I recently had a conversation with a very devout Catholic relative who volunteers to teach doctrine at her parish. Their current topic was purgatory. According to official Catholic teaching, purgatory is a state (or sometimes described as a place) where souls who die in a state of grace—but still bearing the temporal effects of sin—go to be purified before entering heaven. Souls remain there until they are fully cleansed, which is why Catholics pray for the dead: those prayers are believed to shorten a soul’s time in purgatory. It’s not hell, but it is not supposed to be pleasant either.
Full disclosure: Before my spiritual awakening (what Protestants often call being “born again”), I used to pray for “all the souls in purgatory who have no one to pray for them.”
As my relative explained all this, I couldn’t help but think how directly it contradicts Scripture. The Bible teaches that Jesus’ death on the cross was the complete, final, and sufficient payment for the sins of everyone who believes in Him. He took the full wrath of God that we deserved. His very last word from the cross was Tetelestai—“It is finished” or literally “Paid in full.”
Yet Catholic doctrine still teaches that certain sacraments (especially baptism and penance) are necessary for justification and ultimate salvation:
“The Church affirms that for believers the sacraments of the
New Covenant are necessary for salvation.”
– (Catechism of the Catholic Church §1129)
Some Protestant groups fall into the same “Jesus + something” trap. For example, many Churches of Christ (non-instrumental) insist that water baptism is required for the forgiveness of sins, citing and interpreting Acts 2:38 in a way that makes baptism itself the moment sins are washed away, rather than an outward sign of the salvation already received by faith.
But Scripture repeatedly and clearly says otherwise:
- Ephesians 2:8–9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”
- Romans 3:28“For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.”
- Titus 3:5“He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy…”
- Romans 11:6 “And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.”
- Galatians 2:21 “I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”
- Acts 16:30–31 The Philippian jailer asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved…”
The True Litmus Test for a Bible based Christian Church
Here, I believe, is the ultimate question every Christian should ask when evaluating a church or denomination:
Does this church teach that Jesus’ finished work
on the cross is enough—
or does it teach that we need Jesus plus something else (sacraments, water baptism, perseverance in good works, etc.)?
A true New Testament church proclaims that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Good works, rituals, and church membership are the fruit of genuine salvation—never the root. In other words, you don’t volunteer or do good deeds to earn God’s favor; rather, a real relationship with God naturally produces the desire and joy to serve and do good.
Any church that makes justification depend on “Jesus + anything” has drifted from the gospel Paul preached. And Paul’s warning is severe:
“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—which is really no gospel at all… But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!” – Galatians 1:6–9
What about the thief on the cross?
Remember the criminal crucified next to Jesus? At first both thieves mocked Him, but one had a change of heart and said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise”
– Luke 23:42–43
That man was never baptized. He never went to confession. He never spoke in tongues. It’s a good bet he never lived a life persevering in good works. His salvation was entirely through Jesus without any “plus” in his life.
The thief opened his heart to Jesus and repented, He acknowledged Jesus was the Son of God, and accepted His mercy—and Jesus declared that very day he would be in paradise. No pit-stop in purgatory required.
The Bottom Line
If any church—Catholic, mainline Protestant, independent, or otherwise—adds anything to the simple gospel declaration “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31), it is preaching another gospel.
The litmus test is simple and brutal: Does the church teach that the moment a sinner trusts Christ alone, he possesses eternal life as Jesus promises every believer?
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life.
He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. – John 5:24
Jesus alone
=
the true gospel
Jesus + anything else
=
a false gospel
By the way, if you are a non-believer, give God a chance. Turn toward Him, accept His Son Jesus as your savior, and be filled with the light of His Holy Spirit. Accept His mercy and receive it immediately and irrevocably! Never let a religious institution come between you and His love.
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