Common Objections

Catholic Outlook

Catholic Outlook

Catholic Outlook

Catholic Outlook

__________ Purgatory __________

“Paul taught that when Christians die they go immediately to be with Christ. There is no Purgatory.”

Gary Hoge

Actually, what Paul wrote was, “We are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). Obviously, Paul was simply stating his preference, not establishing a soteriological doctrine. He would rather be at home with the Lord than remain in the body. Who wouldn’t? But unfortunately, his statement of preference has been twisted by some into a statement of equivalence: “to be away from the body is to be home with the Lord.” 

But that’s not what Paul said. And what he did say does not in any way preclude the possibility of Purgatory, which is simply the final sanctification of the elect. On the contrary, elsewhere Paul wrote that there were some who “shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (1 Corinthians 3:15).