Salvation for the Dead (A Practical Guide)

[Spiritfilled]

The following practice is based on the premise that in order for Christ’s redemptive work of salvation to be complete, salvation must reach to all humans in all places of all times.

It is common practice for the dead in purgatory to obtain indulgence from God through the Catholic Church for remission of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven (C.C.C., X. Indulgences). So, in other words, the Catholic Church intervenes for the individual by asking Father God, who stores up our good works, to apply some of them in lieu of punishment due to sins. But these indulgences are limited to those who die in the communion of saints - the faithful dead only.

The Churches fail to teach the complete redemptive work of Christ. The Gospel message of salvation must reach to all humans in all places of all times.

Mark 16:15. He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation."

We must learn to search scripture with the loving heart of Christ 

Lamentations 3:31-30. For no one is cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone.

Jesus descended into hell for three days to deliver the faithful dead with His sacrificial blood atonement.

1 Peter 4:6. For this reason the gospel was preached also to the dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in spirit.

Jesus now holds the keys to death and Hades. The unfaithful dead in hell can be saved. Otherwise, the redemptive work of Christ would not be complete and we fall short of the glory of God. 

Revelations 1:18. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

Our good works can be offered up to Christ as atonement for the sins of those who died without faith and are now in hell. Atonement is necessary because they did not have faith in their lifetimes. This completes the gospel work of salvation. To say otherwise, is to cut short the redemptive work of Christ.

2 Maccabees 12:46. Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be freed from this sin.

It is all the same for God to free prisoners in this world from their captives as it is for Christ to free prisoners from their captives in the spirit world.

Zechariah 9:11. As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit.

And Christ will free prisoners in hell through you because of the blood of the covenant He has with you. This is a blessing bestowed upon us by our Lord.

And, it is by the power of God that salvation (divine restoration of the soul upon death) is made for us and the dead.

1 Corinthians 1:18. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Let’s not fail to see the significance of being able to offer up our goods works as atonement for the sins of the lost souls in hell. Your family, friends and even strangers who died without faith can have their souls restored (salvaged) by the divine power of Christ and be with God, Jesus, the angels, family and friends in heaven. Again, atonement is made by offering up some of our good works to the one and only risen King. One must be in good standing with God and have the door closed to all unhealthy spirits before atonement will be accepted. Although, atonement is required for the forgiveness of the sins of the unfaithful dead in hell, it is still by the Lord’s sacrifice that heaven and hell is open and the glory goes to Father God and His Son, Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:19. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.

The offering up of good works to Christ as atonement for sins of those who died without faith is the only true way that Christ’s redemptive work of salvation is complete. This is a necessary component in our Lord’s work. Jesus is mighty to save and He will stretch His staff down to the very depths of hell to save souls.

In conclusion, this, my friends, is the most loving thing you can do for these poor, lost souls. And, may God bless you for such an undertaking.

[tariki]

Thank you.

I would seek to emphasise reciprocation, a sharing, a recognition of our own darkness. 

Speaking in terms of those with faith and then the "faithless", the "saved" and the "lost", even the alive and the dead, is for me divisive. 

"Protecting oneself, one protects others

Protecting others, one protects oneself"

Again, I feel disturbed in being asked to offer up good works.  But each to their own.

Reciprocation is on-going, unending. As Thomas Merton said, we are already "one" yet do not see it. "We must be that which we already are". 

[thormas]

This doesn't speak to me at all and hasn't since I was a little kid in Catholic schools. Such a belief misses the Christian understanding that God's forgiveness is freely given, it does not have to be earned. Nor does one have to 'work off' a sentence of punishment given by God. Such a view also persists in the belief that God is a Divine Person who must be appeased and demands his pound of flesh from men and women - some of whom have been weighed down, defeated by life but not being perfect still have to 'do time' in purgatory. Didn't they pay enough in this life? And, where is purgatory? 

Simply consider the Prodigal Son: the Father is always there, waiting for the son to turn back and once done, that Father gives no thought to punishment for past sins, rather he rejoices, throws a party and scolds the older son who does not understand. This is the model.

Man becomes truly Human by Loving (image and likeness of God): this is the only way 'To Be'  and to Live. If man does not love, if he 'misses the mark' (sins), there is 'nothing:' he/she does not have Life (Oneness). Yet the Father waits, I think for all time until each and every man/woman Returns. Only then is the 'redemptive work' complete. 

But what if one (as most probably do) dies without fully turning and before they become truly Human? Some theologians have suggested that life 'continues' as one further 'purges' him/herself of sin/self-centeredness and becomes Love. In this, the purging is not a place to go, it is something to do, something to be. Yet the Father waits 'until hell freezes over' :+}. Some theologians believe that there is no hell or that it is not eternal; only 'heaven' (One with/in Divinity) is eternal. That is the point and the destiny of creation.

Obviously there is no way to prove anything in this thread, yet the Prodigal Son parable seems to allow for such a belief in Life Eternal/Oneness for all - without punishment.

Note: it is interesting to wonder if the purging of selfishness continues after death, even though the emphasis is on something to do, not some place to go - how/where does this occur? The answers that some theologians have given include reincarnation to this place, or other worlds in which we still have bodies because we are bodily creatures and since it is not a holding cell but a life to be lived and actualized, we need bodies to live. I have no idea and actually no opinion as the mind begins to boggle. I simply accept the ideas contained in the Prodigal Son story and leave the details to God - as I/we have enough to contend with in this life, with these bodies.

 

Edited October 28, 2017 by thormas

[JosephM]

Scott, I noticed you are posting the same exact  material on a number of different Christian forums. While we appreciate those who start threads of interest to other members, i would ask that you refrain from the appearance of spamming numerous sites with the same exact material. Perhaps you can make your opening posts more of a discussion than a personal teaching and follow up with  responses to your posts.

Thanks for your attention to this.

JosepM(as Admin)