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Thank you for taking the time to respond so completely. I, however, remain unconvinced of this doctrine of "Purgatory" nor of even the need of an intermediate place for the redeemed by grace between this earthly life and our heavenly eternal home. This resistance, I hope you see, is not based upon a rejection of Catholic doctrine simply based on stubbornness, but a 40 year plus study of Scripture. This study included a degree from a Bible college, years in different ministries and continuing personal study.

My disagreement with this doctrine boils down simply to my understanding of the atonement, of grace, of the purpose of faith, the mercy of Almighty God and his promises from Scripture that repeatedly confirm our standing in Christ after our personal acceptance of him as savior. To me, to believe in any temporal place whereby a born-again believer in Jesus Christ must spend time to be cleansed from even minor sins - as if God really differentiates sin - is counter to the entire concept of the blood of Christ cleansing us from all sin. Either this scripture is wrong or it is truth. I don't see any wiggle room here. I think some of the early "Church Fathers" had too much time on their hands and delighted so much in their philosophical arguments with each other and the secular minds of the day that they missed the "simplicity that is in Christ".

You wrote:

“... an intermediate place...”

“To me, to believe in any temporal place whereby a born-again believer in Jesus Christ must spend time...”

Purgatory is not a place. It is not a temporal place. There is no time there at all.