No. The souls in purgatory are not accessible to the devil or demons. They are safe in God’s hands, in what amounts to the “vestibule” of heaven. There, they undergo final purifications, which only lead to heaven (cf 1 Cor 3:13‐15).
Further, at death, our final disposition for or against God; and for or against his Kingdom, is final, it is definitive. This places the souls in heaven, and also in purgatory beyond the reach of the devil. Sadly, it also places heaven beyond the reach of those who have finalized their decision against it. At death, the judgment or verdict is in and is irreversible. (see Luke 16:26; Heb 9:27; Jn 8:21; Jn 10:27‐28). We do well today to be more sober about this definitive aspect of death, and to realize that our cumulative decisions build toward a final disposition by us that God will, in the end, acknowledge. |
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