Can One Be Saved and Believe in Purgatory?

[House of Light]

My answer is no. Faith in Christ...knowing that He is the only way and that he finished it is truly what faith is. What if I came to this site and professed that I believed in Christ, but I also practiced witchcraft.... Or that I believed in reincarnation as a way of being reborn but still believing in Christ? It doesn't work. We can not serve both sides. We can not serve paganisim and Christianity. The same thing for believing in purgatory..."yes I believe in Christ...but I believe he only did half a job...I need to burn off the rest of my sin...yada yada..."

[sukie72962]

Can I hijack the thread I started? I hope so.

I recently got into a discussion with a roman catholic man, three times divorced, who has one biological son. His son is an homosexual living under this man's roof with his homosexual lover. This man whom I'll refer to as DC has assured me that his parish priest said there is nothing wrong with homosexuality. Also, DC is from another much more liberal country where homosexuality is commonplace.
DC recently realized that he has no chance at ever having his lineage carried on since he has only one child who is homosexual. He arranged a sample from his son to be sent to Pakistan to fertalize approximately 12 eggs of a Pakistani woman who will carry the child to term and then give the child up to DC. DC will be raising the boy since the biological father, DC's son, is mentally 13 years of age while being physcially 21.
DC has made it clear that he told the doctor he wants a healthy male child to be conceived and once that happens, dispose of all the other fertilized eggs. The exact word he used was "kill". When I pointed out to him that it's his own grandchildren he was talking about killing he said he was a good catholic, all he had to do was go to a priest for confession and he would be forgiven. He further went on to state that whatever is bound by a priest on earth God in heaven MUST honor.
As an added bonus he believes he is the only one in his family that will go to heaven because he is the only one who attends church on a regular basis. DC hates Jews, feels that protestants are in error and believes that since the rcc claims there are 1.2 billion catholics in the world that catholics must be the ones who are right.
Now, while not everything DC is doing is supported by the rcc, it is true that they believe that God must honor the forgiveness that priests give out in confessional. When I asked DC what place Jesus has in his life he recited the apostle's creed. I pointed out that Satan believes a lot of the stuff in the creed but that doesn't make him saved and asked again what place Jesus has in his life. He's ignored me ever since.
DC believes one day he'll get to heaven via purgatory thanks to the sacraments of the rcc. In other words, he's totally lost and either he doesn't know it or won't admit it.
The catholic church and it's doctrine is dangerous to men's souls. It claims to offer salvation through works and through priests ability to make God subject to their will. But what it actually gives is blindness, death and destruction.
I have so many family members that believe in purgatory. They never pray, never open a Bible, never attend church, never listen to any Bible preacher but they're all sure that eventually, via purgatory, they are going to make their way to heaven. Why are they so sure they're going to go to purgatory and then heaven? It's because they were sprinkled when they were babes in arms.
How much longer must the world endure the rcc? How many souls must it have sent to hell and how many more will it take with it? Over this, I am despondent.

This is so terribly sad. The RCC has led and is leading so many to hell, they claim the name of Christ but teach their own version of the gospel without including Christ in it except as a way of hedging their bets. The saddest is that they truly believe they are going to heaven based on lies that men have told them.

[Buzzardhut]

This is so terribly sad. The RCC has led and is leading so many to hell, they claim the name of Christ but teach their own version of the gospel without including Christ in it except as a way of hedging their bets. The saddest is that they truly believe they are going to heaven based on lies that men have told them.

[davidswife]

I am concerned about that myself. Someone I loved very much, years ago was a very devout catholic and very sincere in her faith. I know she loved God and Jesus but she was also decieved. I pray she made it. I really miss her. In my mind I try to imagine seeing her in Heaven. I heard she died and I'm not in that family anymore.

[Buzzardhut]

I am concerned about that myself. Someone I loved very much, years ago was a very devout catholic and very sincere in her faith. I know she loved God and Jesus but she was also decieved. I pray she made it. I really miss her. In my mind I try to imagine seeing her in Heaven. I heard she died and I'm not in that family anymore.

that encourages me even more to share the real gospel of Jesus with those still alive

[happycamper]

Gal 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
Gal 1:7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
Gal 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

I am also a former catholic and I have some close catholic friends and family members. What worries me the most about their situation is the possibility that although they call him Jesus, they are worshiping a "different" god - not the true Jesus as we know Him. In the case of purgatory, their "god" is not powerful enough to cover all their sins - so therefore it makes him a different god. What does this mean about their salvation? I cannot possibly say, only God knows - but it is not a situation I want anyone I know to be in!

Catholics also point to the fact that their religion dates back to the time shortly after Christ, but it is important to point out to them that Paul wrote this around 50 AD and some churches were already perverting the gospel, so the time of the catholic churches establishment means nothing.

Prayer is the key because as I know too well, it is nearly impossible to witness to a catholic.

[cotton]

It is wirh great trepedation that I post the following questions. I was just reading a story. That led me to some questions. I am not trying to be a smart alack. My questions are real and not intended to questions anyones salvation. The story, A Guy started out non-denonional and at age 13 accepted Christ, said the sinners prayer and was saved. (OSAS) At 20 became a Methodist, then a Lutheran, then a Baptist, and is now a Roman Catholic. Does he have any hope of salvation? From the story it does not sound as if he knows much about any of the "faiths" he professed then or now. Are we saved by what we know intellectually or by Faith that Jesus's life, death, and resurrection are our only hope? What if we harbor one incorrect belief? For instance: Think that it's ok to baptise babies, think the Lord is actually in the Lord's supper, Think that Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit are 3 time frames of God, or have some other misunderstanding of the mystery of an awsome God? Will trust in God result in forgiveness even of an important misbelief? Some replies on this tread lead me to think that God could allow a person to think there was a purgatory and still go to heaven, while other replies seem to indicate that unless one's beliefs are absolutly correct , there is no hope of salvation. Does our salvation lie in our intellect and our understanding or in our reliance in and on the Lord Jesus Christ, His Grace and His mercy? RC's believe in venieal and Mortal sins. Are there venieal sin beliefs that are forgivable, and Mortal sin beliefs that condem the believer to Hell even if He/She trusts in Jesus as God's only salvation? If so which beliefs are unforgivable and which just unfortunate? ( I'd think the belief that Jesus was not God, not Devine, just a good teacher might qualify for damnation as the Bible says- He that believes and is baptised shall be saved, he that believeth not shall be dammed.) If only our correct understanding provides salvation, then how can I hope to be saved as each day I learn/understand a little more then I did the day before. I know for sure that in this life I can never come to total understanding of God. As I read and study His word I gain new understanding. My Mom is 94 and she still is gaining new understanding, and correcting former misunderstanding. I surely hope that God understands and forgives even my misbeliefs since Jesus died on the cross for all of my sins and failures and I trust Him to be my advocate and my salvation.

[His Bride]

Gal 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
Gal 1:7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
Gal 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

I am also a former catholic and I have some close catholic friends and family members. What worries me the most about their situation is the possibility that although they call him Jesus, they are worshiping a "different" god - not the true Jesus as we know Him. In the case of purgatory, their "god" is not powerful enough to cover all their sins - so therefore it makes him a different god. What does this mean about their salvation? I cannot possibly say, only God knows - but it is not a situation I want anyone I know to be in!

Catholics also point to the fact that their religion dates back to the time shortly after Christ, but it is important to point out to them that Paul wrote this around 50 AD and some churches were already perverting the gospel, so the time of the catholic churches establishment means nothing.

Prayer is the key because as I know too well, it is nearly impossible to witness to a catholic.

The Catholic Jesus is not the Jesus of the Bible.....