This morning’s study in Walk of Repentance challenged my arrogance and pride. Then I turned to Spurgeon’s devotional and he reminded me that I am called to be a saint. After conviction about my bad attitudes, my first thought is, “Who, me?”
His call is humbling. Some religious groups consider only a special group of people can be saints. However, the Bible clearly says that all who follow Jesus Christ are designated by that name, even me.
To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:7)
To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: (1 Corinthians 1:2)
The word “saint” means holy, pure, dedicated, consecrated to God. This is not for some believers, but all of us. Saints are not only the apostles or church leaders, even though many of us tend to look at the “super stars” of Christianity as extraordinary beings. We think that they could never be subject to the same weaknesses and temptations as we are, and that is why they are so special, but this is not true.
I’ve learned by research and experience that the nearer any Christian lives to God the more intensely they will see and mourn over their own sin. The purer a believer’s life, the more the Lord honors their service, but also the more intensely does the flesh and the devil try to lure them from this calling.
As I read the New Testament, I see that the apostle Paul struggled with many things. Yes, he was more faithful, more holy, and more deeply taught than I am, but he endured trials too. He was not exempt from sin or struggles. He was as human as I am, so I must never put him, or any other child of God, on a pedestal. We are saints together, not in a hierarchy.
Holiness is attainable because all of God’s people are called to live holy lives. The Scripture says I am “called to be a saint” by the same Lord that called Paul and the others to be saints. It is the will of God for me, and even though the saints of old were superior in their attainment, I am to follow their lead. Paul even wrote that I am to imitate him even as he imitated Christ.
This is possible because God gives me the same light and grace that He gave them. Yes, they lived with Jesus, but so do I. God also gives me the same Holy Spirit as He gave them. I cannot use their experience with Jesus or their superior saintliness as an excuse for not pressing on.
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Some days I do not feel very saintly. In fact, the ordinariness of life can be discouraging. Yet Lord, You first offer me the example of Jesus, but also the example of Paul and others who followed You with all their hearts. I cannot aspire to sainthood out of pride and arrogance, but I can claim it as Your will, even Your designation for me. On those days when I feel, or even act less than my calling, remind me of who I am and the One I must to emulate. Keep my aim high, again, not because of pride, but because of what Jesus has done for me.
The term ‘saint’ is used in many ways. The Canadian Oxford Dictionary defines a saint first as “a person who is acknowledged as holy or virtuous and regarded in Christian faith as being in heaven after death.”
It also says a saint is “a person of exalted virtue who is canonized by the Church after death and who may be the object of veneration and prayers for intercession,” or “a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, a Mormon.” The word is also used informal for a very virtuous person. However, I’m more interested in how the Bible uses it.
In Scripture, a saint is anyone who by salvation has been sanctified or set apart from sin through faith in Jesus Christ. In the mind of God, a saint is declared holy (which means set apart), not because of their own virtue, but by the imputed righteousness of Christ.
No one has to die to become a saint. Unfortunately, some Bible translators make it look like it because they did not directly translate Paul’s words. For instance, Romans 8:27 says, “Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
Paul actually wrote, “called saints” or “saints by calling” but it was replaced by “called to be saints” as if this happens when Christians step into eternity and are transformed and forever without sin.
Many passages indicate that no one has to physically die to become a saint, but they do have to be “dead to sin” and “alive to God.” Believers are called “saints” (Romans 1:7) and “saints in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:1) because they belong to the One who provided their sanctification. It is a status term that does involve progress, but refers to who I am, not what I do.
Perhaps translators could not bring themselves to call the ordinary, struggling-with-sin believer a saint. Because of this, “saint” became a term used for specific individuals who were considered extreme examples of the faith. These people were venerated as an inspiration to other Christians, initially by martyrdom. Ironically, this tradition is held by the very church that Paul wrote to saying that all are called saints!
The Mormons use this title a bit closer to the ‘all’ part of the definition in that they apply it to all members of their ‘church.’ However, the doctrines of the Mormons (Latter-day Saints) fall short from more important biblical foundations about God and the nature of salvation. For instance, any Mormon that I have talked to does not understand what it means to be saved by grace through faith.
It is biblical to link “saint” and “holy,” but the common understanding of holy has also drifted. “Holy” when applied to God does mean sinless perfection, but could never mean that when applied to human beings. We are not totally holy in this life, which is likely why “saints” seems appropriate only for dead people.
However, God says those who believe are holy, even while still alive! We are saints ‘by calling’ not by virtue. This is like serving in the military. When a recruit is sworn in and given the designation of ‘private,’ he or she is every much a soldier as a five-star general. The latter has more experience and knows far more about soldiering, but both are in the army and both are soldiers.
I am called a saint now, not called to be a saint. His Word tells me to recognize all His people as saints. We do not appoint a group of people to examine our lives years after we die to see if we performed a miracle or not. Instead we must recognize the status given to us by Jesus Christ and redemption.
Also, I think of how a newly sworn-in soldier must feel. He is declared “in the army” and must want to perform in a way that is worthy of that calling. He holds his head high and as he is told who he is, he makes every effort to live up to his calling.
I find this practical. When I feel less than saintly because I’ve messed up, or am tempted, or just not doing much for God’s kingdom, He reminds me of who I am. This isn’t about performance but status. Boot camp or decorated, as His soldier, I belong to Him and am a saint.
"All the saints greet you...."
What is a saint?
The Canadian Oxford Dictionary unfortunately defines a saint as, “a person who is acknowledged as holy or virtuous and regarded in Christian faith as being in heaven after death,” or “a person of exalted virtue who is canonized by the Church after death and who may be the object of veneration and prayers for intercession,” or “informally a very virtuous person,” or “a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; a Mormon,” or “worthy of being a saint; very virtuous.”
Not one of these definitions is biblical, at least not entirely.
In Scripture, a saint is anyone who by salvation has been sanctified or set apart from sin through faith in Jesus Christ. In the mind of God, a saint is declared holy (which means set apart), not because of their own virtue, but by the imputed righteousness of Christ. No one has to physically die to become a saint, but they do have to be “dead to sin” and “alive to God.” This is both a position and a progress.
Some Bible translators erred or were perhaps afraid to directly translated Paul’s words. Where he wrote, “called saints” or “saints by calling” they put “called to be saints” as if this was that future event when Christians step into eternity and are transformed, forever without sin. They could not bring themselves to call the ordinary, struggling-with-sin believer a saint.
Historically, “saint” thus became used to designate specific individuals who were held to be extreme examples of the faith. These people were venerated as an inspiration to other Christians, and the term saint was first applied to martyrs.
One group (mentioned above) takes this title more as Paul considered it. They do apply it to all members of their ‘church.’ However, the doctrines of the Mormons fall away from other more important biblical foundations about God and the nature of salvation. Any Mormon that I have talked to does not understand what it means to be saved by grace through faith.
It is biblical to link “saint” and “holy,” but the common understanding of holy has also drifted from its original moorings. “Holy” when applied to God does mean sinless perfection, but could never mean that when applied to human beings. We are not that in this life, which is likely why most “saints” these days can only be dead people.
However, God calls holy those who believe. He doesn’t wait until we are dead. Besides that, we are saints ‘by calling’ not by virtue. The only way I know how to illustrate this is the army. A recruit is sworn in and given the designation of ‘private’ yet he or she is every bit as much a soldier as a five-star general. The latter has more experience and in function knows far more about soldiering, but both are in the army and both are soldiers.
God calls me a saint now, not to be a saint. By His word He also asks me to recognize all His people as saints. Otherwise, how would we know who is a saint and who is not? Do we appoint a group of people to examine our lives years after we die to see if we performed a miracle or not?
I’d rather go with what God says. My status as His child and His saint comes from the Bible and the Lord, not the decision of men.
Rather than elevating me though, this designation humbles me. I know the feeling of the newly sworn in soldier. He is now declared “in the army” and his heart’s desire is to perform worthy of that calling. He holds his head high. By being told who he is, he makes every effort to live up to his calling.
My devotional book says that we who belong to Jesus Christ should never consider ourselves merely “called to be” saints and asks “How long shall we have to be “being” before we can actually be?” Instead, we already are.
For me, this has great practical value. When I mess up, am tempted, or my halo hangs over one ear, I need to remember that I can praise God and get back on track because I already am what He says I am. Even though I’m still in training, I am a saint.