Sanctification and Hell
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Sanctification:
Sanctification:
Question:
“What is the importance of sanctification? What would you say about someone who came to faith young and throughout their life never really grew spiritually at all?”
Passages to begin with:
Romans 12:1-2 “1 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”
Romans 6:19 “19 I am using a human analogy because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you offered the parts of yourselves as slaves to impurity, and to greater and greater lawlessness, so now offer them as slaves to righteousness, which results in sanctification.”
Philippians 3:13-14 “13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, 14 I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.”
Ephesians 4:20-24 “20 But that is not how you came to know Christ, 21 assuming you heard about him and were taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to take off your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires, 23 to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.”
Theme Statement:
Sanctification is the lifelong process in a Christian’s life that begins at the point of salvation and extending until they draw their final breath on earth whereby daily the individual becomes more like Christ evidencing growth and an upward trend in spiritual maturity evident of their relationship with God, the Father, through their faith in Jesus Christ.
What does the Bible say about sanctification?
Ironically, this concept is never directly mentioned in the synoptic Gospels. However, the idea is conveyed in the following passages:
Matthew 5:43-45 “43 “You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. For he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
Mark 3:35 “35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.””
Matthew 7:21-23 “21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’ 23 Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’”
Other passages in the New Testament:
Work of God through the Holy Spirit
1 Thess. 5:23 “23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. And may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Work of God, not reform: Eickson, 899)
Phil. 1:6 “6 I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
1 Cor. 1:18 “18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is the power of God to us who are being saved.”
Rom. 8:29 “29 For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”
Galatians 5:16 “16 I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh.” Galatians 5:25 “25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”
Romans 8:5, 9, 13, 14, 16, 26-27.
Involves human Cooperation
Philippians 2:12-13 “12 Therefore, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose.”
Romans 12:9 “9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good.” Romans 12:16-17 “16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Give careful thought to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes.”
Romans 8:13 “13 because if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”
Romans 12:1-2 “1 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”
What is sanctification?
Sanctification is the process in a believer’s life whereby they cooperate with the plan of God for their life to reflect the image and character of God, daily reflecting His image and character more as the individual grows in their knowledge of God.
Grudem: “Progressive work of God and man that makes us more and more free from sin and like Christ in our actual lives.”
Erickson: ““It is a process by which one’s moral condition is brought into conformity with one’s legal status.”
Matt Brown: “The process by which the Holy Spirit comes into me to make me holy(legally) [something I am not] and then commands me to be holy (practically). I am both supposed to be holy and to become holy”
Three Terms to Describe sanctification:
Positional: Refers to a point of which sanctification begins in the person’s life. 1 Cor. 6:11 “11 And some of you used to be like this. 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.”
Progressive: Refers to the ongoing process and nature of sanctification. Col. 3:10 “10 and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator.”
Perfected: Refers to the idea that the sanctified person will no longer sin. (not to be confused with no longer being tempted, etc.) [Mt. 5:48, Eph. 4:13, 1 Thess. 5:23, Heb. 13:20-21.]
How do I know that I am growing?
Because sanctification is a process whereby we begin to reflect Christ more and more, there are certain characteristics that we can evidently experience that are evidence of sanctification and growth:
Galatians 5:22-23 “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things.”
Philippians 2:5 “5 Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,”
Mark 3:35 “35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.””
Matthew 7:21-23 “21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’ 23 Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’”
What if someone does not grow?
Because sanctification is a process, it looks different in each Christian’s life, and it involves different struggles and growth speeds for each. Nonetheless, a person who is genuinely born again and living in relationship with Jesus, should evidence the character of Jesus in tangible ways.
Because the Bible is clear that sanctification is a part of the Christian’s life, a person who does not grow in Christ and evidence the character of Christ over time may not be genuinely saved.
Hell
Hell
Question:
“When a person goes to Hell, are they there forever, or do they get a second chance?”
Passages to begin with:
2 Thessalonians 1:8-10 “8 when he takes vengeance with flaming fire on those who don’t know God and on those who don’t obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will pay the penalty of eternal destruction from the Lord’s presence and from his glorious strength 10 on that day when he comes to be glorified by his saints and to be marveled at by all those who have believed, because our testimony among you was believed.”
John 3:16-20 “16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. 19 This is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed.”
Matthew 25:46 “46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.””
Theme Statement:
Hell is the place reserved for those who reject God and refuse to believe in Him; it is a place of eternal separation from God resulting in eternal punishment and suffering. A person condemned to hell will remain in hell forever.
What does the Bible say about hell?
Those judged unrighteous will be sent into eternal punishment or fire (Mt. 25:41-46 “41 “Then he will also say to those on the left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels! 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger and you didn’t take me in; I was naked and you didn’t clothe me, sick and in prison and you didn’t take care of me.’ 44 “Then they too will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or without clothes, or sick, or in prison, and not help you?’ 45 “Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.””
Eternal— unending, unquenchable fire:
Isaiah 66:24 “24 “As they leave, they will see the dead bodies of those who have rebelled against me; for their worm will never die, their fire will never go out, and they will be a horror to all humanity.””
Mk. 9:43-48 “43 “And if your hand causes you to fall away, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and go to hell, the unquenchable fire. 45 And if your foot causes you to fall away, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye causes you to fall away, gouge it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.”
What is hell?
Hell is a place of eternal punishment, torment, fire, and destruction. It is a place of eternal separation from God. It is a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Mt. 13:42 “42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”)
Who goes to hell?
Those who reject God, refuse to believe, and choose a life of wickedness (sinfulness) rather than righteousness go to hell.
It is important to note, though, that God does not send people to hell by His desire. 2 Peter 3:9 “9 The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.” John 3:16-20 “16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. 19 This is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed.”
“God created humans to have fellowship with him and provided the means by which they can have that fellowship. It is a human’s choice to experience the agony of hell. His or her own sin sends the person there, and his or her rejection of the benefits of Christ’s death prevents escape. As C.S. Lewis has put it, ‘the doors of hell are locked on the inside.’ Sin, then, is the human being in effect saying to God throughout life, ‘Go away and leave me alone.’ Hell is God’s finally replying, ‘You may have your wish.’ It is God’s leaving the person to himself or herself, as that individual has chosen.” (Erickson, 1138)
Do those who go to hell stay there forever?
Yes, as has been evidenced through the passages thus far. “Several instances” occur in Scripture “where words like ‘everlasting,’ ‘eternal,’ and ‘forever’ are applied to nouns designating the future state of the wicked: fire or burning (Isa. 33:14; Jer. 17:4; Mt. 18:8, 25:41; Jude 7), contempt (Dan. 12:2), destruction (2 Thess. 1:9), chains (Jude 6), torment (Rev. 14:11; 20:10), and punishment (Mt. 25:46).” (Erickson, 1136-1137)
“The parallelism found in Matthew 25:46 is particularly noteworthy: “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” If the one (life) is of unending duration, then the other (punishment) must be also.” (Erickson, 1137)