Rethinking the Church | What It Means to Be a Saint

7 To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 1:7 (NRSVUE)

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

1 Cotinthians 1:2 (NRSVUE)

When most of us hear the word "saint," we think of extraordinary people of faith—the kind who should be depicted in stained glass windows or have cathedrals named after them. We think of people like Mother Teresa, who spent her life serving the poorest of the poor, or Saint Francis, who gave up his wealth to care for outcasts and lepers.

But here's what might surprise you: in the New Testament, the word "saint" isn't reserved for a special class of super-Christians. The Greek word we translate as "saint" is hagios, which means "different from the world" or "like Jesus." That's why many modern translations will say "God's people" instead of "saints."

Look at how Paul uses this word. In Romans, he addresses his letter to "all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints." Not just the church leaders—all the believers. In Corinthians, he writes to the entire church, calling them "saints by calling." In Philippians, he addresses "all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi."

Paul wasn't writing to a special subset of Christians who had achieved some extraordinary level of spirituality. He was writing to entire congregations made up of ordinary men and women who had put their faith in Jesus. Congregations that included people who were struggling with their faith, people who were dealing with conflict, people who were learning how to follow Jesus in the midst of real-life challenges.

So, if you're a Christian, then you're a saint. Not because you're perfect, not because you've achieved some special spiritual status, but because God has set you apart to be like Jesus in this world.

This changes everything about how we view ministry and service. You're not waiting to become qualified for ministry—you already are qualified because God has called you and set you apart for his purposes. You don't need to wait until you feel more spiritual or know more about the Bible. You don't need to wait until your life is completely together or until you've conquered all your struggles.

As the cliche goes, God doesn't call the qualified—he qualifies the called. And if you've put your faith in Jesus, you've been called. You've been set apart. You've been made a saint, not because of what you've done, but because of what Jesus has done for you.

This means that the work of the church—the work of ministry—isn't something you're hoping to grow into someday. It's your calling right now, exactly where you are, with whatever gifts and experiences and even struggles God has given you.

The question isn't whether you're qualified to do ministry. The question is: What ministry is God calling you to do?

Prayer: Father, thank you for calling us saints—not because we're perfect, but because you've set us apart for your purposes. Help us stop thinking we need to become something more before we can serve you. Open our eyes to see the ways you want to use us right now, right where we are. Give us the confidence that comes from knowing we belong to you and that you've equipped us for the work you're calling us to do. Amen.