Living Saints

“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace be to you, and peace from God, our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 1:1-3

Saint Who?

Are you surprised to find Paul addressing his letter to “saints?” After all, saints are dead people who have achieved such spiritual eminence that they have been given that special title, “saint.” Even the dictionary defines a “saint” as a “person officially recognized for holiness of life.” Who makes this official recognition? Usually some religious body, and the process by which a person becomes a saint is technically know as “canonization.” The deceased person’s life is examined carefully to see whether he qualifies for sainthood. If the candidate’s character and conduct are found to be above reproach, if he has been responsible for working at least two miracles, then he is qualified to be made a saint. “Martin Luther wanted to be preserved from the fanatical church in which there are none but such saints.” (GC 190-192).

Incredible Falsehood

As interesting as this procedure is to some, we do not find it authorized anywhere in the Bible. “The mediation of saints which the Catholics invoke, or so called intercession is the greatest falsehood invented.” (7BC 913;GC 73). “This adoration of the saints, invocation, and mediation, cannot atone for sin.”(GC 220). As a very small child, whenever anyone in the family irretrievably lost something, my mother (Gk..Orthodox), would pray to Aghios Fanaris,( Gk.-Saint Lighted Lamp), to find the lost item! When invariably found, it only increased my faith in such folly.

Nine times in his brief letter, Paul addresses his readers as saints. These saints were gloriously alive, not dead, though once they had been “dead in trespasses and sins.” (Eph 2:1-3). Furthermore, it is clear that they had never performed any miracles, although they had experienced a miracle by trusting Christ as his Saviour (Eph 2:4-10).

Out Of This World

The word “saint” is simply one of the many terms used in the New Testament to describe “one who has trusted Jesus Christ as his Saviour.” The person is beamingly and gloriously “alive,” not only physically, but also spiritually! (Eph 2:1). In Acts 9, you will find Christians called, “disciples,” “people of the Way,” and “saints.”

The word “saint” means “one who has been set apart.” It is related to the word, “sanctified,” which means “set apart as holy.”(Gk aghios-holy). When the sinner trusts Christ as his Saviour, he is taken out of the world and placed “in Christ.” The believer is in the world physically but not of the world spiritually (John 17:14-16).

Spiritual Harmony

Years ago I was a certified scuba diver, venturing into the mystic deep and darkened waters. The sea puts another element there that you have no control over. I existed in a harrowing, alien environment because I possessed highly specialized, underwater diving equipment systems and technologies – in this case, the indwelling Holy Spirit of God. Every true believer possesses the Holy Spirit (1Cor 6:19-20; Rom 8:9), and it is through the Spirit’s power that the Christian is able to function in a troubled, alien world.

The Believer’s Standing

Now for the important question: How did these people at Ephesus become saints? The answer is found in two words: “faithful” and “grace” (Eph 1:1-2). When Paul addresses his letter to the “saints and faithful in Christ Jesus” he is not addressing two different groups of people. The word “faithful” carries the meaning of “believers in Christ Jesus.” These people were not saved by living faithful lives; rather they put their faith in Christ and were saved. The word (Gk. pistis, pisteuo) faith, means adherence to, committal to, faith in, reliance upon, trust in a person or object; not only consent of mind, but an act of the heart, and will of the subject. Belief, then is synonymous with faith.

Undeserving

The word “grace” is used 12 times in Ephesians, and refers to “the kindness of God toward undeserving people.” Grace and mercy often are found together in the Bible, and they certainly belong together in the experience of salvation. Someone beautifully said, “God in His mercy doesn’t give me what I do deserve, and God in His grace gives me what I don’t deserve.” You see, “grace” and “faith” go together, because the only way to experience grace and salvation is through faith. (Eph 2:8-9).

That later phrase “in Christ Jesus” is used 27 times in his letter to the Ephesians! It beautifully describes the spiritual position of the believer: he is identified with Christ, he is in Christ and, therefore, is able to draw upon the wealth of Christ for his own daily, practical living.

THE AIM

You will find that each book in the Bible, interestingly, has its own special theme and message, even though it many deal with many different topics. For example, Genesis is the book of “beginnings”; Matthew is the book of the “kingdom;” Galatians is the book of “liberty;” Ephesians 1-3 states its theme; “the Christian’s wealth (blessings) in Christ.”

The source of our blessings: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” God the Father has made us rich in Jesus Christ! Now, when you were born again into God’s family, you were born rich. Through Christ, you share in the riches of God’s grace (1:7; 2:7), God’s glory (1:18; 3:16), God’s mercy (2:4), and the unsearchable riches of Christ” (3:8).

Our heavenly Father is not poor; He is rich – and He has made us rich in His Son. There are many rich people in this world: Getty, Gates, Rockefellers, and oil sheiks, worth billions. Yet, all their wealth is but ‘pennies’ when compared with the spiritual wealth we have in Christ. Paul explains what these riches are and how we can draw upon them for effective Christian living.

The scope of our blessings: “all spiritual blessings.” This can be translated Òall the blessings of the Spirit,” referring to the Holy Spirit of God. In the Old Testament, God promised His earthly people, Israel, material blessings as a reward for their obedience (Deut 28:1-13).

Today, He promises to supply all our needs “according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19), but He does not promise to shield us from either poverty or pain. The Father has given us every blessing of the Spirit, everything we need for a successful, satisfying, Christian life. The spiritual is far more important than the material. Our spiritual possessions in Christ are from the Father, the Son, and from the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is mentioned many times in this letter, because He is the one who channels our riches to us from the Father, through the Son. Not to know and depend on the Holy Spirit’s provision is to live a life of spiritual poverty. No wonder Paul began his Ephesian ministry asking some professed Christians if they really knew the Holy Spirit! (Acts 19:1-7).

We might ask ourselves, too, and professed Christians, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? If the answer is no, then you are not saved.” “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His” (Rom 8:9). Unless you have the witness of the Spirit (Rom 8:15-16), you cannot draw upon the wealth of the Spirit.

The sphere of our blessings: ‘in heavenly places in Christ.’ A clearer translation might be “in the heavenlies in Christ.” The unsaved person is interested primarily in earthlies, because this is where he lives. Jesus called them “the children of this world” (Luke 16:8). The Christian’s life is centered in heaven.

His citizenship is in heaven (Phil 3:20); his name is written in heaven (Luke 10:20);his Father is in heaven; and his attention and affection ought to be centered on the things of heaven (Col 3:1). Evangelist D.L. Moody used to warn about people who were so “heavenly minded they were no earthly good,” but that is not what Paul is describing. “The heavenlies” (literal translation), describes that place where Jesus Christ is right now (Eph 1:2) and where the believer is seated with Him (Eph 2:6).

The battles we fight are not with flesh and blood on earth, but with Satanic powers “in the heavenlies” (Eph 6:12); and, “Satan, the prince of darkness, demons, devils, evil, air, and of this world; the earth’s first great rebel against God’s law; an unsleeping, cunning, wily foe.” (DA 71; 1T 364; SL 67; GC 534; TM 54; 3T 419).

On The Move

The Christian really operates in two spheres: the human and the divine, the visible and the invisible. Physically, he is on the earth in a human living body, but spiritually he is seated with Christ in the heavenly sphere – and it is this heavenly sphere that provides the power and direction for the earthly walk!

The President of the United States is not always seated at his desk in the White House, but that executive chair represents the sphere of his life and power. No matter where he is, he is the President, because only he has the privilege of sitting at that desk. Likewise with the Christian. No matter where he may be on this earth, he “is raised and seated in the heavenlies with Jesus Christ, reconciled and set into the temple,”(Eph 2:6) and this is the basis of his life and power. What a privilege! What a seat!!

The Good Life

When she was young, Victoria was shielded from the fact that she would be the next ruling monarch of England lest this knowledge spoil her. When her teacher finally did let her discover for herself that she would one day be Queen of England, Victoria’s response was, “Then I will be good!” Here life would be controlled by her position. No matter where she was, Victoria was governed by the fact that she sat on the throne of England.

Bank On This

The fact that Paul is writing about wealth should be significant to the saints. Why? Because Ephesus was considered the bank of Asia. One of the seven wonders of the world, the great Temple of Diana, was in Ephesus, and was not only a center for idolatrous worship, but also a depository for wealth. Some of the greatest art treasures of the ancient world were housed in this magnificent building.

You see, Paul compared the Church of Jesus Christ to a familiar temple and explained the great wealth that Christ has in His church and saints. Paul already used the word riches; but there are other words, Òfinancial words” such as inheritance (Eph 1:11; 5:5) and fullness or filled. (Eph 1:10; 3:19; 5:18). Paul, in essence, is telling us, therefore to, “Be Rich!”
Investment Strategy

To be sure, we inherit the wealth by faith and invest the wealth by works. Without this balance, our spiritual riches do us no good. If we are to be the saints, also, as those whom Paul addressed as the believers in Ephesus, “we must be saints first on earth in order to be saints in heaven.” (TM 105; AH 16). Remember, “the crown of glory may be worn by the weakest saint” (AA 313), and can be more than a match for Satan and all his angelic host who cannot destroy him.”(PK 513). Moreover, there is hope for all, as Òall men can be saints in this world through Christ’s grace.” (ML 273).

Saints Alive

Who are the saints? “Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” (Rev 14:12).

“Our God shall come, and shall not keep silenceÉ He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people. Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” (Ps 50:3-5).

Stand Up For Jesus, while Standing on the Promises of God. You are the Living Saints!
AMEN.

John Theodorou, U.S.A.