The scriptures use the word ‘saint’ many times.  Let’s begin by looking at how this word is used.  Romans 1:7, “To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.”  It is the ‘the called of Jesus Christ’ (verse 6) that Paul is writing to.  If you have a King James Version of the Bible, you will notice that in verse 7, the words ‘to be’ are written in italics.  While working tirelessly to ensure that this translation was accurate, the translators realized the need to ‘add words’ sometimes in the text to clarify the meaning.  Thankfully, when this was done, the ‘added’ words were printed in italics so all would understand these words had been added for clarification.  If we read verse 7 without the ‘added’ words, we would read, “To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called saints…”  This changes the meaning slightly, showing that believers are not called to ‘be’ saints.  Believer are already saints.

While some religious groups teach that a person must be dead for many years before he/she can be made a saint, many verses in the Bible can be used to show that saints were living believers.

  • Romans 15:25, “But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.”
  • Romans 16:15, “Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them.”
  • 2 Corinthians 13:13, “All the saints salute you.”

It is the ‘called of Jesus Christ’ that are saints.’  It is the ‘beloved of God’ that are saints.  All true believers on the Lord Jesus Christ are saints!  The Greek word for saints is ‘hagios’ which means ‘sacred, pure, morally blameless, holy.’  In fact, this word is translated ‘holy’ many more times than it is translated ‘saints.’  How is it that we can be referred to as saints?  How can be thought of as being holy?  When we put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are made new.  2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”  We become brand new creatures, and this ‘new man’ is created holy.  Ephesians 4:24 speaks of this “new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”  Realizing that we are now new creatures, created in righteousness and true holiness, we should live our lives in the power of that truth.  We are called to responsible living in 1 Peter 1:15-16, “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”

It stands to reason then, that if one is martyred for his testimony for the Lord Jesus Christ, he was already a saint before he was killed.  Dear fellow believers, we are saints, we are holy, we are righteous (Read 2 Corinthians 5:21).  In dependence upon the Lord, may we strive to live lives that reflect our precious position in the Lord.  (223.6)