Top Ten Questions Catholics Are Asked

Question 2: If You Died Tonight, Would You Go To Heaven?

*Catholics have an assurance of salvation if they are faithful and keep God's commandments (1 Jn 2:3). If they die in that state, they are assured of heaven. But to enter heaven, one must be perfectly holy, because "nothing unclean shall enter it" (Rev 21:27-See also Is 4:4; Mal 3:2-4). The cleansing and purifying of any remaining sin, which makes us fit for God's holy presence, is what Catholics call purgatory. This is clearly indicated in St. Paul's writings: "Each man's work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done...If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire" (1 Cor 3:13, 15, emphasis added). "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil, according to what he has done in the body" (2 Cor 5:10, emphasis added).

*Answers by Dave Armstrong