THE GOSPEL MESSAGE
 
    Volume 46   Number 2                                                          October 2003
Editor and Publisher - Thomas W. Woody

Who Is A Saint?
Dan Huff


There seems to be some confusion about who a saint is, and who has the authority and power to make a person a 'saint.' There was an article in the paper recently that described a certain religious leader who "has already proclaimed 469 saints, making him the greatest saint-maker in the Church's history." [Quoted from the Associated Press, Sunday, May 18, 2003]

I respectfully beg to differ with such a proclamation.


What is a Saint?

The Greek word that is most often translated 'saint' is hagios. There are two basic ideas or meanings that come from this word: 1) properly cleaned-purified; and 2) the idea of consecration or being set apart. So a 'saint' is someone who has been properly cleaned, and because they have been properly cleaned, they are set apart unto the Lord. Depending on the translation that you are using, sometimes hagios is translated saints, holy ones, people of God, or God's people.


Let us see what the scriptures have to say about saints. I Corinthians 1:2- "To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:" (NASU). In the N.T. (New Testament), being a saint (sainthood) did not depend upon a person's character or one's own goodness, or how great their works had been, or to what family or lineage they physically belonged to. What made a person a saint was being in Christ!


Paul calls those in the church at Corinth 'saints'. The word church comes from the Greek word ekklesia, meaning 'the called out'. Those in the church have been called out of darkness into Christ the Light (Colossians 1:13-14; John 1:1-12). Saints are souls who have been stained by sin, but have been made clean and pure by the precious blood of Christ. They are called saints because they have been made holy.


The word 'saint' is a descriptive word, expressing a relationship to God as being set apart from the world, as one of His own. It is interesting to note in the N.T. no one person is called a saint, such as Saint Peter, Saint John, etc.. The word 'saint' is always used in the plural or with a plural connotation in the Word. The word 'saints', when describing people, is used to refer to the company of God's people.


"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:" (Ephesians 1:1, NKJ). The apostle Paul addresses his letter to the Ephesians and calls them 'saints' and then goes on to identify what a saint is: the faithful IN Christ Jesus. Again, being IN Christ is a qualifier for being a saint.


According to some recent news articles, for one to be made a saint or proclaimed a saint, "sainthood requires evidence of two miracles being done in that person's name or honor after their death." It is my understanding that a miracle must be done in that person's name, and therefore one would have to pray to that deceased person. I again respectfully disagree with such a pretentious statement. I would like to know: Where is their backing for such a bold statement-is it in the Bible, or is it devised by man?


I cannot find anywhere in the Bible where God encourages, commands, or even condones praying to anyone but Him. Here is some evidence to support my claim:

  1. When Jesus' disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray, Jesus told them to direct their prayers to, "our Father in heaven." (Luke 11:1-2)
  2. "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." (Ephesians 6:18, NIV)
  3. Man, or a religious system, says, "pray to the saints." Paul, being inspired by God says, "pray for all the saints."
Choose this day whom you will listen to, whether it be man or God. Ultimately, whoever you choose to listen to, you will follow and end up serving.


Where in the Scriptures do we find the apostles of Christ or any follower (saint) of Christ doing miracles in their own name or in the name of someone else, other than in the name of Christ? We don't!


Jesus is the only One who can make a person a saint-He is the "Saint Maker!" No man has offered himself as sinless sacrifice for the sins of the world. It is God who justifies and glorifies-not a man. (Romans 8:30). He alone has the authority to place or add someone to His Church, not any mortal man. (Acts 2:47; 20:28). Jesus makes us saints when we believe in Him with all of our heart and obey from our hearts that form of doctrine He delivered through His holy Apostles. (Romans 6:17)


What Benefits are there in being a Saint?
"Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints." (Jude 3, NKJ) The faith, the gospel of Jesus Christ has been entrusted to the saints. This is a tremendous blessing and responsibility. These are things that angels longed to look into and prophets desired to know but were not told (I Peter 1:10-12). We have the complete revelation of God's will pertaining to man and man's salvation given to us for preserving, for distributing, for teaching, for rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. (II Timothy 3:16-17)


"Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 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." (Romans 8:26-27 - NKJ) God's Spirit intercedes or pleads for the saints according to God's will. This promise and assurance is only given to the saints.


Did you know that God has an inheritance? Paul wrote in, Ephesians 1:17-18- "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints," (NKJ)

  1. The saints are God's heritage, or family possession-an heirloom.
  2. This is true because God has invested the blood of His Son Jesus in the saints, making them much more valuable than all the gold in the world.
  3. A saint is one of God's own. Paul says in Philippians 3:20, that our citizenship has changed. A saint's citizenship is now in heaven.


The Lord's plan made saints 2,000 years ago-will not the same plan work today? If you are not a saint today, we implore you to become one of the Lord's own people, by following this same plan. For those of us who have already been set apart for the Lord, let us be glad that we are saints and accept the responsibilities and blessings of our calling.



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