God calls You a Saint, Christian

You are saint.  That is a current, here and now, reality for you.  Sainthood is not something you achieve through good works.  It is not a title to be voted on by any church or committee.  It does not mean you have done any miracles.  It is not an expression of appreciation without meaning.  If you put your faith in Jesus then you are a living saint.

Did you realize this?

The word saint is the Bible has a specific meaning.  It means “set apart” or “holy” or “sanctified”.  Though this sounds super religous, saints are just regular people like you and I.  In fact, they are you and I if you go by Gods’ description contained in the Bible.  Thyey are not just those in stained glass.  You don’t need to be the super Christians many are taught to look up to and even to pray to – just a believer in Jesus.  If you are filled with the Spirit of God, you’re in.

How do we know this?  It is stated repeatedly in the Bible.

Read Paul’s address to the church at Corinth in 1 Corinthians 2-3:

 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

³ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Please note that the words “to be” in the passage are in italics in your Bible.  This indicates that the words were added by the translators.  It reads more accurately, therefore, to the church of God in Corinth called saints.  The simple believer who make up the church at Corinth are called saints by the Apostle Paul in the inspired Word of God.  You cannot get a better source of evidence that Paul in the Bible.

Who is a saint according to the Bible?  You are.

A Very Messy Church

The context of Corinthians makes Paul’s use of the title even more challenging.  Paul writes to a church that is blessed by God.  Yet, they are also lost deep in sin.  They are fighting among themselves, squandering their blessings and generally making fools of themselves.  They are getting drunk in church and carrying on affairs in their body.  A man is having an affair with his mother in law, for example.  They are acting more like the cast of a nightime Soap Opera than a church.

Paul writes to rebuke these messed up believers directly in the letter.  His words are clear and unwavering.  He calls out their failures specifically.  It is a corrective letter meant to discipline the church body at Corinth.

Yet, under the inspiration of God, Paul also calls these sinners saints.  They are mired in sexual immorality, drunkeness and pride and yet they are holy, set apart and sanctified.  It is wonderful to think about.  Their actions do not change their status as saints.

Paul then goes further and clarifies who should be called saints:

called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours. 1 Corinthians 1:2-3.

It does not matter how lost a Christian is at the moment.  The definition of a saint is all those in every place who call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. All of us.  Every last Christian!

More Evidence of Sainthood

Paul similarly addresses the Church at Phillipi in Phillipians 1:1:

Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons…”

Consider Acts 9:32 written by Luke:

³² Now it came to pass, as Peter went through all parts of the country, that he also came down to the saints who dwelt in Lydda.

and Luke recording the words of Paul in Acts 26:10:

¹⁰ This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. ¹¹

Romans 1:7:

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.

If you believe in Jesus, you are a saint.  Simple truth set forth clearly in the Bible.

Your friend who believes and yet struggles is a saint.  The single mom who is scraping pennies together to pay the rent and doesn’t have money to give at church is a saint.  You are a saint.  Have no fear of what any other denomination thinks of your status.

Every single person who put their faith in Jesus and is saved according to God’s grace is a saint.

So why does this matter?

Every one of us starts off a sinner dead in sins and trespasses.  You are then made a saint by the work of God alone.

God set you apart as a Saint.

God made you holy as a Saint.

God made you sanctified as a Saint.

You will always be a saint because their standing is dependent on God’s power and salvation through Jesus.  It is not dependent on how good you are.  It is not dependent on a church body agreeing.  It does not matter if anyone on earth agrees.

It is only God from whom the title of saint comes that matter.  He will never take it away from you.

You do have decisions to make on how you wish to live out that sainthood.  Do you want to walk worthy of the calling?  Do you daily deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Jesus?  Are you living out life like a saint should?

These decisions do not change your title given by God.

Do you know you are a Saint?

There is eternal safety and security in your standing as saint.  The gates of hell will never prevail against it.

Isn’t that comforting?

The Bible sets out qualifications for sainthood very clearly and simply.

Are you a member of Jesus’ Body?

Yes.  Then you are in saint!

It is not because anything you have done.  It is all because God’s abundant love toward you.  He showers you with amazing blessings, even when we don’t realize it.