Called to be Saints

Did you know you have been called to be a Saint? Perhaps you’ve seen a bumper sticker that says “Christians aren’t perfect, they’re just forgiven?” Whenever I see that, I’m reminded that believers don’t walk around wearing halos and don’t always behave perfectly yet, the Bible calls us saints.

The dictionary says a saint is a person of “exceptional holiness of life formally recognized as having attained an exalted position in heaven and as being entitled to veneration here on earth.”* The American College Dictionary, Random House. N.Y. C 1960.

Few if any people fit that definition. Yet, the Bible calls those of us who believe in Christ Jesus, saints. The apostle Paul wrote to people who were “called to belong to Jesus Christ; … God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints:” (Rom.1:6-7 RSV).

He also wrote “to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, (I Cor.1:2).”

He wrote “to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ at Colossae who had “faith in Christ Jesus and … love for all the saints.”(Col.1:2&4).

To the Ephesians, he wrote, “To the saints who are also faithful in Christ Jesus.”

In Revelation 14:12, we see a call “for patient (endurance) on the part of the saints who obey God’s commandments and remain (faithful) to Jesus.”

Paul calls the Philippians “saints in Christ Jesus” for whom he is thankful (Phil. 1:1&3).  

Even in the Old Testament, people of God are called saints.

Daniel 7:18 According to the interpretation of Daniel’s dream, the (saints) of the Most High will receive the (Kingdom) and will possess it forever.”

Samuel 2:9 Hannah expressed God’s character in her prayer. She declared that God would“guard the feet” of his saints.

Psalm 30:4 David exhorts the saints to “sing to the Lord” and “praise or give thanks to” his holy name. In Psalm 34:9 He also instructs saints to (fear) the Lord, for “those who fear him lack nothing.”

In Romans 3:23, 24 Paul explains that “(all) have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are (justified) freely by his grace through the (redemption) that came by Christ Jesus.” We need to be forgiven and justified before we can be saints.

Colossians 1:10-13 As saints, we are qualified to share in the “inheritance in the kingdom of light, We’ve been rescued out of darkness and brought into the kingdom of the Son.

1 Peter 1:1-2 Peter was writing to saints, the believing exiles who had been “(chosen) according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the (sanctifying) work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ.”

I Peter 2:9 What names did Peter use in describing the believers? (chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God.) Peter speaks of the believers being called out of (darkness) into (light).

2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 God chose us to be saved through sanctification and belief in the truth.

Ephesians 2:6 God made us (sit with him in the heavenly places) in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 1:18 Paul prays here that we would know the (hope) to which God has called us, of his glorious (inheritance) in the saints.

Personal Challenges to think about:

Do you know that God has called you, chosen you as a saint?

Do you see that he wants to give you his “goodness” and

that the Lord confers the title of saint on you because of the sacrifice of Jesus?

How are you growing in appreciating your glorious calling?