RomeSweetHome wrote:Aieno Wrote

Are you assuming Onesiphorus is dead because Paul indicates he is no longer traveling with Paul or can you site a source that states Onesiphrous is dead when this was written?

As to the Hebrews reference our works will be tested by fire and those who are not found in Christ are destined for the lake of fire. Neither of these verses establishes praying for the dead in purgatory. "the Lord grant to him to find mercy from the Lord on that day" is rather vague. On what day? The day of judgment? If this is your thinking then every soul of man is waiting in "purgatory" for that day, as judgment and our rewards are in the future.

Not only Catholics believe in this final purification, but the Eastern Orthodox do as well though they often do not use the term "purgatory" for it, as do Orthodox Jews. In fact, to this day, when a Jewish person's loved one dies, he prays a prayer known as the Mourner's Qaddish for eleven months after the death for the loved one's purification.

Because the doctrine of purgatory was held by pre-Christian Jews, post-Christian Jews, Catholics, and Eastern Orthodox, nobody thought of denying it until the Protestant Reformation, and thus only Protestants deny it today.

On another thread you state the Jews have started a new religion because they rejected the Messiah. And now you are appealing to Orthodox Jews to establish a false doctrine.

Heb 1:3

3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
KJV

Heb 10:2

2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
KJV

2 Peter 1:9

9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
KJV

Col 2:13-15
13 And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him. NAS

Christ's finished work on the cross eliminated, paid for, cancelled, and etc. all reasons for us to be purged in this life or the next. This is the essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Purgatory is a Greek concept. If the Jews practice a form of prayer for the dead it is because they no longer have the animal sacrifices to purge (atone) them of their sins. We have the last and sufficient sacrifice to purge us of all our sins!

Rom 8:1-2
8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. NAS