We are ALL called to be a Saint

You are Called to be a Saint

I have a vivid memory from my youth at a youth camp in Lufkin, Texas. A young man addressed the crowd, I would estimate thirteen or fourteen. I was probably about that same age.

He walked up to the pulpit and with fire and enthusiasm, he said,

”Praise the Lord, Saints!”

There was not much of a response from the crowd.

He said it again, " Praise the Lord, Saints!”

The response was still pretty tepid.

He backed up, shook his head and said, “Is you saints, or is you aints?”

Then he said it again, “Praise the Lord, Saints!”

This illustrates in a great contrast. As one who has been called to be a saint,

”Is you a saint or is you an aint?”

We all should be challenged to live in the calling given to us. You are called to be a saint. We should adopt a faithful mindset to understand that God has performed a miraculous cleansing and transformation in each of us individually.

The word saint is used 98 times in my Bible.

For those who give merit to what the Bible states explicitly on the subject, let me give you a few scriptures that are written to all believers.

The first time the word is used is in prayer by the man God would use to bring Saul into the Kingdom of God.

“Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:” Acts 9:13

In the same chapter, the believers are defined as saints,

“And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda.” Acts 9:32

In the 26th chapter of Acts, Paul describes those whom he persecuted as saints.

Paul writes a letter to the church of Rome.

“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.” Romans 1:7

Seven more times this word is used, and it communicates that everyone who is a believer, a part of the assembly of the church, to whom Paul sent this letter, is a “saint”.

“Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, 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 their's and our's:” 1 Corinthians 1:2

Ten more times, Paul will use this same message that normalizes this idea that a faithful believer in the local church of Corinth is a “saint”.

As you continue reading through the New Testament, Sainthood is not something we attain; it is something we are called to be, and it is expected of us as faithful believers in Jesus Christ.

This truth is very apparent as you continue to read through the usage of the word “Saint” in the New Testament.

“But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;” Ephesians 5:3

The Greek word for "saint" used in the New Testament is ἅγιος (hagios). This word is consistently used in the New Testament Epistles (and other parts of the New Testament) to refer to "saints," meaning those who are sanctified, holy, or set apart for God. It can be translated as "holy," "saint," or "sanctified" depending on the context. In the verses listed previously from the NKJV, every instance of "saint" or "saints" corresponds to this Greek term ἅγιος (or its plural form, ἅγιοι, hagioi).

ἅγιος (hagios) carries the sense of being holy, consecrated, or dedicated to God. In the context of the Epistles, it typically refers to believers in Christ who are set apart by their faith and relationship with God.

The word appears in various forms (e.g., singular, plural, or different grammatical cases) depending on its use in the sentence, but the root is always ἅγιος.

• For example:

  In Romans 1:7 ("called to be saints"), the Greek phrase is κλητοῖς ἁγίοις (klētois hagiois), meaning "called saints" or "called holy ones."

  In Ephesians 1:1 ("to the saints who are in Ephesus"), the Greek is τοῖς ἁγίοις (tois hagiois), meaning "to the saints" or "to the holy ones."

We all should be challenged to live in the calling given to us. You are called to be a saint. We should adopt a faithful mindset to understand that God has performed a miraculous cleansing and transformation in each of us individually.

What God has done for us by His very nature gives us a holy responsibility to live a clean life. A clean life in our pursuit to fearfully walk in favor and honor of Jesus' great love for us, and we embrace this love through faithfully living a life in obedience.

If we do not do this basic act of obedience, we testify against ourselves that we do not truly love Jesus.

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” Jesus in John 14:15

Jesus gave many commandments; he even termed them “New Commandments.” Further, Jesus commanded and commissioned the Apostles to teach all the things he taught them; therefore, if it’s written in the New Testament Epistles, these are directly attributed to Jesus through the Apostles.

We must embrace this reality.

We are saints saved by grace.

We should embrace this rather than embracing a former reality. We were Sinners saved by grace.. we should not still be sinners.

God has called us to be Saints, he has called out out of darkness and the depravity of being SINNERS, and into the Light of sanctification and holiness, to be saints.

Jesus, by His Blood, by His Name, by His Grace, by His Spirit,

He has empowered you live a life above sin and victorious over sin.

Embrace this reality. You can live every day in a way that reflects the wonderful work of Jesus in your life.

I fully desire to fulfill my calling to be a Saint and not an Aint.

In Him, By Him, Through Him,

Scott A. Phillips

• Romans 1:7
  "To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

• Romans 8:27
  "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 12:13
  "distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality."

• Romans 15:25
  "But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints."

• Romans 15:26
  "For it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem."

• Romans 15:31
  "that I may be delivered from those in Judea who do not believe, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints,"

• Romans 16:2
  "that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also."

• Romans 16:15
  "Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them."

• 1 Corinthians 1:2
  "To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:"

• 1 Corinthians 6:1
  "Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?"

• 1 Corinthians 6:2
  "Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?"

• 1 Corinthians 14:33
  "For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints."

• 1 Corinthians 16:1
  "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also:"

• 1 Corinthians 16:15
  "I urge you, brethren—you know the household of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints—"

• 2 Corinthians 1:1
  "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in all Achaia:"

• 2 Corinthians 8:4
  "imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints."

• 2 Corinthians 9:1
  "Now concerning the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you;"

• 2 Corinthians 9:12
  "For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God,"

• 2 Corinthians 13:13
  "All the saints greet you."

• Ephesians 1:1
  "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:"

• Ephesians 1:15
  "Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,"

• Ephesians 1:18
  "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,"

• Ephesians 2:19
  "Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,"

• Ephesians 3:8
  "To me, who Clinton, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ Jesus and make known the mystery of His kingdom to all the saints,"

• Ephesians 4:12
  "for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,"

• Ephesians 5:3
  "But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints;"

• Ephesians 6:18
  "praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—"

• Philippians 1:1
  "Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:"

• Philippians 4:21
  "Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you."

• Philippians 4:22
  "All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar’s household."

• Colossians 1:2
  "To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

• Colossians 1:4
  "since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints;"

• Colossians 1:12
  "giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light."

• Colossians 1:26
  "the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints."

• 1 Thessalonians 3:13
  "so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints."

• 2 Thessalonians 1:10
  "when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed."

• 1 Timothy 5:10
  "well reported for good works: if she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work."

• Philemon 1:5
  "hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints,"

• Philemon 1:7
  "For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother."

• Hebrews 6:10
  "For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister."

• Hebrews 13:24
  "Greet all those who rule over you, and all the saints. Those from Italy greet you."

• Jude 1:3
  "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."

Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. Hebrews 13:24