A man's willingness (or unwillingness) to come to the front of a church building says nothing about his willingness to come to Christ. Walking in front of a crowd has nothing at all to do with the conversion process, and we have no right to create such a false category of 'public declaration of faith' and thus pronounce the Biblical requirement fulfilled. We have every right indeed, we have divine right to require baptism as this outward and public profession of faith. And we have every right to expect that faith to continue to be evident in life. But the altar call is another matter entirely. It is an artificial, man-made requirement which, by virtue of its human origin, is a matter of no consequence whatever.
Fred Zaspel

The Saint

The Saint

The Saint

Key Verse:

MAT 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

First of all, what is the SCRIPTURAL saint? In the Old Testament the word “saint” is used sparingly (only 38 times). One Hebrew word (Str# H2623) translated as “saint” means kind and pious, while the three other words (Str# H6918,H6922,H6944) deal with being clean or sanctified. In the New Testament the only Greek word (Str# G40) translated “saint” is used 62 times. This word means sacred, pure, and consecrated. This is the same Greek word translated as “holy” 174 times out of 184. Almost all the letters Paul wrote to the churches addressed the “saints”. In the Book of Acts, several times the “saints” at different cities are referred to. It should be obvious in the light of the scriptures that there were many “saints” and that sainthood has nothing to do with man’s ordination, but it is by God’s ordination.

What are and are not characteristics of a saint?

EPH 5:1 Be ye therefore followers(imitators) of God, as dear children; EPH 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. EPH 5:3 But fornication*, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; EPH 5:4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient(proper): but rather giving of thanks. *It is important to understand that the spiritual meaning of fornication is idolatry. Idolatry is letting anything in your life affect a p e r f e c t relationship with Jesus; i.e. idols of gold (or “green”), of fame, of friendship, of knowledge, of rubber and carburetors, of transistors and diodes. These things are without breath(life) (HAB 2:18-20), and we should NOT worship them by offering a sacrifice of our time, when we could be in the ministry of the Word and prayer, becoming more like Jesus. We can be in spiritual adultery with the cares of this world: “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity(hostility) with God? Whosoever therefore shall be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”(JAM 4:4) The scriptures tell us not to “walk according to the ways of this world”(EPH 2:3) and that “we have received not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God” (1COR 2:12).

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What are and are not characteristics of a saint? (continued)

REV 13:7 And it was given unto him(the beast) to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. REV 13:10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. REV 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: REV 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. REV 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. REV 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them. From this we can see that saints are holy, patient, and faithful. Holy enough to be killed by the beast. Faithful enough to die for Jesus and love not their lives even unto death. Patient enough to go through hardships and tribulations to obtain a higher prize.

Are saints perfect?

EPH 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

JAM 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. Therefore we see saints aren’t perfect but have a thirst for perfection, which they receive by seeking, finding, and knowing what is perfect. This growth is assisted by the five-fold ministry of the Church, which is set up by God especially for the perfecting of the saints.

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How are we saints?

EPH 2:18 For through Him(JESUS) we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
EPH 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; EPH 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; EPH 2:21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
EPH 2:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. By, and only by, the cleansing blood of Jesus and the directing of the Holy Spirit are we made a holy habitation for God.

Are there believers who aren’t yet saints?

2THES 1:10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. In Romans 8:5-9, the Bible says there are those that mind the things of the flesh and those that mind the things of God’s Spirit. The saints of Jesus mind the things of the Spirit, and because of the Lordship of Christ, Jesus is glorified in his saints’ lives.

What did Paul say about himself:

EPH 3:7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. EPH 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; So Paul didn’t deserve to be a saint, just as you and I, but by grace and by Jesus, through the Spirit we can live a life that is holy and pleasing to God. Jesus is the true answer: When your heart is broken and your life is surrendered to Him and you need some help to be holy, the Bible says, ask and it shall be given to you . Now, we see that we are saints in Jesus by allowing Him to help us live a life that is holy and reserved for God, not bowing to worldly pleasures and fun, but sanctified through Christ’s blood. Sainthood is within the grasp of every born again believer, if they will forsake all for their true love, Jesus. But, let us be humble in this understanding: “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”(ROM 12:3) 4

Let us realize the special goal God puts on our lives: When Paul wrote to the church at Corinth he wrote “to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints.”(1COR 1:2) We are called to be saints by being sanctified(made clean of sin) in Christ. The Bible teaches that “as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation(behavior)”. Let us obey our calling that we may be chosen. It isn’t hard. The hardest thing in the universe to do is to resist God and his everlasting Word. The easiest thing to do is to submit to God and let Him and His Word carry us along. (Many times our flesh doesn’t want to submit, and we need to crucify it and bring it into the obedience of Christ. Then the Spirit has full control and there is no conflict nor turmoil within us, as we walk after the Spirit, not after the flesh.) (ROM 8:4).

HEB 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, HEB 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

1COR 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 1COR 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate(strong) in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. Let us also realize that our holiness is before God and not before man. Many times man doesn’t recognize holiness unless he is seeing through the Father’s eyes. It keeps a saint humble and faithful in knowing that he is doing great and mighty things before the Lord, unknown to man.

And remember what Jesus said:

MAT 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: f o r t h e y s h a l l b e f i l l e d .