YOU ARE A SAINT
Ephesians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
Religion has made sainthood look like a 'special' achievement or a status that must be conferred on a few outstanding persons. As religious as it sounds, that's not God's standard for sainthood.
Some persons believe saints can only be found in heaven. That's far from the truth. In several instances where believers were called "saints", they were on earth. That's not disputing the fact that glorified believers are saints. They are saints as much as those of us on earth are.
It is alien to scriptures to pray to saints, venerate and worship saints. We didn't read in scriptures that any apostle or the early church did. This was imported into church tradition when the church became apostate. In the bible, saints are called to revere, worship, and pray to God alone.
In the opening text, Paul called Ephesian believers "saints". It wasn't a thing of status for just one outstanding person but a status for all believers in Christ.
The word “saint” comes from the Greek word hagios, which means “consecrated to God, holy, sacred, pious." The idea the word “saints” convey is a group of people set apart for the Lord and His kingdom.
To speak scripturally, the “saints” are the body of Christ, Christians, the church. All Christians are considered saints. All Christians are saints—and at the same time are called to be saints.
1 Corinthians 1:2 says: “To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy…” The words “sanctified” and “holy” come from the same Greek root as the word that is commonly translated “saints.”
It is common to read in scriptures where believers were called "saints". In the early church, no one conferred sainthood on anyone. Everyone who believed in Jesus and accepted him were all regarded as saints. Let's consider these scriptures.
In Acts 9:32, Peter referred to believers as saints, "Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda".
When Ananias received from the Lord to go pray for Paul, he made reference to the saints as those Paul persecuted: "…Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem" (Acts 9:13).
Even Paul spoke about how he persecuted believers. In his defense, he called them "saints": "And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons …“ (Acts 26:10).
By reason of your connection with Christ, you are a saint. It is not because of your perfection. If perfection was the criteria, none that has ever been called a saint would qualify.
Sainthood was conferred on you because of the finished work of Christ on the cross and nothing more. Hallelujah!!!
God's expectation is that you live as saint. Your conduct should portray that status of sainthood that Christ conferred on you when you put your faith in Him.
Romans 16:2 reveal that saints have acceptable manner: "that you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints…" (Romans 16:2).
Ephesians 5:3 reveals what is proper among saints, "But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints".
Don't doubt it again. You are a saint.
CONFESSION: Father, I thank you because I'm a saint. The finished work of Christ made me a saint. It is not by works but by grace. Henceforth, I live out the life that is expected of me as a saint. I walk in the in the newness of life in Jesus name. Amen
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