Indulgences Available to the Faithful

Fundamental Evangelistic Association
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^{^{^©}}FOUNDATION
A MAGAZINE OF BIBLICAL FUNDAMENTALISM
Dennis W. Costella, Editor; Karel Beyer, Production Manager; Matt Costella, Copy Editor
M.H. Reynolds, Jr. (1919-1997), Founding Editor

Indulgences Available to the "Faithful"

by Matt D. Costella
©FOUNDATION Magazine, Jan-Feb 1999

Sound archaic? It's Not! Pope John Paul II Gives Faithful Catholics the
Chance to Gain Remission of punishment through Indulgences

TO MENTION THE FACT that Pope John Paul II is allowing Roman Catholics to obtain indulgences during the year 2000 often invokes a response characterized by astonishment-"I didn't even know the church issued indulgences anymore!" Yet those who think indulgences bestowed by the Roman Catholic Church are only to be found in the annals of church history are sadly mistaken. Pope John Paul II's latest papal bull highlights the Catholic Church's plans for the celebration of the third millennium to begin in the year 2000, or the "Year of Jubilee" as it has been called. According to the pope's decree, the turn of the millennium not only promises unprecedented ecumenical activity on the part of all major world religions, but it also allows faithful Catholics the opportunity to gain indulgences either for themselves or for their deceased loved ones.
Many non-Catholics possess a faulty understanding of indulgences, most likely because what they have heard concerning indulgences comes from the ideas and interpretations of other individuals. Those who desire to find a proper understanding of indulgences cannot search the Scriptures to find what out what an indulgence is, for the very idea of indulgences is far removed from Scripture. Only the Catholic catechisms and Church documents can provide authoritative insight, but few take the time to wade through such weighty material. Therefore, non-Catholics tend to view an indulgence as a forgiveness for sin or as a one-way ticket to heaven. However, both the pre-Vatican II and post-Vatican II documents of the Catholic Church clearly reveal the purpose for the indulgence, although the scriptural "support" is incredibly misapplied.
An indulgence, simply stated, is a work that must be accomplished in order to receive the remission of temporal punishment for a sin that has already been forgiven by a priest. The Catechism of the Catholic Church specifically describes an indulgence in the following manner:

that Pope John Paul II is allowing Roman Catholics to obtain indulgences during the year 2000 often invokes a response characterized by astonishment-"I didn't even know the church issued indulgences anymore!" Yet those who think indulgences bestowed by the Roman Catholic Church are only to be found in the annals of church history are sadly mistaken. Pope John Paul II's latest papal bull highlights the Catholic Church's plans for the celebration of the third millennium to begin in the year 2000, or the "Year of Jubilee" as it has been called. According to the pope's decree, the turn of the millennium not only promises unprecedented ecumenical activity on the part of all major world religions, but it also allows faithful Catholics the opportunity to gain indulgences either for themselves or for their deceased loved ones.

Many non-Catholics possess a faulty understanding of indulgences, most likely because what they have heard concerning indulgences comes from the ideas and interpretations of other individuals. Those who desire to find a proper understanding of indulgences cannot search the Scriptures to find what out what an indulgence is, for the very idea of indulgences is far removed from Scripture. Only the Catholic catechisms and Church documents can provide authoritative insight, but few take the time to wade through such weighty material. Therefore, non-Catholics tend to view an indulgence as a forgiveness for sin or as a one-way ticket to heaven. However, both the pre-Vatican II and post-Vatican II documents of the Catholic Church clearly reveal the purpose for the indulgence, although the scriptural "support" is incredibly misapplied.

An indulgence, simply stated, is a work that must be accomplished in order to receive the remission of temporal punishment for a sin that has already been forgiven by a priest. The Catechism of the Catholic Church specifically describes an indulgence in the following manner:
that Pope John Paul II is allowing Roman Catholics to obtain indulgences during the year 2000 often invokes a response characterized by astonishment-"I didn't even know the church issued indulgences anymore!" Yet those who think indulgences bestowed by the Roman Catholic Church are only to be found in the annals of church history are sadly mistaken. Pope John Paul II's latest papal bull highlights the Catholic Church's plans for the celebration of the third millennium to begin in the year 2000, or the "Year of Jubilee" as it has been called. According to the pope's decree, the turn of the millennium not only promises unprecedented ecumenical activity on the part of all major world religions, but it also allows faithful Catholics the opportunity to gain indulgences either for themselves or for their deceased loved ones.
Many non-Catholics possess a faulty understanding of indulgences, most likely because what they have heard concerning indulgences comes from the ideas and interpretations of other individuals. Those who desire to find a proper understanding of indulgences cannot search the Scriptures to find what out what an indulgence is, for the very idea of indulgences is far removed from Scripture. Only the Catholic catechisms and Church documents can provide authoritative insight, but few take the time to wade through such weighty material. Therefore, non-Catholics tend to view an indulgence as a forgiveness for sin or as a one-way ticket to heaven. However, both the pre-Vatican II and post-Vatican II documents of the Catholic Church clearly reveal the purpose for the indulgence, although the scriptural "support" is incredibly misapplied.

An indulgence, simply stated, is a work that must be accomplished in order to receive the remission of temporal punishment for a sin that has already been forgiven by a priest. The Catechism of the Catholic Church specifically describes an indulgence in the following manner:

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 the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints. (Paul VI, apostolic constitution, Indulgentiarum doctrina Norm 1.)

An indulgence is partial or plenary according as it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin. (Indulgentiarum doctrina, Norm 2 cf. Norm 3). Indulgences may be applied to the living or the dead. (1 471)

The Vatican II document "Apostolic Constitution on the Revision of Indulgences (Paul VI, Indulgentiarum doctrina, 1967), "from which the Catholic Catechism obtained the aforementioned quote, reveals the historic and doctrinal background behind the idea of the indulgence. So, to inquire further into the doctrine of the indulgence would necessarily require a brief took at some pertinent statements in the Vatican II document.

The Indulgentiarum Doctrina reveals that "In the course of the centuries and under the influence of the Holy Spirit's continuous inspiration of the People of God this conviction led to the practice of indulgences." So, while the indulgence is not found in Scripture, its legitimacy rests in its extra-biblical revelation to the Catholic Church. But why are indulgences necessary if a Roman Catholic can participate in the sacrament of penance? The document mentions that indulgences are necessary because even though the guilt of sin has been taken away by the priest and the sacrament of penance, punishment must remain in order for purification to take place, for the believer cannot meet God until he is completely free from all impurities. The Vatican II document says:

The beneficial institution of indulgences therefore does its part in bringing it about that the Church might be presented to Christ without spot or wrinkle but holy and without blemish (Eph. 5:27), excellently united with Christ in the supernatural bond of charity.

This punishment and purificatory process occurs in Purgatory. Therefore, when a faithful Roman Catholic sins and confesses his wrongdoing before a priest, if the leaders of the Church allow, he can perform a prescribed work in order to spend less time in purgatory after his death.
While the Indulgentiarum Doctrina does admit that indulgences have been abused by the Church in the past (the selling of indulgences for money by Tetzel at the beginning of the 16th century was a primary factor in the Reformation of 1517), it says indulgences are still beneficial and that Vatican II set new guidelines for the granting of indulgences in order to restore dignity to the gift of the indulgence. Not only did Vatican II reduce the number of plenary indulgences the Church was allowed to offer, but also it reinforced the fact that indulgences are to be accepted and executed faithfully and seriously. One can no longer merely perform a nominal work and receive the remission of temporal punishment. The Vatican II document says one can only gain the indulgence by fulfilling three obligations: by doing the prescribed work, by having the proper disposition (attitude of the heart) while doing the work and by acknowledging the authority of the pope in the process.

With this background in mind, it becomes necessary to look at Pope John Paul II's latest papal bull addressed to the Catholic Church's faithful. Straightaway the Pope refuses to recognize Israel's sole claim to the city of Jerusalem,, and he begins his papal bull by expressing his desire for the year 2000, or the Year of Jubilee, to "serve to advance mutual dialogue until the day when all of us together-Jews, Christians and Moslems-will exchange the greeting of peace in Jerusalem." He adds that at this time in history, "it is imperative therefore at this special time to return more faithfully than ever to the teaching of the Second Vatican Council," especially concerning the missionary task of the church and the need for evangelism. His plea for ecumenical unity continues:

May the ecumenical character of the Jubilee be a concrete sign of the journey which, especially in recent decades, the faithful of the different Churches and Ecclesial Communities have been making.... From the different Churches and Ecclesial Communities throughout the world, let us all hasten to the feast now being prepared; let us bring with us everything that already unites us and, by fixing our gaze on Christ alone, let us grow in the unity which is the fruit of the Spirit.... On the occasion of this great feast, a warm invitation to share our joy goes out to the followers of other religions, as it does to those who are far from faith in God. As brothers and sisters in the one human family, may we cross together the threshold of a new millennium that will demand effort and responsibility on the part of all.

Certainly the aforementioned statements advance the mission of Vatican II-to strive for ecumenical unity in order to fulfill the evangelistic, missionary endeavors of the Church. The Roman Catholic Church desires unity among all religions so she can effectively bring those of all faiths into her arms.

For those who are already faithful Catholics, the Year of Jubilee (December 24,1999-January6,2001) offers the opportunity for recommitment to Christ. The pope lists three signs that have historically marked Jubilee years in the past: the pilgrimage to shrines or to the holy land, the opening of the holy door at the beginning of the Jubilee and the indulgence. It is this third sign that is especially noteworthy since it so blatantly contradicts the Word of God by diminishing the perfect sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice on the cross for the sins of the world.

Pope John Paul II's papal bull expressly defines the history and doctrinal significance of the indulgence. In summary, the indulgence gives the repentant, forgiven sinner a remission of temporal punishment due for his sins. It is dispensed by the Church since the Church has "received from Christ the power to forgive in his name" and since the church "diffuses his mercy in the world, by means of that precious gift which from very ancient times has been called 'indulgence."' The pope states in no uncertain terms that "no one can be separated from the love of God (cf. Romans 8:21-39) except through their own fault" and that since one can lose his salvation, the "Sacrament of Penance offers the sinner 'a new possibility to convert and to recover the grace of justification' won by the sacrifice of Christ." However, even though one can gain his salvation again, "every sin, even venial, entails an unhealthy attachment to creatures, which must be purified either here on earth, or after death in the state called Purgatory." So, while the Church can dispense the mercy and forgiveness on behalf of Christ, the one who sinned must still suffer punishment in purgatory or on earth in order to be able to enter the presence of God in heaven. The indulgence is intended to shorten the individual's time in Purgatory. The papal bull adds, "When they gain indulgences, the faithful understand that by their own strength they would not be able to make good the evil which by sinning they have done to themselves and to the entire community, and therefore they are stirred to saving deeds of humility." The Pope also highlighted the fact that indulgences can be obtained for the dead as well as the living. How can the faithful Roman Catholic thus obtain the necessary indulgences? A few extremely important requirements are outlined in the papal bull.

First, one must make sure he has already confessed his sins to a priest and has been forgiven and relieved of sin's guilt. Second, as mentioned previously, he must be sure that his work being done is accomplished with the proper disposition (heart attitude) and that he is acknowledging the authority of the pope in the process. Third, "participation in the Eucharist, which is required for all indulgences, should properly take place on the same day as the prescribed works are performed." And finally, he must perform the work itself.

The papal bull lists the approved works that must be done in order to obtain the special Jubilee indulgence. Some works depend on the individual's location. For example, if one is in Rome, he is required to "make a pious pilgrimage to one of the Patriarchal Basilicas ... and there take part devoutly in Holy Mass or another liturgical celebration." If in the Holy Land, he must also visit one of three particular Basilicas and perform pious exercises. In any part of the world one can obtain a Jubilee indulgence by visiting those in need and "fulfilling the usual spiritual and sacramental conditions and saying the usual prayers." Finally, the pope says the Jubilee indulgences can be gained by abstaining from smoking, drinking or other unsatisfactory habits for at least one whole day and by "donating a proportionate sum of money to the poor; supporting by a significant contribution works of a religious or social nature ... or other forms of personal sacrifice." In fulfilling these obligations with a genuine heart while recognizing the authority of the pope, one can supposedly lessen his time in Purgatory or the time of a loved one who is currently spending time in Purgatory, at place of fire and torment.

Why must a Bible-believing Christian reject such a doctrine and avoid those who espouse it? Primarily because it diminishes the completed work of Jesus Christ on Calvary's cross and is, in reality, a dangerous, false gospel. False doctrines such as Purgatory and Indulgences cannot be found in Scripture and, in fact, actually conflict with the Word of God. The Bible declares with utmost authority that Christ's sacrifice was substitutionary, that it happened only once and that it fully paid the penalty for our sins. Because of Christ's perfect, finished sacrifice, any individual who comes to Him on His terms is assured eternal life from the moment he dies. I John 5:11-13 says, "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." The papal bull specifically says the wayward Roman Catholic has the opportunity through the Sacrament of Penance to "convert and to recover the grace of justification." This implies that justification can be gained, lost, and gained once again. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that no believer can ever know for sure if he is saved or how long he will be required to suffer in Purgatory after his physical death. But the apostle John told the believers in the early church that if they believed on the Son of God, they would know they possessed eternal life which can only be found through the Son of God. Jesus Christ, "by Himself purged our sins" and then "sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high" (Heb. 1:3). He finished His glorious, accepted work once for all (Heb. 10:10).

The fate of the believer who has died a physical death is outlined in the New Testament. In 2 Corinthians 5: 1-8, the apostle Paul spoke to the church at Corinth concerning their heavenly bodies which they would receive at the return of Christ. Paul told the believers that when they died, their soul would be with Christ while their physical body would be sealed by the Holy Spirit unto the day of redemption. Then, at the rapture of believers, their souls would be united with their new, glorified bodies (I Thess. 4:14-16). He adds, "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord" (2 Cor. 5:8). From this text we discover that at the time of death, the believer is with the Lord (not in a torturous state of Purgatory) and that even those believers who are carnal (as were the Corinthian believers) reside with Christ the moment they die. Likewise, Philippians 2:20-24 sheds further light on the fate of those who experience physical death. Paul says, "For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better" (Phil. 1:23). Again, from this text we discover that at the time of death a believer is united with the Lord Jesus Christ, and that even such vile sinners as the apostle Paul could possess this hope and expectation. Remember, Paul was a murderer and a persecutor of the church prior to his salvation, and according to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church, Paul would have been required to spend an exorbitant amount of time in Purgatory.

Finally, the Roman system of Indulgences, Penance and Purgatory is erroneous because it contradicts the offer of peace and rest to the believer. The Word of God is filled with words of comfort, assurance and confident expectation. Certainly, as the first epistle of John points out, the wayward believer will suffer loss of reward one day and will face chastisement while on the earth for not abiding in Christ and maintaining a proper fellowship with Him. But Scripture never says the believer, whether carnal or spiritual, will face a torturous time in the flames of Purgatory in order to pay the punishment for his sins. To anticipate such a heinous experience would only place doubt, fear and uncertainty in the minds of believers. However, Jesus Christ has promised inward peace, hope and rest to those who have placed their faith in Him alone for salvation. An individual must never think he is required to do "good works" or "offer up Christ again in the mass" in order to gain acceptability in the eyes of Christ. Believers should thank God for His perfect sacrifice and tell others the good news as well. Jesus said, "Verily, 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" (Jn. 5:24). Those who believe in the Son of God have passed from death unto life. Any other gospel is a false gospel and will lead to an eternity apart from Jesus Christ.

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