The Dilemma of the Christian Jerk:
I'll start with an observation about myself. Many times my first mental reaction to things can be judgmental, selfish, harsh, impatient, and skeptical. Being a sinner doesn’t just mean that I do bad things, but I also think bad things and desire bad things. Sin changes us on a very deep level. However, I know that Jesus has forgiven me for all of these things and He will take me to Heaven. If you're a sinner like me, perhaps the same applies to you.
But then I read passages like Revelation 21:27, which emphatically says that “nothing unclean” will enter before the presence of God in Heaven. I recognize that I may be forgiven, but is my heart free from all uncleanliness? I wouldn’t say so.
Psalm 24:3-4 says the only people who can ascend the mountain of the Lord are "the clean of hand and pure of heart". And I could tell you my hands are not clean, and my heart is far from pure.
Lastly then there is Hebrews 12:14 which say we must “strive for the holiness without which no one will see God." Again, I look at myself and recognize that despite being forgiven for my transgressions, I’m very, very far from perfect holiness.
So let's suppose I die tomorrow, what happens to me? The Scriptures assure me that I'm a sinner who is bound for Heaven. But they also tell me that I can’t be a sinner when I’m there. So… it would seem that something has to happen between here and there. Something that purifies me, prepares me, perfects me, and makes me suitable to stand before God.
The Resolution:
The next question is: Is such a change reflected in Scripture? Well… yeah! In several places.
If you turn to Hebrews 12:23, you’ll see the author describing Heaven as God’s holy mountain, which is populated by the angels and the “spirits of the righteous made perfect.”
The most explicit passage is 1Corinthians 3:12-15. In this passage, Paul compares our souls to a building which is built on the foundation of Christ. Then he says that at our judgment, that building will be tried by fire. Anything which isn’t made of Godly materials will be burned up, leaving only the good stuff.
That is why Catholics have often associated this process of final purification to a refiner’s fire. This fire should not be confused with the fire of eternal punishment, but something more like what is described in Hebrews 12:29 – which compares God’s love to an all-consuming fire.
A Rose By Any Other Name:
That’s pretty much it. In summary: Those who are incorporated into the body of Christ are promised eternal life with God. However, we are still very imperfect people - and will likely continue to be till our final day. We’re also told that we will be perfect when we reach that eternal state. Therefore some kind of change is logically necessary – a purification. That purification is a final pouring out of God’s love and mercy on our souls.
The Catholic Church calls this event “Purgatory”, but you can call it whatever you like.
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