Indulgences
What are indulgences?
The Catholic Catechism teaches the following about indulgences:
“ ‘An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints.’
‘An indulgence is partial or plenary [complete] according as it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin.’ Indulgences may be applied to the living or the dead” (para. 1471).
The Catholic Catechism teaches that in addition to purgatory, temporal punishment can be removed through indulgences. Though neither indulgences nor the concept of them are mentioned anywhere in the Bible, the Catholic Catechism teaches that indulgences provide remission of the temporal punishment due to sins. According to the Catholic Catechism, indulgences may in some cases remove only part of the temporal punishment, but nowhere in the Bible does God forgive sins only partially, or forgive them and then require someone to make satisfaction for “temporal punishment.” As quoted from the Bible earlier,
“If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing” (1 John 1:9).
There are no footnotes or asterisks by this verse to indicate that we must do more to remove any temporal punishment. We are forgiven and cleansed when we acknowledge our sins to God.
____________________________________________________________
If you would like a free copy of the book
for yourself or to share with family or
friends, simply e-mail me at:
Joe@TeachingsOfTheCatholicChurch.com
and I will be happy to send one to you.
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________