SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1109

“Called To Be Saints”

To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints – Romans 1:7

I grew up in a religious tradition where sainthood had an entirely different meaning from that of the Bible. We never thought of ourselves as saints.

The Greek word, hagios, is translated in the New Testament as saints. It means to be called and set apart by, or for God, to be holy, sacred, kind, pious, and sanctified.

To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours – 1 Corinthians 1:2

If you are a Christian believer in Jesus Christ, saved by His death and resurrection, then you are called to be saints. The Christian church – The Body of Christ – is a congregation of saints called to be equipped to carry out the Lord’s ministry.

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, – Ephesians 4:11-12

As a saint we are called to be set apart from this world – to be different. We are to let the light of Jesus shine through us to dispel the darkness of sin and evil in the world.

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. – Matthew 5:14-16

As saints being sanctified by the power of the Holy Spirit we are to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit in our everyday lives and circumstances. This is what it means to let our light shine.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law; But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. – Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 5:3

In the Book of Daniel we see how the enemy wages war against the saints. This is evident in our world today.

He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law…; Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus – Daniel 7:25; Revelation 14:12

Saints of God now is not the time to cower in fear. Now is the time for the church Body of Christ to stop playing church and be the church. Now is the time to shine the light of Christ brightly, laser focused on the evil that seeks to hinder or prevent Christian worship. Now is the time to rise up as a sanctified Body of Christ and vote to purge the evil from our government.

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. – Isaiah 55:6-7

You are called to be a saint. Answer the call.