Colossians 1:3-5
We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven…
Are you a Saint?
‘Saint’ is more than a title, it is the identity of those who have obeyed and are following Christ. It is not an attainment in the afterlife because of a pious life lived in this evil world, it is the present state of Christ’s disciples. And it is always the standard that God calls his erring children to remember Rom 1:7; 1 Cor 1:2.
How to become a Saint
First, a Saint, like Epaphras preaches the Gospel to people in the Colossian community. The Gospel could come to people in different ways- preaching, teaching, reading a Gospel tract, a hymn or song etc. But whichever channel it is conveyed, the heart that receives the ‘seed’ is receptive. Those who put their faith in Christ by confessing Him as LORD and believe in their hearts that God raised Him from the dead (Rom 10:10,9, 13) obtain God’s gift of salvation (Eph 2:8,9). Christ comes- in the person of the Holy Spirit- into the heart of that individual and dwells there. The life and nature of Christ- of holiness and righteousness (Col 3:10; Eph 4:24) become the life of that person because he or she is now in union with Christ. He is now a Saint! He is not a Saint because of his efforts to live a holy and righteous life but because Christ’s life is imputed and imparted to him; and now he is able to express it in submission to the Holy Spirit. Saint, is how the life of Christ in him is described.
A Saint therefore is someone who has an inward conviction of the person and work of Christ by which he puts his faith in Him. He has an upward expectation of an eternal city whose builder is God- a hope of heaven. And he also expresses an outward affection for all who share this faith and hope- love for other Saints Col 1:4-5; Eph 1:15.
Saints need love
The only exchange that is permitted in the community of Saints is LOVE! The Lord was first to declare this when He said, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” Jn 13:34, 35. There are only two people in the world- Saints and Sinners! It is love for one another that distinguishes the Saints from sinners. This love isn’t self-love – the worldly kind of love and trademark of those who are held by the clutch of the spirit of the age 2 Tim 3:2. The love of which we speak is firstly Christ’ compelling love 2 Cor 5:14; that is expressed in all sincerity with fellow Saints 1Pet 1:22. It is the only debt a Saint cannot finish paying (Rm 13:8).
Who do you owe an expression of Christ’s love today? Forgiveness is at the head of its expression; then the flow all other forms of kindness.
Dear Saint, may your labour of love be remembered before the throne of grace. Amen