Limbo is a now defunct doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church. It was abandoned by the current Pope, Benedict 16th on April 20, 2007 (Catholic News Service). The false belief, which was held by Catholics since the middle ages, was the basic concept that just or innocent people who died prior to baptism (infants, for example) went to a place between Heaven and Hell called “Limbo.” The word limbo comes from the Latin word which means “fringe” or “edge.” Limbo was thought to be a permanent place of rest on the edge of Hell. Persons who entered Limbo never got “promoted” to heaven or “demoted” to Hell. They simply lived there in eternity.
Why is this belief a myth? – Two reasons: first, the concept is based on a flawed theology. It was invented to answer some difficult questions, such as “What happens to an infant child who dies before being baptized?” Catholics believe that salvation is the result of two things: faith in Christ + doing good works. These good works consist of observing the “sacraments” (rituals which produce salvation) such as communion and baptism, and avoiding “mortal sins” (sins which produce condemnation), such as blasphemy and murder. If a person fails to observe the sacraments, such as would be the case for an infant child who died prior to baptism, that person cannot be saved and enter Heaven. Limbo was offered as a solution to this seeming problem, and to give comfort to those who lost a child in child-birth, for example. But a proper biblical theology is that salvation is produced by faith and not works – thus, baptism is not a requirement for salvation, and the concept of limbo has no real value.
Eph 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Tit 3:5 he saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to his mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
Second, Limbo is a myth because there is no biblical basis for the belief. In fact, the Scriptures present a completely different concept altogether. Consider the thief on the cross. He was an unregenerate criminal up to the last few moments of life. He believed that Jesus was the Christ and asked Him for salvation. He believed and asked – that’s all he did. No baptism, no communion, no works of any kind. Only faith.
Luke 23:38-43 Now there was also an inscription above Him, “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? “And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”
