Date

5-23-2025

Department

Rawlings School of Divinity

Degree

Master of Arts in Biblical Studies (MA)

Chair

James A Mann

Keywords

Intermediate State, Heaven, Purgatory, Third Heaven, New Heaven and New Earth, Revelation

Disciplines

Christianity

Abstract

The Bible is the believed, canonical, complete message of God. It teaches morals, values, ethics, virtues, righteousness, truths, and salvation. Every part of life can and should be guided by the words of God for the purpose of accomplishing His final goal. God’s goal for his creation is to achieve through salvation and His grace dwelling with Him in His New Earth and New Heavens. To accomplish this, God created people to be immortal. Within this immortality, death plays an integral part. Because God begins His creation with a defining statement of how it all started, God facilitates an understanding that the creation will exist within the parameters of His desired, orderly time. Furthermore, humankind will constantly exist in one of God’s designed states of being. People will live on Earth, die, exist in the Intermediate State after death but before final judgement, and then live eternally in paradise with Him.

Unfortunately, not all states of being are easily discerned. Specifically, confusion exists as to what purpose God has for existence after death but before the final judgement. Some believe this stage of immortality, known as the Intermediate State, is just a stopping place or holding place where the soul or spirit resides until the completion of the New Earth and New Heavens. However, others believe the Intermediate State is a place called Purgatory where believers are further cleansed of sin so the goal of living with God forever is accomplished. Within this difference of opinions lies the dilemma of whether the Bible specifically describes the existence of the Intermediate State and if so to what purpose is its existence.

Understandably, believers in Purgatory and non-believers disagree as to whether Purgatory is identified in Scripture. Incidentally, the believers in Purgatory believe church tradition along with Scripture delivers the message of Purgatory’s existence. Therefore, the main conflict for the debate concerning Purgatory’s proof is whether without the influence of church tradition, Purgatory is witnessed in Scripture. In other words, the discussion concerns if tradition, handed down through generations orally, is the only way to prove Purgatory, or is it and must it be found in Scripture? Although Christian’s differ in opinion, some, Catholic believers especially, consider tradition essential, and insist Scripture identifies Purgatory’s reality.

Therefore, this review will first establish that the Intermediate State does exist. Identifying the Intermediate State starts with identifying the final Heaven and knowing that all human dwelling locations are included in what is known as The Kingdom of God. Secondly the analysis will assert Purgatory is not found in any biblical message. In addition, it will conclude that oral tradition has an impact on how Scripture is understood. Lastly, searching Scripture shows that the Intermediate State’s purpose is not directl

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