Focus: You're God's Saint

Text: 1Cor.1:2

"To them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, CALLED TO BE SAINTS, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours."

The word 'saint' is the most used word in the New Testament for a believer in Jesus Christ. Let me repeat for emphasis, that it is the commonest word for a Christian. What that means is that we don't have to wait to get to heaven before we become saints. We don't need to achieve a certain degree of spirituality to become saints.

The word 'saint' is 'hagios' in the Greek. It means something or someone set apart for sacred uses. It means something or someone separated from the rest and made different from others. In Christ the believer is different from the rest of the world, and according to our text, he is called to be a saint. He is unique among others and set apart from the rest. The believer is holy in Christ. That means that saintliness is about being devoted and consecrated, not really about being perfect.

Another word that describes a Christian is 'hagiasmos.' The ending part of the word, 'asmos' describes or implies a process. It means that the holiness of a person in Christ is a journey. It means that every Christian is walking along the road or pathway of holiness, and we must determine to make progress.

It doesn't require being spiritually exceptional to be a saint. But we can grow, advance or mature in our saintliness. Sainthood is not an achievement; it is rather a commitment and consecration to God, and this consecration is an ongoing process. We keep yearning for and yielding to the Lord on daily basis. We are committed to living a life that is different from the world. We are involved in 'holy worldliness.' We are different people who are committed to living differently in the world. Our holiness is a process, not a final state. We are, for as long as we live, taking the holiness road till we arrive heaven or till we are finally with Jesus Christ, our Lord.

On this holiness journey we are enjoined by Paul to be our own morticians. He says, "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do MORTIFY the deeds of the body, ye shall live" (Rom.8:13). Again, he says, "MORTIFY therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry" (Col.3:5). That's the holiness road, and it is an ongoing process.

I believe that the grace of God is sufficient for godly lifestyle. Holiness is our divine makeup. Holiness makes us different and beautiful. Holy people enjoy the shalom of God that passes all understanding. Indeed, saintliness is our calling! In Christ we are called to be saints. Let's make progress in our holy walk with God. Amen.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter