#12183 If Jesus Paid for Our Sins, Why Do Catholics Believe in Purgatory? - Karlo Broussard

Catholic Answers Live

If Christ’s death paid the full price for our sins, why do Catholics still teach purgatory? In this episode, we break down common objections using Scripture and tradition—explaining why purgatory isn’t a rejection of Christ’s sacrifice, but a deepening of its transformative power.

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Questions Covered:

• 05:42 – Where is “purgatory” in the Bible?
• 12:50 – Catholics appeal to 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 for purgatory. But Paul doesn’t say the person is tested by fire. Rather, he teaches “works” are tested by fire.
• 16:52 – Catholics appeal to Jesus’ teaching about the unforgivable sin not being forgiven in this age or in the age to come in Matthew 12:32. But all Jesus meant by this is that the unpardonable sin is never forgiven, as Mark’s version makes clear in 3:29.
• 22:10 – Does the doctrine of purgatory contradict the Bible’s teaching on the immediacy of heaven after death (“to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord”)?
• 29:30 – Didn’t Jesus tell the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with me in paradise”? Doesn’t that disprove purgatory?
• 35:40 – Doesn’t the Bible teach that there are only two eternal destinies: heaven or hell?
• 39:55 – Didn’t Jesus’ death on the cross fully pay for all our sins? Why would additional purification be needed?
• 48:34 – Isn’t the idea of purgatory a denial of justification by faith alone?
• 49:55 – Why would a loving God punish believers after death if they’re already saved?

Chapters

1. Where is “purgatory” in the Bible? (00:05:42)

2. Catholics appeal to 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 for purgatory. But Paul doesn’t say the person is tested by fire. Rather, he teaches “works” are tested by fire. (00:12:50)

3. Catholics appeal to Jesus’ teaching about the unforgivable sin not being forgiven in this age or in the age to come in Matthew 12:32. But all Jesus meant by this is that the unpardonable sin is never forgiven, as Mark’s version makes clear in 3:29. (00:16:52)

4. Does the doctrine of purgatory contradict the Bible’s teaching on the immediacy of heaven after death (“to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord”)? (00:22:10)

5. Didn’t Jesus tell the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with me in paradise”? Doesn’t that disprove purgatory? (00:29:30)

6. Doesn’t the Bible teach that there are only two eternal destinies: heaven or hell? (00:35:40)

7. Didn’t Jesus’ death on the cross fully pay for all our sins? Why would additional purification be needed? (00:39:55)

8. Isn’t the idea of purgatory a denial of justification by faith alone? (00:48:34)

9. Why would a loving God punish believers after death if they’re already saved? (00:49:55)