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     We have considered the various images used in the New Testament (NT) to describe the aspects of relationship Christians have with God and one another (citizens of the Jesus kingdom), Christian (belonging to Christ), church (called from a sinful world to Christ), the body (interdependency among Christians) and the family (growing up together into the likeness of Christ and supporting one another as siblings), Christian married to Christ.  Another description is saint.

     Because of common vernacular of Christendom via manmade doctrine, saint is one of the most misunderstood words.  Folks have been brainwashed to believe a saint is a special, almost sinless person who has lived an exemplary life and done many wonderful deeds.  And they are declared to be a saint after they die, similar to a posthumous awarding of the military Medal of Honor with valor.

     What did the apostle Paul mean by saints when he wrote, “when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe,...” (2 Thessalonians 1:10)?  Are these saints a special and better class of Christians within the church?  That saints are a special class of people is true; that they are better Christians is not true.  So just what is a saint?

     Saint comes from a word in the original NT language meaning holy, used more than 200 times in the NT.  Most folks have heard, “He thinks he is holier than you.”  Again holy is also misunderstood.  Saints is used about 60 times in the NT.  The meaning of holy clarifies what is meant by saints.

     If there is one thing that can be said of God, it is He is holy.  Five times in Leviticus, God commanded the ancient Israelites, “Be holy for I am holy.”  That was a command in the Old Covenant given to millions of Israelites.  However the apostle Peter reiterated the same to Christians, ‘but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy”’ (1 Peter 1:15, 16).  Thus, the ancient Israelites (OT) were, and Christians (NT) are, under the same command to be holy.  What does it mean to be holy?

     God clarifies, “And you shall be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine” (Leviticus 20:26).  Separation is meaning of holy.  God separated ancient Israel from the pagan peoples as He promised Abraham, that his descendants would become a nation (Genesis 12:1-2).  Zacharias prophesied this promise as the “holy covenant” (Luke 1:72, 73).  That covenant in promise was fulfilled in the OT (nation of ancient Israel) and then the NT (Jesus the Messiah and His church).

     The New Testament is a covenant between God and each person who becomes a Christian.  That person is holy – separated from the world and sinful ways.  Thus Paul wrote, “To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified (set aside for a special purpose-JM) in Christ Jesus, called to be saints” (1 Corinthians 1:2).  All Christians are saints!

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