Meditations

“Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi…”(Phil 1:1)”Greet every saint in Christ Jesus.”(Phil 4:21)”To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be saints…” (1 Cor 1:2)Since Greek times the word for “saint” has always meant “a person set aside as sacred, or holy, or different from, as being consecrated to or in the nature of the Lord.” Paul used it frequently to address all Christians, all those who had become followers of Jesus – members of Christ’s church. “While there are certainly individuals in church history who have been strikingly effective and particularly used by God, speaking in terms of its use in the Bible, there is no basis for titling someone ‘Saint,’ while the rest of us are addressed by our ordinary names. Saints are normal Christians who are following Christ, and as such, they are set aside to be different from what they once were, no longer immersed in darkness and sinful living. If your life is in Christ, then you are one of His saints.” (Sinclair Ferguson)”The real question about sainthood is not, ‘Am I in church?,’ but, ‘Am I in Christ?’ While it’s good to be in church, our presence in a pew does not make us a Christian anymore than sitting in a car in your garage will make you into a car. Paul’s addressing of ordinary Christians as saints stood as a reminder to them: ‘This is who you are. This is how the world should view you as you live and move among them.’ You are different. You should not be like the world because you are His, living in His kingdom. For that reason, we should rejoice as He has set us apart to receive His joy and enjoy it abundantly.” (Alistair Begg) If you are a child of God, a son or daughter of the King, there should never be a day when you are pulled to say, “Well, I’m no saint…” Your heavenly Father would disagree! (Eph 1:15-17, NKJV, and 1 Pet 2:9-10)

David