Purgatory Part 1

Purgatory is a Roman Catholic doctrine that has been challenged by Protestants. Roman Catholics use scripture to sight this doctrine, but Protestants believe Roman Catholics are merely reading into the text something that isn't there. This is why perspective matters. You can make scripture say just about anything you want it to say and fool people who haven't diligently studied the scripture. The story of the unmerciful servant in Matthew 18 is one such case. Roman Catholics call the prison cell in this story, "The debtor's prison". The unmerciful servant from the Matthew 18 story was thrown into this prison cell until he should pay off the debt in it's entirety. Roman Catholics see this as a chance to finally exit this prison and be free. One big problem with this analysis is that the symbolism is meant to show us that the debt won't get paid because we're not good enough in our own righteousness to make this payment.

“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt.  But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. Then summoning him, his lord said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.” - Matthew 18:23-35