Is Purgatory Biblical? Part 1

Purgatory: what is it, where is it, and most importantly... is it Biblical?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) (1) states that Purgatory is a real place that someone can go after they die. This means according to the CCC, there are 3 possible destinations for the dead: Heaven, Purgatory, and Hell. Other sects of Christianity, however, disagree with the doctrine of Purgatory such as Protestants.

So, is Purgatory Biblical?

The CCC (2) states, "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 Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned. The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. the tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire: As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come."

Catholic Answers states, "1 Corinthians 3:11-15 may well be the most straightforward text in all of Sacred Scripture when it comes to Purgatory" (4).

1 Corinthians 3:11-15, "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames." (NIV)

This verse is without a doubt talking about God's judgement. However, which of God's judgments is it referring to? One judgment is found in Revelation 20:11-15, also known as the Great White Throne Judgment.

However, these verses refer to not the Great White Throne Judgment, but rather the Judgement Seat of Christ, as shown in 2 Corinthians 5:10, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for things done while in the body, whether good or bad" (NIV).

Analysis: If a Believer does good deeds (also known as works), 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 states that if the works were done with the motive of Christ alone (such as spreading the Gospel for the spotlight to be on Christ), these works will be rewarded. However, if a Believer tries to do things or adds to motives, and therefore the motive of the deed is not based on Christ alone (such as preaching the Gospel for the spotlight to be on the individual and not Christ), then these works are burned, and the Believer does not receive a reward for these works... thus, "the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved". The loss is the work was done in vain, but because the individual has faith in Christ, they are still saved.


Jesus says in Matthew 25:31-46, "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." (NIV)

Jesus states that those who are saved will be placed on His right as sheep to go to Heaven, and those on His left as goats to be condemned to Hell. There is no in-between.


Works Cited

(1) Catechism of the Catholic Church - IntraText. (2025). Vatican.va. https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P2N.HTM#

(2) CCC 1030-1031

(3) Catholic Answers. (2018, November 19). What is Purgatory? Catholic Answers; Catholic Answers. https://www.catholic.com/tract/purgatory

(4) Staples, T. (2014). Is Purgatory in the Bible? Catholic Answers. https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/is-purgatory-in-the-bible
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