An indulgence, in Roman Catholic theology, is the full or partial remission of temporal punishment due for sins which have already been forgiven. The indulgence is granted by the church after the sinner has confessed and received absolution. The belief is that indulgences draw on the storehouse of merit acquired by Jesus’ sacrifice and the virtues and penances of the saints. They are granted for specific good works and prayers. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indulgence
In recent months, dioceses around the world have been offering Catholics a spiritual benefit that fell out of favor decades ago — the indulgence, a sort of amnesty from punishment in the afterlife — and reminding them of the church’s clout in mitigating the wages of sin.[1]
Catholic churches have recently revived indulgences, a spiritual tradition that faded away in the 1960’s after the Second Vatican Council. The indulgence, as Paul Vitello of The New York Times explained in a recent article, is “a sort of amnesty from punishment in the afterlife.” Some liberal Catholics see the return of indulgences as a setback to modernization of the church. But church leaders say they deepen the spiritual experience of seeking penance. [2]
Religion thrives on the elements and works of the flesh to convince one that they can find favor with God. It’s like the individual who says “have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?”
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Trust me, God is not impressed with religion or the rites that it often propagates. Look to Jesus Christ my friend, the captian of our salvation.
Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. 1 Peter 1:18-25
My friend let me encourage you to turn to Christ and rest in His precious blood to redeem the penalty for your sin…. leave your wallet in your pocket. “What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”
This sounds a little like the priest in the days of Hosea….
When the people bring their sin offerings the priest get fed. So the priest are glad when the people sin. Hosea 4:8
malachi
[1] http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/nyregion/10indulgence.html?_r=1
[2] http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/13/sin-and-its-indulgences/
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To even consider for a second that there is something we, the dust of the earth, could do to pay for our sin is reprehensible. Indulgences were a way of taking time off your stay in “purgatory’. Purgatory is a place Catholics believe you go if you die in the “state of grace” but must still make up for past sins. It is a place they go before heaven.
The blasphemy of purgatory is that it indicates that Christ’ death on the cross wasn’t quite enough payment for your sin. You had to pay in purgatory also. Therefore indulgences could lessen the time you had to spend suffering for your sin in purgatory.
Paul spoke emphatically throughout the Scriptures about the sufficiency of the sacrifice of Christ. To add anything to the cross is to empty the cross! Christ himself NEVER mentioned anything about having to burn off sins in purgatory. In fact, he told the thief on the cross that he would be in paradise that very day! Why did not this criminal have to pay in purgatory?
I pray that people return to the truth. Jesus Christ is all that you need. He alone paid the price because he alone is the only one worthy to do so. He is the spotless Lamb who sacrificed for us and said that he would remember our sins no more, as far as the east is from the west. His blood paid it all. IT IS FINISHED!!!!!