Who needs purification after death? Scripture and the fathers point to everyone

It's worth noting that Scripture and the Fathers don't speak of purification as something for "others out there", but for all of us.

St. Paul says in 1 Cor 3:15 that even those who are in Christ may be "saved, but as through fire". That means the fire is not just for the "damned", but for anyone who dies still carrying attachments to sin. Jesus Himself spoke of paying "the last penny" (Matt 5:26), which implies correction until the debt is gone, not eternal exclusion.

Fathers like Gregory of Nyssa and Isaac the Syrian say the same: God's fire touches everyone, but its intensity and duration depend on the "disease" of the soul. For the saints, it may be like a final polishing, for the lukewarm, a deeper healing, for the wicked, a severe correction. But in all cases the aim is the same, restoration.

So purification is not about saints vs. sinners, insiders vs. outsiders, but about the love of God burning away whatever resists Him until only truth remains.