The Christian is a Saint

Rm.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.”

What does this word mean? We need to start here due to the way the word is commonly used which has little to do with how the Bible uses the term.

Firstly, and negatively, the Bible does not limit the use of the word “saint” to a special category of believer. And you certainly don’t have to wait until you’re dead to be declared a “saint”.

Secondly, the NT translates a Greek word sometimes as saint sometimes as holy. Basically the idea is the same – it refers to something/someone that was “set apart” for a special purpose and in particular for Him. Thus the word suggests that the person (or object) being set apart for Him belongs to Him in a special way.

Basically a person is considered to be among the saints when he/she has been set apart in Christ to belong to God and not because he/she has attained a certain level of spirituality or consecration. Every true Christian is thus a saint!! This is not the special preserve of a certain elite but the birthright of every single believer. Concomitantly every single believer is expected to lead a life worthy of a saint – this is no option for a select group of religious keenies!! And this life of a saint is one of increasingly “saintliness” or holiness. Progress in Godliness is real and to be expected of every single believer without exception.

Now let’s take a look to see just how the Scriptures speak about the saints. There are some sixty references in the NT that contain this word and thus it merits serious attention. The word normally occurs in its plural form – the emphasis is upon a community of saints rather than upon the individual saint.

Acts 9:13; 32; 41

But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem.

Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.

And (Peter) gave her his hand and raised her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.

Rm.16:5 “Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.”

2Cor.1:1 “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia:”

Eph.1:1 “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:”

Phil.1:1 “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:” Nb. Here Paul seems to be distinguish the ordinary believer from the office bearers in the church but it is these “ordinary believers” who are described as saints!!

Heb.13:24 “Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those who come from Italy send you greetings.”

Phil.4:21-22 “Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household.”

2Cor.13:13 “All the saints greet you.”

1)       Collectively they have received the tenets of the Christian faith – if Paul could consider the Jews to have been highly favoured because they had received the oracles of God how much more honoured are the saints – Jewish and Gentile believers together – to have received the faith: Jude 3 “Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.”

Cf Col.1:26+27 “the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints…Christ in us the hope of glory”

2)       Together these “set-apart-ones” may understand and experience the multi-dimensional love of Christ:  Eph.3:18-19 “may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

3)       Prayer: saints pray for one another and benefit from the intercession of the Holy Spirit on their behalf! God considers their prayers as sweet perfume in His presence!!

Eph.6:18 “To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,”

Rm.8:26-27 “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”

Rev.5:8 “And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty–four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” Similar idea found in Rev.8:3-4.

4)       Destined to participate in the judgment of the world and hence are well able to resolve more trivial cases in the here and now. 1Cor.6:1-2 “When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases?”

                      I.              Some saints are found in prison – and some just because they are Christians Acts 26:10 “I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them.” Paul speaking of how he persecuted the church before being converted himself.

                    II.              Some in need – material, financial – poverty, of some sort of service: Rm.12:13 “Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.” 2Cor.8:4 “the relief of the saints” Cor.9:12 “For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.” 1Tim.5:10 “has washed the feet of the saints,” criteria for widows.

                  III.              Some are disheartened and in need of encouragement Phm.7 “because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.”

                  IV.              Saints are targeted in the spiritual warfare in which they are of necessity engaged: Rev.13:7 speaking of the beast that ally of Satan “Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them” So perseverance is called for Rev.13:10 “Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.” See also Rev.14:12.

                    V.              Martyrdom is the lot of some saints – we’ve already noted how Paul voted for their death in Acts 26 – see also Rev.17:6 “And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.”

A.       If you don’t become a saint by adopting a certain lifestyle a saint certainly must adopt such a lifestyle! We have certain standards to live up to.

Rom.16:1-2 “I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well.

Eph.5:3 “But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.”

B.       Saints are expected to making progress in the work of ministry and in holiness!

             Eph.4:12 “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,”

Col.1:22 “he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,”

Col.3:12 “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,”

C.       Saints are to live expressing love to fellow believers – nb. The link between the believers relation to Christ and to other believers:

Eph.1:15 “For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints,”

Col.1:4 “since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints,”

Phm.5 “because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and all the saints,”

                      i.              An extraordinary inheritance

Eph.1:18 “having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,”

Col.1:12 “giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.”

                    ii.              A reward

Rev.11:18 “The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.”

                  iii.              Participation in the marriage feast of the Lamb

Rev.19:6-8 “Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”–– for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.”

                   iv.              Participation in glorifying Christ

2Thess.1:10 “when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints,”

What if you’re not a saint? Remember what we said right at the outset – men and women, and boys and girls are called to be saints. You are not to try by your own efforts to become “saintly” but rather have you heard the voice of God calling you? Calling you away from your sin, away from yourself to trust His Saviour, the Lord Jesus-Christ? Then come, respond, believe and put your trust in Him. Do it now.

If you are a believer now then you are a Saint and you have every reason to rejoice!!