Sanctification, Individuality, and Heaven

[Awaken4Christ]

Sanctification is easy to understand when you understand that we are called to conform to Christ. However, It starts to get hard to understand when you realize that we will all die as imperfect sinners. So what happens after we die and live in the kingdom? Are we made perfect instantly or do we still go through a process, where God teaches us to be more and more sanctified? Could discipleship get even more intimate with Jesus in heaven? Will this Sanctification mean we will become more "one" with the creator in a way that reduces our individuality? Will we be able to be creative in heaven and maintain a sense of identity? Please tell me what you think, and passages would be a great help

 

[Heisluv]

I am very impressed by your questions! I will gather some references and return

 

[Iosias]

So what happens after we die and live in the kingdom?

No-one knows, after all, no-one has crossed beyond and then returned to tell us.

 

[Heisluv]

It sounds to me that some of your question invoke our identity in Christ. Am I right?

Colossians 3:3-4

 

[Emmy]

Dear Awaken4Christ. May I ask, and I do so humbly, where in the Bible says it: " we will all die as imperfect sinners.?" Jesus tells us in Matthew 5: 48:
" Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."
I know that we are still sinners, but I also know that we are trying to become better and better. Jesus told us in Matthew 22: 35-40: " Love God with all our hearts, with all our souls, and with all our minds. The second is like it: Love our neighbour as we love ourselves." Then Jesus tells us this great fact: " On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
We have to try and become better and better, how else can we become perfect? And the only way is to try ourselves as well. Jesus has promised us His Love and Joy, and the Holy Spirit will empower us with His Love, also.
" Ask and ye shall receive. Matthew 7: 7-8:" Then we thank God and share all Love and Joy with our neighbour: i.e. all we know and all we meet. We shall keep asking God for Love and Joy, then thanking God, and sharing it all with our neighbour. God will notice and God will bless us. We might stumble and even forget at times, but then we ask God to forgive us, and carry on Loving and Caring. Love is a Christian`s great weapon, with Love we will overcome all enmity and wrong behaviour.
I say this with love, Awaken4Christ. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

 

[Awaken4Christ]

"Dear Awaken4Christ. May I ask, and I do so humbly, where in the Bible says it: " we will all die as imperfect sinners.?"'

First of all, let me say thank you for your response. Perhaps my question should of been a little bit broader. When do we reach perfection.. if at all? (before or after eternity). Partly the reason that perfection before death sounds strange to me is because of deathbed conversions. Also, I think about the man crucified next to Christ. Luke 23:43 "Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” could Jesus have been talking about Paradise in Hades, perhaps like Abraham's Bosom? Romans 3:9-10 "What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;"

My statement about dying and still having sin was too absolute sounding, when in fact I am not sure. I didn't post to contend a certain position, but instead to find out what the Bible teaches. Thank you for pointing that out though sister, as it was too strong of statement for me not knowing.