What, or Rather Who, is a Saint?

Disclaimer: “ For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: For stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.”

Isaiah 28:9-10 KJV

The idea of Saint conjures up different thoughts and images. Usually related to perceptions of religious perfection. Someone whose behavior is above reproach, per religious norms. These perceptions are brought on in no small part by the hijacking of this biblical title of God’s elect by, namely, the Catholics. Which, with all their many controversies, ironically doesn’t even fit our misled idealogy of the word.

Now that we have addressed what Saint is not, on to the good stuff. Let us go no further before using scripture to define the word, Saint, as this is the Saint we are referring to in the first place. 

I begin with Psalm 148:14, “ He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints: even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him.”

Here we see the saints are described as God’s people and Israelites as the people of Israel ( not to be confused with the people who occupy Israel now, who are called Jewish). The Israelites referenced here and elsewhere in this article are the seed of Jacob and are also referred to as Israel. 

Romans 1:7 refers to those called to be saints as loved or beloved by God; further down in this article defines who the loved of God are and who would be the called.

1 Corinthians 1:2 also uses the word calling in reference to the Saints in Corinth.

What Does It Mean To Be a Saint?

What does it mean to be a saint, and why does it matter that God chose a particular person and his descendants to be the recipients of His covenants ( plural, both old and new), promises, adoption, love, salvation (from both wrath of God and their enemies), grace, forgiveness, guidance, and protection?

 I will start by saying... "Because in His infinite wisdom, according to His purposes, will, and glory, He chose to do so. He is God, and you are not." 

But for the further edification of the Saints, I will elaborate if this privilege graciously bestowed on no other nation of people but us, all glory be to God, is lost. 

That you are above every nation, Deuteronomy 7:6-9. Chosen out of all nations to be God’s nation and not any other nation then or man-manufactured now.

 Holy, meaning set apart, treasured like no other people on all the earth, loved by our faithful Lord and redeemer.

I can see the incentive for non-Israelites to impose themselves in appropriating our identity and faith (the portions they chose to implement anyway).  

But we should never be so quick to discard our clearly coveted position in God's heart, will, and Kingdom. We are His chosen people, His vessels of mercy, those of us who have placed our faith in His son Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins and have had the confirmation of His Holy Spirit that we are His children are divinely elected by the God of the Universe. 

The only one true living God has given you an identity that the world can never take away from you, deny you or redefine to fit their mold of who you are. (More on who God is and election based on predestination can be found here.) 

Saint…you are the seed of Jacob, a royal priesthood, a peculiar people, God's own possession. So many people have elected themselves to this title and will depart from Him on that judgment day, not only not His child, but never even known by Him.

Because imposters posing as ministers and some misled good-intentioned believers, I myself, formerly included in this bunch, have been doing the work of spreading distorted and sometimes perverse misinformation masquerading as the gospel. Namely, that eternal salvation is available for all people, including non-Israelite people. This is not in accordance with scripture.

Salvation from our enemies and from the wrath of God because of our sins to all who believe is only eligible for the Israelites, the seed of Jacob.

Salvation for ALL?

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Who is the “everyone” or the “all” referenced elsewhere in scripture? 

Well, Let’s look at Romans 10:1 before we hop prematurely to verse 13. The ‘who’ being addressed are called Brethren. 

Using scripture to define the term brethren, we see in the preceding chapter in Romans 9:3-4 Apostle Paul describes brethren as kinsmen according to the flesh: Who are ISRAELITES. I find it necessary also to highlight that according to the Holy scriptures, in verse 4 of Romans 9 continued, it is to this group of people, and to them only, the ISRAELITES, belongs adoption, glory, the covenants, the law as well as the promises and the service of God.

Also, a review of Joel 2:18-30 reveals who the prophet Joel was speaking of in his prophecy mentioned in Acts 2:21 as God’s people, Israel.

Under Grace, Not Under The Law

It is by God’s grace we Israelites who have repented of our sins and placed our faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins and, again by God's grace, have received the downpayment of the Holy Spirit of our eternal inheritance to come. All glory be to God. And are considered children of God by the confirmation of the same Holy Spirit.

But according to Jesus, in His words found in Matthew 5:17, He did not come to destroy the law but to fulfill the law. If the law is not destroyed, isn't it safe to say that we Israelites, the only nation to receive the law, should still be keeping it? According to Jesus, yes.

Please do not misunderstand, the law is not to be kept as unto righteousness, Romans 10:4, Christ is the end of the law as unto righteousness, His grace and sacrifice now cover salvation. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be keeping the law given to us to be kept, by our Abba father.

The law was given to the Israelites to keep, as a holy nation set apart, God has given us our standard of living. Throughout the scriptures, we have seen how our ancestors, our brethren, according to the flesh, Israelites have not kept the law, have given themselves over to following pagan gods, customs, and religious beliefs, and precisely what happened to them each time. It led to grave discipline and brutal slavery at the will of the Lord. He is a Jealous and holy God.

Do you see why making lite of sin and the law is detrimental to us? We keep doing it, and we keep getting disciplined for it. Now the devil has raised a whole widely popular doctrine that is dedicated to telling us we should be more dependent on grace and essentially ignore the law that God gave to us, and not them!

Can a Non-Israelite be a Saint?

Based on Psalm 148:14, the answer is no. But if you are like me, then you have compassion for those non-Israelite nations of which some do believe in our God. And all glory be to God, so too does the Lord also have compassion. He tells us in His Word, Psalm 145:8-9, that He is good to all and his mercy is over all He has made. That means everyone, Israelite and non-Israelite, can and do experience the goodness and mercy of our heavenly father, all glory be to God. And I, for one, am glad that our God is so good.

The Lord also has shown us in scripture to be a rewarder of the faith of non-Israelites. This is why it is good for us as His chosen people to encourage the faith of our God to other nations, that our God be praised and glorified by all. 

Take, for example, the Canaanite women in Matthew 15:21-28. He grants this women's request to heal her daughter. Jesus makes mention of her great faith and mercifully saves her daughter from the demon that was afflicting her.

How Does God View His Saints?

The same story of the Canaanite woman, only as a Saint, His disciple, He calls you a child of God and not the family pet…. as he refers to the Canaanite woman when He refers to her as a dog. 

You enjoy a familial conversation, a relational fellowship, and communion as a beloved member of His family and not that of a stranger begging for leftover crumbs of overflow compassion. 

And unlike some non-Israelite people who do believe our God is the one true living God and is powerful beyond all measure and can do all things, some wrongly even have been convinced that His atoning blood was shed for them, your prayers as the righteous are heard, Proverbs 15:29, while He is far from the wicked.

It is important to note here that the Canaanite woman was ignored by the Lord before His righteous disciples asked if He would address her; in response to the request of His righteous ones, does He then acknowledge her and respond. 

Dear brothers and sisters…. and Saints, unlike the Canaanite woman whose cries were initially ignored by the Lord, remember that as His chosen seed who has repented and has placed your faith in Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection on your behalf for the forgiveness of your sins, you…. ALWAYS have a seat at the master’s table with Jesus, the bread of life, in a spot He has specially prepared just for you, God’s beloved child, and never forget that.

What Does Called Mean?

As shown in Psalm 148:14, Saints are God's people, who are of Israel; the Israelites.

 Those dispersed Israelites who had given themselves over to gentile behavior, customs, and pagan gods and been so immersed that they were considered gentiles. Of those who had received the gospel message and had placed their faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, they are sanctified in Christ. These have been called by God the father to do so, John 6:44. They have been adopted as sons and daughters of the Most High. (More on predestination and the diaspora can be found here).

The word Saint is often accompanied by the familial word brethren. Scripture defines the word brethren as well. So when you see the word brethren, remember this biblical description found in Romans 9:3-4, brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: who are Israelites.

And that is actual Israelites, the seed of Jacob, Israel, and not some mythical spiritual ethnicity. But the actual bloodline and seed of Jacob. 

A people that still exist and are not some fable frozen in time wondering about haplessly in the wilderness somewhere. 

No, an Israelite might very well be delivering your mail or serving your child's lunch in their school cafeteria or even the recipient of yesterday's road rage. 

In fact, Israelite believers, as a result of the diaspora, can be found in all nations, kindreds, people, and tongues.

And all Glory be to God; His Holy Spirit has told me it is time for His people to wake up. Love you. His Glory.