‘Saint’ is an interesting word. We often throw it around in conversation to describe those who rise above the crowd; who have a stellar life and character. “They’re a real saint,” we might say.
Sitting in a meeting with leaders from WT Cameroon, Dan led us through a short study of 1 Peter 1:1-2. He put the emphasis on how we as believers, how we as ‘saints’, are described in this short opening section. One of the very first descriptors we settled on was: chosen ones; those who had been set apart by God. In other words, ‘saints’ are those in whose hearts God has first worked, not because of any strength of merit they may bring to the table, but wholly because of His love and grace.
‘Saints’ are those who are in process; those who are learning to grow in grace and be sanctified by grace. They are not perfect by any means, but their hearts have been changed by grace “so that they might obey Jesus Christ.”
Jessie (WT Irian Jaya/Papua alum) went to her homecoming with Jesus earlier this month. Jessie was a ‘saint’. She seemed to always be quick to share her ongoing needs for greater growth in Jesus, but her heart had been transformed by Christ and it led her to life of service to her Lord and others. She was one who was still in process, she was a ‘saint’ because she knew, above all, that she had been first claimed by Christ.
May we stake our claim on the One who bought us back, so that our lives as ‘saints’ would be a natural outworking of that truth taking root deeply in our hearts.
Thoughts Along The Journey 
Leave a comment