Buddhist temple? Some Taoist interpreters I know also attend masses in the Roman Catholic institution. A family I knew who ran a Taoist temple all have their children marry in a Catholic style wedding. Some Chinese Catholics get married Catholic style where they get a Taoist master to choose the "best date" for their marriage. So why am I not getting surprised to read obituaries during the Chinese Ghost Month where Catholic-Filipinos Chinese (and maybe other ethnic Chinese Catholics worldwide) often request for prayers for their deceased loved ones held in Roman Catholic parishes and Buddhist temples. In my case, I remembered my deceased loved ones had a nine-day Novena followed by a Buddhist temple ceremony later on. Sadly, after the Novena and after the Buddhist prayer - every deceased person without Jesus still goes to Hell after all the useless rituals!

What is the doctrine of Purgatory? For starters, it's not about giving the dead a second chance. CARM.org defines Purgatory as follows:

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1030, "All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation, but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven." 

The Second Vatican Council, p. 63, says, "The truth has been divinely revealed that sins are followed by punishments. God's holiness and justice inflict them. Sins must be expiated. This may be done on this earth through the sorrows, miseries, and trials of this life and, above all, through death. Otherwise, the expiation must be made in the next life through fire and torments or purifying punishments." 

This process of purification occurs in a place designated by the Catholic church as purgatory. According to Catholic doctrine, purgatory is not supposed to be a place of punishment but of purification. The nature of this purification, according to different Catholic theologians, ranges from an extreme awareness of loss to an intense, excruciatingly painful "purifying fire." 

According to Roman Catholic Doctrine, though a person may be in a state of grace, he may not enter heaven until he is purified from sins that were not dealt with on earth. Baptism remits sins committed up to that point; but prayers, indulgences, penance, absolution, and the Mass are means by which the sinner is able to expiate sins committed after baptism. If sins are not remitted, after death he must suffer the flames of purification until he is sufficiently cleansed and pure so as to enter into the presence of God. Additionally, intercession can be made by Catholics on behalf of those who are presently in purgatory. This is also done through saying the Mass, certain acts of penance, saying the Rosary, or by indulgences where the benefit is applied to the dead in purgatory. 

But purgatory is not for everyone. Baptized infants who have died before the age of accountability and Catholic saints who lived such holy lives are excused from the "purifying fires." 

The length of time that someone must suffer in this state is never known, but it is considered to be proportional to the nature and severity of the sins committed. Therefore, it could be anywhere from a few hours to millions of years.

So that means if the person is dead in the grace of God - the person must still undergo purification before they can truly enter the joy of Heaven. The doctrine of Purgatory or praying for deceased loved ones who died in God's grace is not in the Bible. Does that mean that  John 19:30 is wrong? Jesus said, "It is finished!" It's really something Roman Catholics celebrate Good Friday and even listen to the seven last words said over and over again but can't get it that it's already finished. Purgatory also adds works to faith when it's faith resulting in works. 

The doctrine of Purgatory has become a rather terrible gold mine. One of the most denied things in history has been the scandal of the indulgences by Johannes Tetzel. A coin in the coffer clings - a soul from Purgatory springs. What Martin Luther wanted to protest was that salvation is not for sale. People started giving their possessions and giving more money to buy indulgences. The indulgences were meant to be the forgiveness of sins to shorten their time in Purgatory. 

CARM.org's article "Does purgatory deny the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice?" also says this:

Jesus bore our sins in His body, paid the penalty for them, and died. He said, "It is finished." In Greek, the phrase, "It is finished" is one word, tetelestai. In ancient Greek papyri texts that were receipts for taxes, when a debt was paid in full, the word tetelestai was written on the document. This meant that the debt had been paid in full. In other words, Jesus had finished the work of atonement. But not only atonement (to make amends, to make right), but also of propitiation (turning away God's wrath). He had fully paid the debt invoked by the sinner. There was nothing more to be done... It was finished. 

Yet, the doctrine of Purgatory, in effect, is saying that we must suffer in Purgatory for sins not covered by baptism and not covered by the cross. It is to say that the work of Christ is not finished and that there are things we must do to complete the sacrificial, cleansing work of Christ. This amounts to earning heaven by our good works, albeit a work of suffering. Additionally, the doctrine of Purgatory implies that a person must atone for his own sins. It implies that the person must do more than what the Law of God requires of him. This is called supererogation. 

When Jesus said, "It is finished," all that was necessary for the atonement was concluded and all in Christ were justified. We cannot complete or add to Christ's work through our suffering. Purgatory is not only unnecessary but also it contradicts God's Word.

What becomes so sad is when I remember how long it's been since so and so has died without Christ. I could think about how long it's been since people died. Somebody was dead for 30 years, 65 years, 92 years, and the number can get bigger and bigger. Masses are still offered for their eternal repose and when the priest (who claims to save souls) is asked, "How many more prayers?" The answer becomes, "I don't know." Assurance is a doctrine Rome hates because it will cut away their supply of easy money. Just think how often payment is required before a mass can start.

In the book Truth Encounter (written by a real former Roman Catholic priest named Anthony Pezzotta) - these very disturbing truths:

Unlike the Middle Ages, most indulgences appropriated today are not bought or sold directly. But many do involve monetary exchanges such as the purchase of images or prayer beads that are used for prayer and penance. The most blatant form of selling indulgences still being practiced today is the stipend received by the "church" to secure a mass for the living or for the dead. No priest is allowed to celebrate the sacrifice of the mass unless an intention/stipend has been given. 

I have observed that wealthy Roman Catholics have many masses said for them in several different cathedrals after they die. I have observed that the poor do not. They simply cannot afford it! Do you think that a holy God would endorse such a scheme? How does such a practice reflect on the justice of God?

The sad truth is that many masses are said. Yet, even after how many masses - what time is it? There's not one single speck of hope that any doomed sinner who died without Christ, as their only Lord and Savior, will ever escape Hell. Every lost sinner dead without Christ will be damned without Christ! Yes, they are burning but not in Purgatory but in Hell. There's no other alternative. Trusting in the sacraments and the priest for grace is not grace but false hope. This is the sad truth but it's said out of love for many who may get mad for this but it's done out of love.