this post was submitted on 27 Aug 2025
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You're correct that about protestants believing in the internal change. "Works" are a natural result of that internal change, but are not enough. Luther's kind of "Eureka" moment was realising that we can do nothing to get into heaven and that it was grace and grace alone.
I cannot talk about all branches of Protestantism as I only know pentecostal (more specifically Assemblies of God) and low Anglicanism, but to my understanding is that communion/baptism or a separate thing to service/charity/etc (liturgy and works perhaps?), neither of which have any bearing on salvation. Having said that, Jesus did tell us to be baptised and take communion.
As for the purgatory stuff, the general teaching that I have heard is that Jesus went "down" in to Hell for that time before resurrection. As far as I know, only Catholics believe in purgatory (perhaps Orthodox too, I know next to nothing about them unfortunately). In any case, I have always understood that Jesus was talking about heaven and that there is only heaven, earth and hell with no intermediary stages. I will have to have a think about that passage in 1 Peter though, I agree that it can be interpreted that way.
Having said all that, maybe I should put out my standard disclaimer: I am not a theologian, but an engineer who has been Christian for 30+ years and has good education. Take everything I say with that in mind.