Some years ago the writer left the city of Quebec by train for Richmond. After taking my seat in a crowded coach a Roman Catholic priest sat down beside me. It was not long before he noticed a small Bible case which I carried, and he asked me if I were a commercial traveler.
"No," I replied, "I preach." "Where?" he asked.
"Wherever the Lord opens a door," I replied.
"Do you believe there is a heaven?" he inquired.
"I do," I said.
"Do you believe there is a hell?" was his next question.
"I do," I replied.
"Do you believe there is a purgatory?" he asked further.
"No, I do not," I answered.
"Now," I said, "you have asked me three questions; I would like to ask you two. My first question is this, "Is the Roman Catholic Bible the Word of God?"
"Yes," he replied.
"Well, my next question is just this, Is purgatory God's judgment for my sins?"
"Yes," he said.
"Now," I replied, "the Roman Catholic Bible says in the gospel of John, chapter 5, verse 24, 'Amen, Amen, I say unto you, that he who heareth My word, and believeth Him that sent Me, HATH LIFE EVERLASTING; AND COMETH NOT INTO JUDGMENT, but is passed from death to life.' Therefore on your own statement that the Roman Catholic Bible is the Word of God, and that purgatory is judgment for my sins, I have the assurance that, whoever you may believe will go to purgatory, I will never go there. This has made me so happy that I am trying to get others happy about it too! You would not blame me for that, would you?"
With some hesitancy, he replied, "No, I would not."
I then asked him if he would object
to my seeking to get him happy about it as well.
After a thoughtful pause, he said, "No, I would not."
"Well," I replied, "that is the very thing I want to do, for according to your own admission, there is no purgatory for the one who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ."
Continuing our conversation, I remarked that I, like him, had witnessed people dying. I told him of one I had once visited who was about to depart this life and to whom I had quoted Ephesians, chapter 1, verse 4, which assures the believer that he is "holy and unspotted in His sight in charity." (Roman Catholic Translation.) The dying believer replied, "Isn't that lovely; and I have just to wait until He takes me home to Himself."
Then looking at the priest I said, "Wouldn't you like to die like that?" A lump seemed to come in his throat and he couldn't answer, but afterward when he arose from his seat to leave at Dosquet, he shook hands with me, remarking as he did so, "I hope I will meet you again."
"Put your trust in the Word of God," I replied, "and we will meet with Christ in glory."
Now, dear reader, this has been written that you too might believe the precious Word of God, and know by faith that there is no judgment for you. Although we have all sinned and deserve God's judgment, He in love has found a way of blessing for lost sinners, for our verse says that He sent His Son—sent Him to bear our sins upon the cross.
Let us once again quote from the Roman Catholic Bible, Hebrews, chapter 9, verse 28: "Christ was offered once to exhaust the sins of many." Yes, He exhausted all the judgment for all who believe, and now God gives everlasting life as a free gift to all who believe in Him.
Dear reader, I want you to be happy about it too!
"Amen, amen, I say unto you, that he who heareth My word, and believeth Him that sent Me, hath life everlasting; and cometh not into judgment, but is passed from death to life." John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24) (From the Roman Catholic Bible).
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