Online Sermons
Words of Life - Saint
Series: Words of LifeWORDS OF LIFE
“But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand….” / Jude 17
SAINT
SANT
1. Any baptized believer in Christ, according to the New Testament.
2. A person officially recognized by the Roman Catholic Church and certain other Christian churches as being entitled
to public veneration and as being capable of interceding for men on earth; one who has been canonized.
3. Any person who has died and gone to heaven.
4. A charitable, unselfish, or patient person.
Definition #1 is that which is taught in the New Testament.
Definition #2 has no foundation in the Scriptures. It is a man-made doctrine.
>Questions & Observations For Discussion?
1. What does the word SAINT mean? - - “to be holy or set aside for God’s usage”.
~ Jesus is spoken of as “the Holy One of God” – Mk.1:24 & Lk.1:35
~ All Christians are called to live “holy lives” … or “set-apart lives”. – 1Pet.1:14-16
2. Other words in the “saint” family add insight to the meaning of sainthood.
~ To sanctify (sanctification) has to do with, “consecrating or setting apart for a specific purpose”. – 1Pet.1:2
~ A sanctuary is a place set aside for worship – Heb.9:1
3. All faithful Christians are saints!
~ In New Testament usage, Christians in general are “saints”.
~ “The term is common in reference to the inclusive membership of a local church.”
~ Notice how Paul begins many of his epistles: Rom.1:7; 1Cor.1:2; 2Cor.1:1; Eph.1:1; Philp.1:1 & Col.1:1
~ cf. Acts 9:13; Rom.16:15; 2Cor.13:13; Heb.13:24 and Rev.5:8
~ Sainthood is not reserved for just a select few extraordinary Christians.
~ Put simply, sainthood belongs to those who are sanctified IN CHRIST JESUS. – 1Cor.1:2
4. What does it mean to walk in a manner “worthy of the saints”? – Rom.16:2
~ Love / Eph.1:15 & Col.1:4
~ Ministry or service / Heb.6:10; 2Cor.9:1; 1Tim.5:10; Rom.15:25
~ Financial aid or support / Rom.12:13 & 15:26 and 2Cor.8:4
~ Living morally upright lives / Eph.5:3
5. Nowhere in the Scriptures is it taught that only a certain few saints have special roles as intercessors.
Rather, all saints are urged to “confess your sins to one another and pray for one another” (Js.5:16).
6. What is the meaning of 1Cor.6:2-3, regarding the saints JUDGING the world and angels?
~ 2Tim.2:12 / if we died with HIM, we shall also live with Him; if we endure, we shall also reign with Him.
~ Such is an eschatological reference to the establishment of the eternal kingdom in the last days of Judaism.
cf. Dan.9:22-27; Mt.19:28; Lk.22:30 and Rev.3:21 & 20:4
~ First-century saints were guided in all truth (Jn.16:13) and their teachings became “binding” (Mt.16:19 & 18:18).
