Day 317

Of the Church.

Chapter 26, Paragraph 2.

“All persons throughout the world, professing the faith of the Gospel, and obedience unto God by Christ, according unto it; not destroying their own profession by any Errors everting the foundation, or unholiness of conversation, are and may be called visible Saints;…”

Scripture Lookup

1 Corinthians 1:2

Acts 11:26

Reflection

When you hear the word “saint”, what image first comes to your mind? For me, it is of a woman with a halo, hands clasped as if in prayer while her eyes look up to heaven. Growing up Roman Catholic, saints were spiritual superheroes. The stories of their lives were more fantastic than a comic book, and they were of another world, above mere mortals. The Bible, however, defines saints differently.

Saints are simply Christians. Every one of the elect who have been redeemed by Christ and quickened by His Spirit is a saint. We are not perfect, and we still have the remaining corruption of sin within us. However, we have a faith that will not give way to heresy. When the Holy Spirit works faith in us, we hate sin and repent when we are conscious of sinning. While we cannot see the inner workings of the heart, and cannot watch the Holy Spirit indwell a person, we may accept as saints those who profess faith and demonstrate godliness.

These visible saints, the Christians we see before us in the here and now, are not the stuff of fairy tales, but of something much grander: God’s glorious work in their lives. Laying claim to the Gospel, they shall overcome their struggle with the world, the flesh, and the devil, through God’s grace alone. If you are in Christ, you are a saint.

Questions to Consider

• Would you call yourself a saint?