5 Minute Read

Prepare Your Heart

To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a few minutes to breathe deeply and quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, ask the Lord to speak to you in this time. Let Him know that you will listen and make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.

Read God’s Word

Psalm 79-81
1 Corinthians 1:1-17

A Verse for Today

Slowly and reflectively read the following verse(s) and listen to what God will say to you through His written Word. Consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.

1 Corinthians 1:2 (CSB): “To the church of God at Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called as saints, with all those in every place who call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord—both their Lord and ours.”

Reflecting on God’s Word

The church in Corinth got possibly 4 letters from the Apostle Paul, two of which were written by the Holy Spirit and included in our Bibles as the very words of God. As we read the two letters we have (1 & 2 Corinthians), we realize that it was an incredibly unhealthy church. It was filled with disunity, they were tolerating immorality, suing each other, abusing their spiritual liberty, and the services were chaotic (abuse of “tongues” and alcohol in the Lord’s Supper). These are just a few of the problems in the church at Corinth.

And yet, the apostle Paul (led by God’s Holy Spirit) penned 1 Corinthians 1:2. Look particularly at what he said about the Christians in Corinth.

1 Corinthians 1:2 (CSB): “To the church of God at Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called as saints, with all those in every place who call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord—both their Lord and ours.”

Paul said that they were “sanctified in Christ Jesus.” The word, sanctified, is the Greek word that means “made holy.” So, Paul was saying that because they were saved, they were “made holy in Christ Jesus.” They were not only forgiven, they were born again and credited with the righteousness of Jesus.

Paul drives the point home even more when he writes next: “called as saints.” The word for “saints” in the original Greek is the same exact root word that was translated “sanctified” in the same sentence. So, Paul is saying that they were “made holy” by Jesus and so they are “holy ones.”

Friend, if this is true of the sinful saints at Corinth, it is certainly true of you and me if we are trusting in Jesus to make us right in the Father’s eyes. Why not take some time today and just meditate on the fact that God, as the perfect and righteous judge, sees you as a saint, a holy one, since you are trusting in Jesus to save you from the penalty of your sins. God sees you as a saint. Strive to see yourself as God sees you.

But … the apostle Paul (led by God’s Holy Spirit) didn’t stop there. He didn’t say: “Hey, you’re saints and your sinning. It’s not a problem at all. You can keep on sinning, just as long as you are trusting in Jesus.”

No! A thousands times, No!

The letter to the church at Corinth was just getting started when he called them saints. Paul started by saying that they were saints in Christ. The rest of the letter was basically pointing out their major sins and calling them to repent and pursue godliness. Simply put, Paul was saying: “You are saints! So act like saints!”

Friend, that is true of you and me. Yes, if we are trusting Jesus to make us right in God’s eyes, He sees us as holy ones in Jesus. We are literally, right now, saints. But we often don’t act like saints. The message of the New Testament is to trust in Jesus to save us, be born again and credited with Jesus’ righteousness, and then act like the saint that God now sees us as.

Are you currently acting like a saint? Is there some sin pattern that is inconsistent with your identity with Jesus? Then rely upon God’s strength as you kill sin in your life and chase after Him.

Act like who you are!

Spend Time in Prayer

  • Ask God to help you see yourself as He sees you. You are a saint, a holy one, not because of anything you’ve done but because you are trusting in Jesus and what He did for you on the cross.
  • Ask God to help you act like who you are. You are a saint, a holy one, so act like it.

Going Deeper

If you want to dig a little deeper into what the Bible says about saints, consider reading the following GotQuestions article:

Before you read the following article, I would add one caveat. The article below claims that Christians are BOTH sinners and saints. I would suggest that the biblical view of our identity is: we are not “sinners;” instead, we are “saints who sin.” The issue is one of identity. While we still struggle with sin, it is our activity but it is no longer our identity. If you have any reflections or comments, add them in the comments section below and I would be glad to respond.

“Are Christians sinners, saints, or both?”

Sharing

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Matt Ellis is the pastor of White Hall Baptist Church in Richmond, Kentucky (whitehallbaptistchurch.org)