Literal

Do you believe in a literal Heaven and Hell? What happens to people who are without a saving knowledge of Christ?

In 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10 Paul states that God considers it just repayment to those who do not know him nor obey Christ in that they are to suffer eternal destruction. If there is not a literal place of Hell then there is at least a literal eternal state of suffering for people who do not believe in God or follow Christ's commands.
Jesus himself states that he will tell those who did not recognize him or obey him to depart and that they will be punished eternally (Matthew 25:41-46). He also states that the righteous will will have eternal life.
Revelation 21:9-27 gives specfic measurements and materials for heaven. Some consider this to be the closest description John could give as to what Heaven would be like. Although, exact measurements would be more likely literally as opposed to a mere comparison of what it may be like.
Even if it is possible that Heaven is not a literal place, it has to be a literal state of being and seperate from those who do not have a saving knowledge of Christ (Matthew 12:31-46).
I personally believe in a literal Heaven. There are too many descriptions of a separate place and its attributes not to be literal. Acts 1:9 also states that Jesus had ascended into Heaven and would come back the same way. The most likely conclusion is that Heaven is literally somewhere and a seperate place of its own.

Why do we not see?

If sanctification is God's responsibility, then why don't we see more "sanctified" persons around us--especially among older adults, those who are supposed to be more mature Christians?Conversely, if sanctification is primarily our responsibility, does this possibly explain why we don't see more "sanctified" people?

Sanctification is God's responsibility in that he is the only one with the power to cleanse us from sin. He has! It is our responsbility, however, to continually purify our hearts, presently, from day to day. We are cleansed from the punishment and condemnation from sin, but being human, we will still sin.

Because we as Christians have a higher calling to be perfect (2 Peter 1:10) we must live out what we believe. If we truly believe God has saved us from condemnation than we will live out our lives in purity.

The reason we may not see this as evident is because of all the distractions and alternate beliefs that may influence Christains. We as Christians have a responsiblity to each other to help sanctify each other and build each other up. We are not to travel through this world alone (1 Thessalonians 5:11; 1 Corinthians 14:12).

We are to take responsibility for ourselves and encourage others in love as one body.

Is sanctification our responsibility or God's?

To answer this question we should first look at what sanctification is defined as.

Sanctify:
1. to make holy; set apart as sacred; consecrate.
2. to purify or free from sin: Sanctify your hearts.
3. to impart religious sanction to; render legitimate or binding: to sanctify a vow.
4. to entitle to reverence or respect.
5. to make productive of or conducive to spiritual blessing.
(http://www.dictionary.com/)


Second we should look at how this word is used in biblical context.

• John 17:18-19 "As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth."
  (Jesus has set himself apart, sanctified, himself so that we are also able to be sanctified.)
• 1 Corinthians 6:11 "But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." (Paul states that those in the church of Corinth were sanctified in the name of Jesus and by the Holy Spirit.)
• Hebrews 10:10 "And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

Taking these verses into account, we can conclude that it is through Christ's sacrifice in his life and death and by the Holy Spirit that we are sanctified. So is this it? Does God just take care of this and we can go living as we please, being sanctified in God's eyes? Where exactly does the Holy Spirit fit in? Let's take a look at some more verses:

• Acts 26:18 "to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'"
• Hebrews 10:26-29 "For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?"
• Hebrews 10:14 "For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified."
• 1 Thessalonians 5:23 "Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."

By the grace of the Holy Spirit people are sanctified through Christ's sacrifice and sanctified life. This only happens by faith in Christ's sacrifice. Hebrews 10:26-29 states that if we continually live as if we have no faith in this act, then we have outraged the Spirit of grace and for us it as there was no sacrifice for sins.

Let's sum this all up. Christ lead a sanctified life and was sacrificed for us, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, so that we may have faith in what he has done and continually live out a life that is a testimony and proof of our faith, which is also only possible by the grace of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, all the credit goes to God.

Is sanctification our responsibility or God's?

God did not have to do anything, but because of his love for us, he wanted to and made it possible (John 3:16). It is our responsibility to take advantage of this and live it out, which again is only possible because of God. It is our responsibility, but God gives us the ability so he gets the credit.