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PHILIPPIANS 4:21

 

Who can legitimately be called saint? 

 

A saint is simply a person who belongs to God. 

 

The word literally means, “The separated ones; the holy ones.” 

A saint is anyone who belongs to Jesus Christ.

 

We are given the name “saints” not because we deserve it, but because God has claimed us as his dearly loved children. 

 

Think of this name as you would the name “highly treasured” or ‘extremely valuable” or “the prized possession of God.” It is an expression of how God feels about us. 

 

That name shouts: “You are mine and I deeply value you."

 

When we become a Christian, we become God’s treasured possession. From that time on, we are called to live up to the entire implications of that name.

 

God views sin as abnormal and holiness as normal. 

 

We are not called to become saints. We are saints and we are called to start acting like who we are.

 

There can be a false humility in calling yourself a “forgiven sinner.”  

God is far more interested in your future than in your past. When we call ourselves sinners, we are focusing on our past. When God calls us saints, he is focusing on our future and who he desires that we become.

 

We tend to live out the meaning of our names. 

 

How we view ourselves will ultimately determine our behavior. 

 

Our salvation is “in Christ Jesus”. Our hope is not in our performance but in our Master.