What would a Protestant discussion be like without an objection to the existence of Purgatory?

I don’t know. I’ve had many discussions with Protestants and it ranks right up there with, “Where is the Pope in the Bible?”

So, how do we respond when Protestants object to the existence of Purgatory?

I point them to the Bible.

First, my favorite:

1 Corinthians 3:15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Who is this poor fella who is saved passing through fire and where is he? Protestants have no answer. But Catholic Teaching does. That poor fellow is anyone who dies in an imperfect state of grace and he is in Purgatory being purged of his sins.

And what about this verse:

1 Peter 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

Where is this place which Scripture calls a prison within which spirits are incarcerated? Protestants have no answer. Only Catholic Teaching. It is again Purgatory.

There are many more, but one final one:

Revelation 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

A prison, where the righteous are sent before they receive a crown of life? No answer from Protestantism. Only Catholic Teaching. It is Purgatory.

What? You want more?

You want to get more in-depth?

Let’s see what the early Church Fathers had to say.

Clement of Alexandria

The believer through discipline divests himself of his passions and passes to the mansion which is better than the former one, passes to the greatest torment, taking with him the characteristic of repentance for the faults he may have committed after baptism. He is tortured then still more, not yet attaining what he sees others have acquired. The greatest torments are assigned to the believer, for God's righteousness is good, and His goodness righteous, and though these punishments cease in the course of the expiation and purification of each one,….. (Stromata 6:14 [A.D. 202]).

Origen

If a man departs this life with lighter faults, he is condemned to fire which burns away the lighter materials, and prepares the soul for the kingdom of God, where nothing defiled may enter. For if on the foundation of Christ you have built not only gold and silver and precious stones (I Cor., 3); but also wood and hay and stubble, what do you expect when the soul shall be separated from the body? Would you enter into heaven with your wood and hay and stubble and thus defile the kingdom of God; or on account of these hindrances would you remain without and receive no reward for your gold and silver and precious stones? Neither is this just. It remains then that you be committed to the fire which will burn the light materials; for our God to those who can comprehend heavenly things is called a cleansing fire. But this fire consumes not the creature, but what the creature has himself built, wood, and hay and stubble. It is manifest that the fire destroys the wood of our transgressions and then returns to us the reward of our great works. (Homilies on Jeremias 13: 445, 448 [A.D. 244]).

Abercius

The citizen of a prominent city, I erected this while I lived, that I might have a resting place for my body. Abercius is my name, a disciple of the chaste shepherd who feeds his sheep on the mountains and in the fields, who has great eyes surveying everywhere, who taught me the faithful writings of life. Standing by, I, Abercius, ordered this to be inscribed; truly I was in my seventy-second year. May everyone who is in accord with this and who understands it pray for Abercius (Epitaph of Abercius [A.D. 190]).

Let’s skip on down a couple of centuries:

Augustine

Temporal punishments are suffered by some in this life only, by some after death, by some both here and hereafter, but all of them before that last and strictest judgment. But not all who suffer temporal punishments after death will come to eternal punishments, which are to follow after that judgment (The City of God 21:13 [A.D. 419]).

I don’t think you’ll find any Church Father that does not believe in Purgatory.

No, no. Pinch me! Do you want to get still more in-depth?

Ok, how would you answer this question?

How does it make sense that we can pray to release saints from Purgatory?

Well, let’s see. We can pray that God heal those whom we love or that He heals us, right?

Mark 5:22 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.24 And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him…..41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.42 And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.43 And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.

BUT! You will object, that is infirmity. Not Purgatory!

And I answer, “Where does infirmity come from?”

Bear with me. Let's look at another. Let’s skip to Luke 13:

10 And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.11 And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.12 And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.13 And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.14 And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.15 The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?

Note how infirmity is a bond of Satan's.

BUT! You continue to object, "What does that have to do with Purgatory?!!!"

Have you not read in Scripture?

Revelation 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

Purgatory is also Satan's bond. Even Satan does the will of God. Have you not also read in the book of Job, how God permitted Satan to test Job’s faith?

Job 2:2 And the Lord said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. 3 And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. 4 And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. 5 But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. 6 And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life. 7 So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.

In the same way, God permits Satan to punish men for their sins. But in Purgatory, this punishment has the double effect of inflicting suffering and purifying the Soul:

Hebrews 2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

1 Peter 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

Let me know what you think, below, in the comments.