Are All Christians Really Saints?

1 Corinthians 1:2  ‘To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord..’

In our verse today and throughout the Bible Christians are called saints.  Peter, in Acts 9:32speaks about visiting the saints who lived in Lydda.  And in Acts 26:10 Paul boasts about shutting up many of the saints in prison.  Obviously these saints were living Christians and not people who had been declared saints after their death.  Since today’s verse references the ‘church called to be saints’, just what does it mean for every Christian to be called a saint?  The common belief is that for a person to be a saint he or she must be a ‘paragon of virtue’ or practically sinless.  Instead, Christians become saints when they are born again into the family of God.  The word saint comes from a Greek word hagios which means holy, sacred or separated unto God.  Just as being good enough has nothing to do with becoming a Christian – we are saved solely on the basis of what Christ did on the cross; so, being a saint has nothing to do with how good of a Christian we are – we are saints simply on the basis of being washed from our sins by the blood of Christ.

However, Christians are called to be saints for a purpose – they are set apart to be the disciples of Jesus Christ, and are meant to be lights in a dark world.  True believers are saints who make up the body of Christ or the church.  They will never be sinless while here on earth, but as an old adage says ‘they are able to sin less’ because of the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in their lives.  Rather than feeling embarrassed at being labelled a saint, Christians should rejoice in the fact that this is how God sees them.  And they should ensure that this privileged standing before God is reflected in their lifestyle.

Do you like the idea of Christians being called saints?

How would you feel if someone referred to you as a saint?

Is being called a saint a motivation to be a better Christian?

Clearwater Corps: I’m Set Apart For Jesus

All Things Work For Good

Romans 8:28  ‘And we know that all things work together for good to those that love God, to those that are called according to His purpose.’

In the midst of the difficulties, conflicts, discouragements, defeats and problems of everyday life, this verse has to be one of the most encouraging promises of the entire Bible.  And it’s probably one of the most difficult to accept as applicable in all circumstances.  How does one reconcile the loss of a career job, the premature loss of a loved one or the news of a terminal illness with ‘all things working for good?’  To do so, we must pause and consider the type of God we know and serve.  Our God is omniscient, and is aware of every detail of every life.  He is also omnipotent, and is able to manipulate every circumstance which affects our life, again down to the most minute detail.  And probably most important, He loves with an infinite love and desires that ‘all things work for good’ for His children.  Altogether, we have a God Who is able to deliver on every promise, and as Ephesians 3:20 so eloquently describes ‘is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.’

 And this is not a promise that will only be realized when our earthly journey is over; it is a promise meant to be realized here and now.  But, like many of God’s promises, it is conditional on our love for God and to some extent obedience to His plan and will for our individual lives.  God never takes away the right to exercise our free will.  When we make decisions that are outside of God’s will, sometimes in willful disobedience, we can hardly expect that the outcomes will be favorable and blessed by God.  We are called ‘according to His purpose’, that is with a plan and purpose will result in an abundant life which will bring glory to our Creator God.  It is helpful to remember the words of a song which remind us that ‘I don’t need to understand – I just need to hold His hand.’

Do you expect all things to ‘work for good’ in your life?

Why do you think bad things happen to good people, and vice-versa?

Should Christians expect less hardship than others?

Spiritual Warfare

Ephesians 6:12  ‘For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.’

We’ve all probably heard the sarcastic comment that ‘he or she doesn’t realize the war is over’, referring to someone who isn’t really in touch with reality.  If there can be a more pathetic situation, it may be the case of a Christian who is unaware that there is a spiritual war happening, which has been occurring since the temptation of mankind in the Garden of Eden.  Spiritual conflict is a very real battle, and no Christian is exempt from it’s influence.  In today’s society we seldom hear, even in religious circles, of the impact of Satanic or demonic influence on the lives of those who are involved in activities that ruin and even destroy themselves or others.  Even when decisions at the highest levels of government impact the lives of millions and result in infinite suffering of millions of innocent victims, there seems to be a reluctance to place the blame where it belongs – on the shoulders of Satan and his followers.  Yet Jesus during His ministry on earth, cast out demons, and empowered His disciples to do so, realizing the destructive power of such to destroy lives.

While our conflicts here are often of a personal nature, and appear to be simply with other people, we are informed that we are to look beyond the person(s) to just who is motivating the actions or behaviour.  In 1 Peter 5:8 we are warned that ‘our adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about seeking whom he may devour.’  Demonic activity has one ultimate purpose; the destruction of lives – body, soul and spirit.  And there is only one ultimate protection against the assaults of the evil one and his cohorts – the whole armour of God (Ephesians 6:13-18)  Although we may at times appear to be losing the battle, we can take confidence in the fact that we are fighting a defeated enemy; the battle is the Lord’s, and ‘greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.’ (1 John 4:4)

Do you believe in spiritual warfare?

Is there spiritual warfare happening in your life just now?

Do you fear the activity of the devil and his demons?

Do you expect to have victory over Satan?

If so, what is your hope of victory based on?

The Fear of God

Ecclesiastes 12:13 ‘Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.’

In today’s world, the feeling or emotion of fear is probably more prevalent than it has ever been. In many countries, especially where conflict and terrorism is a part of everyday life, people live in daily fear for their safety. Throughout the Bible the word fear appears over three hundred times, and in a variety of contexts. In many of them, as in the above text, Christians are commanded to fear God as an integral part of Christian duty. In Proverbs 1:7 we are told that ‘the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.’ And in Matthew 10:28 we are cautioned to ‘fear Him Who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.’ These verses might lead one to think the God wants His people to live in a constant state of fear. However nothing could be further from the truth. 2 Timothy 1:7 assures us that ‘God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.’

While God wants everyone to recognize that He is an all-powerful God, and that His judgement and punishment is to be feared, the fear of God which believers experience is not one of dread or terror. Christian fear is of the kind which is referred to in Hebrews 12:28, where we are urged to ‘serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly fear.’ This fear is a respect for the goodness, love, mercy and holiness of a God Who provides, protects and presences Himself with His children, even though they are undeserving of such mercies. With this fear of God, we have a motivation to be obedient to God and live a life pleasing to Him. It is a principle that inspires us to reach for the goal of godly living as described in 2 Corinthians 7:1 ‘perfecting Holiness in the fear of God.’ Rather than fearing God’s wrath or judgement, a genuine fear of God enables a Christian to have confidence that living in obedience to the will of God is the safest and most rewarding place to be.

Personal questions to consider

Is Godly fear a reality in your life?

What do you think is the source of any fear of God you have?

How would you seek to overcome an unhealthy fear of God?

Why do you agree a healthy fear of God is a good thing?

 

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2 Corinthians 12:09  ‘And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for you: for My strength is made perfect in weakness…’

This verse was the Lord’s answer to Paul when he asked deliverance from his ‘thorn in the flesh.’  Paul had pleaded three times for his affliction, whatever it might have been, to be removed from him.  However, God did not answer by taking it away, but instead assured Paul that ‘His grace was sufficient’ to see him safely through his ordeal.  Through this experience, God was teaching Paul several lessons which in the end would strengthen his faith, and bring glory to God.  One lesson was that God does not always answer our prayers in the way which we expect or desire.  Paul could only look at his problem from a limited human perspective, whereas God could see the ‘big picture’, and would answer accordingly.  Paul wanted immediate relief from his suffering, while God wanted to do what was most beneficial for Paul in the long term.  Also, God wanted to show Paul that His grace would be sufficient to carry him through this challenge, if he would learn to rely on God’s strength and not his own self-sufficiency.  And God wanted reinforce Paul’s understanding that ‘all things work for good to those who love God.’ (Romans 8:28)

The end result would be that Paul, with God’s help, would not only learn to deal with this affliction, but would become a better disciple by learning to lean on the grace of God in what was a very difficult situation.  As the verse says, God’s strength is made perfect in weakness.  God will not impart His strength to someone who feels that his/her own strength is adequate.  Like Paul, we have to realize that God only allows the things in a Christian’s life which are in some manner beneficial to them.  It is not important that we understand why things happen, or what the outcome will be, but that we learn to trust God, are obedient to His will, and leave the consequences to Him.  He will work all things for our good and His glory.

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The Word of God

Isaiah 40:8  ‘The grass withers, the flower fades: but the Word of our God shall stand forever.’

The Bible has proven to be the most indestructible of books.  As early as 300 AD Roman Emperors outlawed the Bible and sought to destroy it.  And in the late 1700s the French philosopher Voltaire declared that within 100 years there would be no Bibles left on earth, except as a curiosity.  Ironically, a hundred years after his death, his house was home to a printing press that produced Bibles.  And today, while there may not be a concerted effort to destroy the Bible physically, the teachings of the Bible are under greater attack than ever.  Even within the Christian churches there are leaders who do not believe in the basic tenets of the Christian faith such as the virgin-birth of Christ or His bodily resurrection.   Many deny the accuracy of the Bible, yet there are almost daily archaeological discoveries that attest to veracity of biblical accounts of historical events, times and places.  Others would rather be ‘politically correct’ and are silent on current issues such as lifestyle morality, rather than take a stand that concurs with the Word of God.

But, in spite of neglect and attack, God assures believers that His Word will stand forever.  David wrote in Psalm 119:89 ‘For ever O Lord your word is settled in heaven.’  While most of the secular world views the Bible as outdated and no longer relevant to modern society, a close look at the end time prophecies of the New and Old Testaments will confirm that the ‘universe is unfolding’ as God has revealed it would.  The Bible is truly God’s love letter to mankind, offering redemption from the bondage of sin.  While many are looking for new revelations or interpretations, the old, old story of God’s plan of salvation through faith in the cross work of Jesus Christ is still the only truth that can rescue fallen man.

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The Spirit of Liberty

2 Corinthians 3:17  ‘Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty.’

Liberty or freedom is considered to be a fundamental right of citizens of most democratic countries.  But even freedom has its limitations, and no one can ever be free to do anything and everything they desire.  In spite of that, we see people who promote slogans such as ‘just do it’, or ‘it’s my body and I can do what I want with it.’  The bottom line is that freedom without restraints or responsibilities soon results in chaos or lawlessness.   However, within the Christian life, one is never truly free until he/she yields their life to God and accepts the way of life that He has intended for them.  Most people do not realize that they are living a life in captivity to the devil and forces of evil.  They are trapped and ensnared in a lifestyle from which there is no escape without the intervention of God.  They may be able to live a moral life to some extent in their own strength, but only the work of God’s Holy Spirit is able to release them from the grip of sin.  And although the principle flies in the face of human rationality, true freedom is achievable only when a person is completely surrendered to the will and purposes of God.

There is an old hymn which begins ‘Make me a captive Lord and then I shall be free.’   It no doubt sounds contradictory, but only God has the power to take possession of a person’s life, and at the same time enable the ‘captive’ to experience true freedom.  Paul, in 2 Corinthians 10:5 urged Christians to ‘bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.’  A life of liberty begins when a person accepts Jesus Christ as their Saviour, but is consummated when that life is fully surrendered, and Christ also becomes their Lord.

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Seek First the Kingdom

Matthew 6:33  ‘But seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.’

This verse was spoken by Jesus during the Sermon on the Mount, and contained a challenge for everyone, especially Christians who are unduly concerned about their need for their daily provisions.  The ‘all these things’ Jesus referred to were basic necessities of life such as food and clothing.  Jesus was assuring those listening that by seeking first the kingdom of God, they could rest assured that their physical needs would be looked after.  When God makes a promise we can be certain that He will be faithful to fulfil it.  But this promise comes with a condition – we are to seek ‘the kingdom of God and His righteousness’ first and then He will perform His part of the bargain.

God knows what each individual needs, and since every person’s need is different, God is able to provide what is necessary according to the differing needs.  The problem many of us have to deal with is that we fail to differentiate between wants and needs.  While God promises to  meet our needs, nowhere does He promise to supply our wants.  The key to having God supply our needs lies with having a right relationship with Him.  In Psalm 37:25, David stated that ‘I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.’  Again, David qualifies the statement by saying that it applies to the ‘righteous’, or those who are part of the family of God.  God waits to bestow good gifts on His children, but He wants us to make ‘His righteousness’ a priority, which we must seek diligently.  The first step is to realize that we have no righteousness of our own, but must obtain as Paul did ‘the righteousness which is of God by faith.’ (Philippians 3:9)  When we are partakers of Christ’s righteousness, we need not be anxious about God supplying our other needs.  He wants us to prove that we can depend on His providential care.

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Godly Affection

Colossians 3:2  ‘Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.’

Most people have heard about being ‘too heavenly minded to be any earthly good’.  But how many have considered whether they are ‘too earthly minded to be any heavenly good?’  Paul admonishes those who are Christian to ‘set their affection on things above.’  However, Paul is not only speaking about heaven, but also wants Christians to focus their attention on all things of a spiritual nature.   It has been said that a Christian should keep his feet on the ground but his head in heaven.  When our affection is directed toward heavenly things, we will find that it is much easier to arrange our priorities in proper order here on earth.

In today’s hectic society it’s easy to overlook heavenly things and be overwhelmed by the cares and responsibilities of everyday life; and not find time to be still and know just Who God is or what He expects of us.  Just what do we spend most of our time thinking about or working toward?  Do we stop to realize that ‘the things which we see are temporal or earthly, but the things which are not seen are eternal?’ (2 Corinthians 4:18)  Do we focus our thoughts enough on the heavenly realm with all its splendor, and most of all do we look forward to meeting our Saviour: or are we solely fixated on the ‘here and now’?  When we compare the blessings and benefits of heaven with the trials and troubles we have to contend with on a daily basis here, shouldn’t we be motivated to think more often about the glories of our eternal home?  After all, this world is no longer the home of Christians, as our citizenship is now in heaven. (Philippians 3:20)

Setting our affection on things above requires that we spend time in God’s Word and seek His perspective on all areas of life.  A Godly perspective will not only

What is our perspective  It should be shaped by the Word

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Our Unchanging God

Malachi 3:6 ‘I am the Lord, I change not.’

We live In a world of uncertainty and shifting moral values. What was considered unthinkable fifty years ago is now acceptable as the ‘new normal’ today, whether it’s in the realm of government, education, justice, entertainment, personal relationships or society in general. Even within the Christian community, behaviour which was intolerable, and even condemned in The Word of God, is not only accepted today, but even celebrated. And in many situations the Scriptures are misinterpreted to justify actions that are clearly unacceptable or irreconcilable to God’s standards. Due greed and/or irresponsible decisions, we see the disastrous effects to our environment, climate and our way of life. In the majority of instances these changes have occurred as a result of God’s will being carelessly or deliberately ignored.

However, Christians can take comfort in the truth of today’s verse ‘I am the Lord, I change not.’ Because of God’s unchanging character, we know that we can rely on the promises of God. We can be sure that the God Who is loving, gracious and compassionate today will be the same tomorrow. Hebrew 13:8 assures us ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.’ In an ever-changing world, and even when those closest to us disappoint or fail us, we can turn with confidence to our faithful and unchanging Heavenly Father and know with certainty that He will always be there for us. Our hope is expressed in the words of the old hymn ‘Change and decay in all around I see – O Thou Who changeth not, abide with me.

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