Indulgences (CCC , 1498) What is an indulgence?

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1 Indulgences (CCC , 1498) What is an indulgence? The Catechism of the Catholic Church provides the best definition of indulgences in paragraphs 1471 and 1472 indulgences are connected with the sacrament of penance (confession) and are described as a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sin whose guilt has already been forgiven (CCC 1471). This temporal punishment occurs in purgatory. What an indulgence is not Many non-catholics misunderstand what indulgences are either deliberately or not. It is necessary to explain what the Catholic Church actually teaches about them to most non- Catholics, as what many people think indulgences are is genuinely contrary to Christianity. Indulgence are not a license to sin - they are not a method by which someone can commit a sin and be forgiven for it or have it not count. If a person sins they must get his sins forgiven in the usual way through the sacrament of reconciliation and cannot have them forgiven by an indulgence. An indulgence is a remission of punishment for sin which has already been forgiven. Similarly, an indulgence cannot be obtained for sins which have not yet been committed and which, therefore, have not been forgiven. Indulgences can only be obtained for sins already committed. Indulgences cannot be bought. Although there have been, historically, abuses of the system where indulgence were sold this was, has always been and is totally illegal and not approved by the Church. Indulgences are not bought. Although indulgences can be attached to almsgiving, this is not the same thing as actually buying an indulgence. Giving money to charity or the poor is a good thing and a corporal work of mercy it is only natural that this would have some spiritual benefit attached to it. Defending the notion of indulgences Because indulgences are so tied up with confession and purgatory it will first be necessary to defend these teachings if the non-catholic insists on talking about indulgences without first talking about and accepting these teachings politely tell him that indulgences cannot be discussed without the foundation of confession and purgatory; one needs to learn to walk before one can run! Although sola scriptura is a false doctrine (this is why the fact it never says the word indulgence in the Bible is not an issue!) the easiest way to defend indulgences is with a number of Biblical principles. Each follows on logically from the other presenting these logical steps to the non-catholic is the very best way of defending indulgences.

2 Sin results in guilt and punishment When we commit a sin guilt clings to our souls, making them unclean before Almighty God. This is why forgiveness is pictured in Scripture as a washing and Jesus chose baptism as the method of getting rid of our sins (Isaiah 1:18 and Psalm 51:4, 9 show this teaching very clearly). But we incur more than guilt we will also be punished for our sins. God says in Isaiah 13:11 that He will punish the world for its sin. In Ecclesiastes 12:14 we read that even the smallest sins have an associated punishment (this passage also shows that good works have an attendant - positive - judgment!) This punishment is both temporal and eternal A temporal thing is one which exists in time it eventually ends. Eternal things do not. The punishments for sin are cited as being eternal in many places in scripture this is why the Catholic Church teaches an eternal Hell. Daniel 12:2 and Matthew 25:46 are two of the many verses which speak of the eternal nature of punishment. Temporal punishments may remain when a sin is forgiven When a Catholic repents and obtains forgiveness through the sacrament of confession he is absolved of the guilt of sin, but the punishment is not automatically removed. A clear case is found in II Samuel 12:13-14 here King David is told that God forgives him for his adultery and murder but that as a punishment his son will die. In Deuteronomy 32:48-52 God says to Moses that he is punished for breaking faith with Him; Moses is not allowed to lead the people into the Promised Land. It is this teaching that non-catholics have the greatest problem with and where the hardest task of the Catholic apologist rests fortunately, the evidence of Scripture is firmly on the side of Catholic teaching. And so is common sense if a thief is forgiven by the person he steals from he still goes to jail for it, and he still has to return the item stolen. From a spiritual perspective the greatest example of this punishment remaining after sin is death itself we are forgiven all sins by regenerative baptism, but we all still die. Death entered the world through the original sin of Adam and Eve yet Christians (who are forgiven their sins) still suffer physical death. (This denial of the principle of punishments remaining even after forgiveness is at the heart of the false health and wealth Gospel and the rejection of the truth about pain and suffering.) God blesses some people as a reward to others

3 Although this may seem to be entirely unfair, it is the way of the world and God. Most Christians will, when pressed, admit that they have personal experience of the prayers of one person affecting another in a positive light this is a clear example of this. This teaching is also found in the Scriptures God tells Abraham that as a reward for his faith he will be the father of many nations (Genesis 12:1-2). In Genesis 12:3 it is made explicitly clear that by Abraham all the families of the earth shall be blessed. This is referenced in Romans 11:28 where Paul says that the Jews are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. In addition to giving spiritual and physical blessings to people because of the faith of others, God also remits the temporal penalties of people as a reward to others. I Kings 11:11-13 recounts how King Solomon had turned from God near the end of his life. God tells him He will take the kingdom away from him. However, He says that - for the sake of your father David - He will not do it during Solomon's lifetime, but rather take the kingdom away from Solomon's son. Additionally, He says that He will not take the whole kingdom, but I will leave your son one tribe for the sake of my servant David. God lessens the punishment in two ways; He delays it and lessens it by leaving a remnant of the kingdom. God's reasoning for this is very explicit - For the sake of your father, David. Another example of God's willingness to cancel temporal punishment (in this case death) is found in Genesis 18: Here Abraham begs God to not destroy Sodom if he can find a few righteous men. God is more than willing to withhold His punishment for the sake of a few righteous men but Abraham cannot find any! Despite the wickedness of Sodom, this is a clear example of the teaching that the righteousness of people can benefit others both with blessings and with the remission of punishments. God remits temporal punishments through the Church. This principle is intimately connected with the sacrament of confession and the authority of the Church to forgive sin. Christ gave the power to forgive sins to men (Matthew 9:8) and as the article on confession clearly shows this means the Church which has the power to bind and loose (Matthew 18:19). The ministers of the Church were given the power to forgive the eternal penalty of sin they would therefore clearly be able to forgive and remit merely temporal punishments. God blesses the dead as a reward to the living Many non-catholics do not accept two principles which are key to this one namely the communion of saints and the full 73 book Biblical canon. The teaching of the communion of saints shows that dead Christians are, in fact, alive to us and to God and can pray for us. More importantly as regards indulgences, however, we can pray for them.

4 The seven books of the Bible which Martin Luther removed because they advanced Catholic doctrine include II Maccabees which recounts in 12:40-45 of how prayers were offered for the dead so that they might be delivered from their sin. This was and is a historical practice of the Jews and the early Christians and is continued by the Catholic Church to this day. Prayers for the dead remit the temporal punishments which they suffer in purgatory this is an essential part of the doctrine of purgatory. Putting it all together These principles are the core to understanding both the doctrines of prayers for the dead and of indulgences. Some people may be puzzled by the inclusion of the rewarding and blessing of people by the prayers and actions of others how is this relevant to indulgences? Are indulgences not simply a remission of the temporal punishment in purgatory as a reward for virtuous actions? No, they are not. Because the Church has the authority to bind and loose, she also has the authority to administer the treasury of merits. This is the infinite ocean of grace which was earned by Christ during His Passion and death and which the faithful contribute to by their good works and prayers. The Church can and does choose to apply this grace wherever she wishes; and she chooses to do so to those who gain an indulgence, in order to lessen their punishment in purgatory. Objections to indulgences A number of Christians have objections to indulgences all of these stem from a misunderstanding of what the doctrine is. Indulgences are a money-making scheme No, they are not. As mentioned above the sale of indulgences is expressly forbidden. Although it is true that in the early 1500s and elsewhere there was great abuse of the system by greedy men this does not mean that the teaching itself is false. This is an example of scandal in the Church. A good analogy to use to defend the Church in this case is that there are so-called Christian televangelists who make millions of dollars by scamming people and tax fraud does this mean that Christianity itself is evil and fraudulent because a few men abuse it wrongly? Or does it just mean that evil men will attempt to use anything to gain wealth and power? Indulgences negate the work of Christ! No, they do not and to say that shows a gross misunderstanding of not only the nature of indulgences but also what the work of Christ actually achieved. The source of the grace which remits the temporal punishments comes from Christ's sacrifice on the cross, administered by the authoritative Church.

5 Additionally, Christ wants through love for humanity us to assist in the work of redemption and forgiveness; and also the remission of temporal penalties. Colossians 1:24 tells us that Paul is making up what is lacking in Christ's sacrifice how can this be? Paul does not mean that Christ's sacrifice was insufficient but rather that his own sufferings are added to Christ's. To be perfectly honest, for Saint Paul to say that he is making up what is lacking in Christ is far more shocking than any Catholic teaching about indulgences! It is clear that there is a principle involved here which is entirely Biblical and should be accepted by all Christians.