Goodness, when I read my own quotes of my post I am amazed you could even understand what I was trying to say...I leave letters out of words, I could hardly understand what I was saying!!
I read fluent typo <chuckle>.
Can you say more in reference of how you see the fire and purgatory ?
( if you feel to, that is)
I see no other fire but God, everything came out of Him, and all will return into Him.
Your thoughts?
Sorry I have been long in answering this..it is 8pm my time and I have only just found it at the bottom of the long "New Posts" page.
No problem. "Purgatory" as I understand the "doctrine" thereof, is a place of holding in which we are tormented / punished for our sins, in so that we might enter the kingdom. A place for those not quite "good" enough, but not "bad" enough either.
@BreadOfLife may correct me if I am misrepresenting this.
In Luke 16 and in Enoch 22 there is the "good" place, Abraham's bosom / a cool bay and then there is the "bad" place(s).
When Jesus was crucified, he descended to preach to the spirits in prison. IMO that wasn't the "good" place. I personally do not see any reason that Jesus will descend into such again. Such is counter-intuitive to my so called understanding of Scripture.
In my opinion, the "doctrine" of purgatory was most likely derived from the book of Enoch. Even in Peter and some of that spoken by Jesus there is a direct reflection to the book of Enoch from my perspective.
This life, is our time of "proving" from my perspective, whether we will follow, or whether we shall rebel. Whether we shall believe and obey, or disobey which is also to disbelieve.
Is "purgatory" a possibility? Indeed. But it is not something that I subscribe unto given the warnings in Scripture. It is like saying, oh well, you can kinda believe, but if you go your way and sin, it's okay. Just serve your time in "purgatory" and your all good to go.
Just as there are those who pray for the souls of those in purgatory that their time may be shortened. Which, is not too much different really from my perspective than those who were baptized for the dead as Paul wrote.
My apologies, as this is not something that I have ever put any real thought into, my thoughts are rough.
Now as for the "fire", the "refiner's fire", that is not from my perspective some term or time in "purgatory". It is a passing through the "fire". The work of a "touchstone" so to speak.
We are refined in this life, through fire [trials]. At the end, it is our work(s) that also shall pass through the fire to see if they stand the test. Like a touchstone, which is used to test the purity. So also shall the fire reveal the purity of our works. For which, shall be the measure of the "reward" so to speak. For I know that such could be disputed.
Not many agree on Rewards...most can't see the difference between salvation and inheritance..which I find very clear all through the NT.
I agree, there is a difference. We may not agree on the finer points, however we agree upon the overall regarding that.
But that's fine...we all see though whatever filter we were first taught ... hard to break old habits or entertain something one has not thought of before.
Indeed. People tend to believe what they hear first, even in the face of evidence to the contrary.
I count myself lucky, that most of that which I think I know, comes from Scripture, and not Sunday School so to speak. I was put out of fellowship while still a young Christian, leaving me to trust "God" and His Word. Now, I am only a empty shell of what once was.
I have eaten crow so to speak many times in life through the refinement process. And probably, not for the last time.
Hopefully, my overly verbose "unrefined" reply shall help reveal my thoughts.
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