Is Purgatory Real?
By Joel Settecase / March 21, 2025
Recently I took part in a debate on the question, “Is Purgatory Real?” It was an audio debate on X (formerly Twitter). In the debate, Christian apologist Vocab Malone and Yours Truly faced off against two Roman Catholics who go by the handles “Pope Respecter” and “Sola Requiem.”
In our opening statement, we focused on three reasons why Purgatory is not real. As you will see, the first reason is the one that truly matters, but the second and third reasons are useful to know as well.
Purgatory is not in the Bible.
We begin with Matthew 12:31–32, where Jesus describes a sin that will not be forgiven either in this age or in the age to come. Does this raise the possibility of forgiveness in the age to come? No. The parallel to this, Mark 3:28–29, states that such a person “Never has forgiveness but is guilty of an eternal sin!” Also, Purgatory is happening in this age.
Next, Roman Catholics cite 1 Corinthians 3:8–15, which states that “Fire will test the quality of each man's work…” But this is talking about ministers who build upon the church’s foundation, not every Christian. Every leader’s work will be tested—not their souls—and revealed (ἀποκαλύπτεται) as to what kind it was. There is nothing here about temporal punishment, satispassion, or purgation. And it happens on the day. This is corroborated by 1 Corinthians 4:5; 1 Peter 1:6–7; and 2 Peter 3:10–13.
And countless passages militate against Purgatory. In Luke 23:43 Jesus tells the thief on the cross he will be with Him in paradise “today.” John 5:24 says those who believe in Jesus do not come into judgment (accusation). In John 19:30 Jesus declared “Τετέλεσται,” a well-known Greek legal declaration meaning “paid in full.”
Then there is Romans 4:6–8, where Paul connects God’s imputation of righteousness to Abraham by faith with David’s statement about the non-imputation of sin in Psalm 32:2. There we see that, by our faith in Christ God credits us with His righteousness and does not count our sin against us! As 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, we become the righteousness of God! The idea of temporal punishments for sin which God does not count against us is anti-biblical.
Finally, Hebrews 10:14 comforts us with the truth that “by a single offering He has made perfect for all time those who are being sanctified.” We are still being sanctified. But we are already perfect in God’s sight. And this is because, as Hebrews 1:3 says, Christ made purification for sins.
What about 2 Maccabees 12:44–46? It mentions prayers for the dead who died as idolators—a mortal sin—and would not have been in Purgatory. There is no mention of redeeming the dead or shortening the time in purgatory. Judas Maccabeeus, who made the prayers, was motivated by the Resurrection, not Purgatory. Purgatory is simply not supported by this passage.
Purgatory is not supported by Church history.
The early church offered prayers for the dead that were in contrast to modern Purgatory, without any concept of purgatorial pain.
Polycarp (69–150) opposed Purgatory. Aphrahat (270–345) opposed Purgatory. It was questioned by Augustine (ca. 400). Pope Gregory the Great (ca. 590s) supported Purgatory but did not know Greek.
Purgatory was not dogmatized until Florence in the 15th Century, which focused more on where to seat the Greek delegates than biblical exegesis! There is clearly no historical consensus, and even if there were, the consensus is nothing if it contradicts Holy Scripture.
This point is ultimately unimportant, however, since Scripture militates against Purgatory.
Purgatory does not make sense.
Purgatory is supposed to remove your attachment to sin. But you can't remove your attachment to sin without repentance. (Acts 2:38; 3:19; cf. also 1 John 1:9) And you can't repent in Purgatory!
Repentance is meritorious according to the Roman Catholic church. No meritorious acts happen in Purgatory. So Purgatory precludes you from doing the very thing needed to remove your attachment to sin. Purgatory is therefore pointless.
They may say: Purgatory is not for the unrepentant. They go to Hell. It is rather for those who have already repented in this life, who aren’t ready for Heaven. But the truly repentant do not have attachment to sin. A person without attachment to sin would not need to go to Purgatory.
So the people who go to Purgatory have no need to go to Purgatory!