ArchivedIdolatry in ChristianityLoki, the Bishop of Constantinople and the Eastern Patriarchs pretty much controlled the early church councils so it is not surprising that the Catholic and Orthodox faiths have similar doctrines. As much as the Catholic Church would like to make us believe the Bishop of Rome was always in control of Christianity this is simply there revisionist attempt to change history since unbiased histories demonstrate the Bishop of Rome did not have total control of the early church.
As to tradition: Colossians 2:8-15
8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. 9 For in Him all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; 11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; 12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him. NAS
1 Peter 1:13-21
13 Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." 17 And if you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each man's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay upon earth; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 20 For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you 21 who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. NAS
So what are “traditions of men” and “life inherited from your forefathers”? Would you agree that both include any doctrine that contradicts God’s perfect revealed word? If you agree with this statement then lets take a look at the doctrine of purgatory. Matthew 5:25-26
25 "Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, in order that your opponent may not deliver you to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 "Truly I say to you, you shall not come out of there, until you have paid up the last cent. NAS
Matthew 18:34-35
34 "And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. 35 "So shall My heavenly Father also do to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart." NAS
Luke 12:58-59
58 "For while you are going with your opponent to appear before the magistrate, on your way there make an effort to settle with him, in order that he may not drag you before the judge, and the judge turn you over to the constable, and the constable throw you into prison. 59 "I say to you, you shall not get out of there until you have paid the very last cent." NAS
Revelation 21:27
27 and nothing unclean and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, NAS
2 Maccabees 12:43-46
43
He then took up a collection among all his soldiers, amounting to two thousand silver drachmas, which he sent to Jerusalem to provide for an expiatory sacrifice. In doing this he acted in a very excellent and noble way, inasmuch as he had the resurrection of the dead in view;
44
for if he were not expecting the fallen to rise again, it would have been useless and foolish to pray for them in death.
45
But if he did this with a view to the splendid reward that awaits those who had gone to rest in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought.
46
Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be freed from this sin.
http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/2maccabe ... bees12.htm
These are a few of the Scriptures used to establish purgatory as a valid doctrine, however what Catholicism and those who believe in purgatory ignore are these: Colossians 2:13-15
13 And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him. NAS
Hebrews 1:1-5
1:1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. 3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high; 4 having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they. 5 For to which of the angels did He ever say,
"Thou art My Son,
Today I have begotten Thee"?
And again,
"I will be a Father to Him
And He shall be a Son to Me"?
NAS
In the KJV “purification” is rendered as “purged”. Also read Revelation 21:27 in full and not just one phrase taken out of context: Revelation 21:24-27
24 And the nations shall walk by its light, and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory into it. 25 And in the daytime (for there shall be no night there) its gates shall never be closed; 26 and they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it; 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. NAS
2 Maccabees dates to about 40 B.C. and was written by a Pharisee since the Sadducees denied the resurrection of the dead, which make purgatory pure nonsense and a traditional Jewish belief that was not accepted by all Jews and therefore falls within the traditions of the Jews that Jesus adamantly taught against. Also read 2 Maccabees 12:46. No human can atone for the sins of anyone.
Purgatory denies the efficacy of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and contradicts Biblical truth.
As to theologians, they are not always in search of truth. Most theologians are out to support their own doctrinal stance. Every theologian you cited was Catholic; have you read Protestant theologians or those theologians whose goal is to deny the inerrancy of Scripture?
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