| HIGHLIGHTS OF DAWN | February 1999 |
Those Called Saints
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“Unto the assembly of God which is in Corinth, sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints.” |
IN OCTOBER, 1998, the media reported that a Jewish nun by the name of Edith Stein was made a saint. The news article probes the question whether or not she was put to death because she was a nun, or because she was a Jewess. It was generally agreed that the nun was killed because the Nazis considered her a Jew.
This announcement provoked questions among many Christians as to what qualifies one to be called a saint. Who are they? Why are they called saints? What is to be their function in serving God? The words ‘saint’ and ‘saints’ appear in the Old Testament as well as in the New Testament. In the Old Testament there are three Hebrew words translated ‘saints’. These are: qadosh, quodesh, and qaddiyah, and they all have the meaning of ‘set apart, separate, and holy’. One other in Hebrew, chasid, has also been translated ‘saints’, and it means ‘pious, kind’. In the New Testament only one Greek word is translated saints, and that is hagios. It has the same meaning as the principal Hebrew words have; namely, ‘set apart, separate, and holy’.
SAINTS OF THE EARLY CHURCH
When the Apostle Paul wrote letters of encouragement to congregations which he had established as part of the Early Church, he addressed them as ‘saints’. He reminded the brethren at Rome and Corinth that they were “called saints.” (Rom. 1:7; I Cor. 1:2, Rotherham) Considering the exact definition of the Greek word, it meant that they were called for the purpose of being set apart, separated from the world. In his other letters he addresses those who were saints living at that time, who had taken the step of devoting their lives to God and had separated themselves from the world.
In his second letter to Corinth, he addressed the Corinthian brethren as “saints which are in Achaia” (II Cor. 1:1), and the Ephesian brethren as “the saints which are at Ephesus.” (Eph. 1:1) In his letter to the Philippians, Paul added another dimension to his greetings, calling them “all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi.” (Phil. 1:1) We now know that the use of the term ‘saints’ was to define congregations of people who had accepted Jesus as their personal Redeemer, and had consecrated their lives to God.
From the Biblical viewpoint, the word ‘saints’ does not refer to a class selected by a church hierarchy, but rather, by God, the Father. Jesus plainly confirmed this when he said: “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.” (John 6:44) Nor is this class appointed many years after death through a process of ‘canonization’. They are called saints while they are living because they have set themselves apart to serve God and to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.
PAUL’S EXPERIENCES IN THESSALONICA
The name ‘saints’ can be used to describe all consecrated believers in Christ. In particular it refers to those being selected as a “people for his [God’s] name.” (Acts 15:14) There are tests of faithfulness that must be met before they can be glorified with Christ. This is their ultimate goal, as the brethren of Thessalonica were reminded by the Apostle Paul.
Paul had been driven away from Thessalonica by rogues hired by the Jews. The persecution that these opposers would have liked to pour upon him was now directed toward the brethren in the congregation of Thessalonica. As Paul left to go to Athens—having been driven away from the province of Macedonia by these same Jews—he anxiously awaited word concerning the welfare of the Thessalonian brethren. He had sent Timothy to Thessalonica, and Silas to Berea to establish the brethren in each congregation. They were delayed in joining him, but finally caught up with him in Corinth. They brought the news that the Thessalonian brethren were doing well in understanding God’s Word, and in enduring persecution.
Paul immediately wrote the first epistle to the Thessalonians, commending them for their faith and witnessing in the heat of persecution by their fellow countrymen. He recounted his love for them, and his longing to see them. They also loved him and appreciated his ministry and loving care. In the middle of this letter, Paul pronounced a benediction upon them, to give them courage and hope as they walked as saints in their country. He said, “Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus make straight our way unto you: And you may the Lord cause to abound and excel in your love one toward another and toward all, even as we do toward you: To the end he may confirm your hearts, faultless in holiness, before our God our Father, in the presence of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.”—I Thess. 3:11-13, Rotherham
QUALIFICATIONS TO BE A SAINT
What are the qualifications for being a saint? In Paul’s letter we see some requirements mentioned in his benediction—one is: love for each other and all mankind; another: striving against sin to lead faultless lives as completely as is possible. Earlier in this epistle, Paul refers to their “work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Thess. 1:3); and their “election of God.” (vs. 4) He mentions them being followers of the Lord while enduring much affliction, with joy (I Thess. 1:6,8; 2:14), and their witnessing efforts. The apostle then tells them what a joy they were to him: “What shall be our hope, or joy, or crown of boasting? Shall not even ye, before our Lord Jesus in his presence? Ye in fact are our glory and joy.”—I Thess. 2:19,20, Rotherham
From these few scriptures we see that “the saints” are the congregations of God’s people—the churches of the saints (I Cor. 14:33) who have been called [of God] “according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28) and that the purpose God has for them is that they “be conformed to the image of his Son.” (vs. 29) They are the ordinary people on this earth (I Cor. 1:26-29) who are willing to suffer for “well doing” (I Pet. 3:17), and who “stand fast in the faith.” (I Cor. 16:13) These are called saints because they have set themselves apart from the world, and God, in turn, has set them apart, making them “God’s elect.” (Rom. 8:33) They have been separated for God’s purpose and are called holy. If they faithfully carry out their covenant by sacrifice they “shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”—Rev. 20:6
OLD TESTAMENT REFERENCES
This class of saints was foretold in the Old Testament. This is why there are so many references to saints in Old Testament prophecies. A few examples are: Psalm 89:5,7. This scripture tells how God would be reverenced for his works and faithfulness by the “congregation of the saints.” Psalm 145:10: “All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee.” Another well-known text is: “Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”—Ps. 50:5
We are told by these and other references in the Old Testament, that these saints belong to God; that they have made a covenant with God by sacrifice while they were living; and if they are faithful in keeping that covenant they will be glorified with their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. “Let the saints be joyful in glory.”—Ps. 149:5
The 149th Psalm, verses 7-9, then proceeds to tell us what work these gathered saints in glory will do. It will consist of tearing down the old order to make way for God’s kingdom. This is the function they are to perform with Jesus, their head. The experiences and works of these saints were prophesied by Daniel, who, as a captive in Babylon, foretold centuries of history yet to come and wrote so accurately of the fulfillment of prophecies.
THE KINGDOM OF THE SAINTS
In the 7th chapter of his book, Daniel wrote concerning a vision he saw of the universal empires which would arise and dominate the scene of the Gentiles for 2,500 years. All of these empires lost their dominion. But then, Daniel saw in a vision “one like the Son of man [Jesus] came with the clouds [trouble] of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days [God the Father], and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” (Dan. 7:13,14) This kingdom is to be shared by the saints as we further read: “The saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.”—vs. 18
Prior to the saints’ glorification and receiving of the kingdom, they endured persecution by one of the horns, or powers, of the Roman beast [the fourth beast] mentioned in Daniel 7:19. As Daniel reports, “I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them.” (vs. 21) This persecution would continue until the kingdom was given to the saints. Speaking of this horn, Daniel says that it “shall wear out [trouble] the saints of the most High.”—vs. 25
All preparation for sainthood takes place in the interval of time called the Gospel Age. When the trials are over, then will be fulfilled the scripture which says, “The kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.”—Dan. 7:27
This, then, is the glory of the saints.