A Word to the saints of God

To the saints being in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 1:1b LITV

The Greek word for saint here is hagios, and refers to be set apart for a specific purpose. Paul is not referring to a specific Christian in Ephesus, but to all Christians who were in Ephesus. The Bible teaches that all true believers are saints of God.

For example, The Bible says in Romans 8:27 LITV, But the One searching the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because He intercedes for the saints according to God. Paul says here about the Holy Spirit's work in the prayers of the saints. Who has the Holy Spirit? Well lets back up earlier in the chapter. Romans 8:9 LITV, But you are not in flesh, but in Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone has not the Spirit of Christ, this one is not His. Who has the Spirit? Every believer, because if we did not have the Spirit of Christ, we would not be His.

Romans 8:14 LITV, For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. Who are the sons of God. Every believer. The Bible says in John 1:12 LITV, But as many as received Him, to them He gave authority to become children of God, to the ones believing into His Name. Ephesians 1:5 LITV, predestinating us to adoption through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.

Romans 8:15 LITV, speaking of the same people, For you did not receive a spirit of slavery again to fear, but you received a Spirit of adoption by which we cry, Abba! Father!, v. 16, The Spirit Himself witnesses with our spirit that we are children of God. And when you read on in its context, and come to v. 27, and the Bible says about the Holy Spirit, He intercedes for the saints according to God. The saints refer to every believer in the Lord. All believers are the saints of God. All true Christians have been sanctified by the Holy Spirit in the Lord Jesus Christ. Spurgeon said, We are not chosen because we are holy, but that we may be holy. Every believer in Jesus is a saint, set apart for God. God the Father chose us not because we are holy, but God chose us in Christ before creation, to be His holy saints, to be set apart unto Himself in Christ, and the Holy Spirit has come to lead the very same chosen ones to Christ, the One whom accomplished salvation for them.

God has declared us His saints, not because of what we have done, but because what Christ has done for us. You and I are saints. We have been sanctified by the Holy Spirit in Jesus Christ our Lord. We are God’s holy people. We have been set part in Christ for God, to serve Him, and serve not the world. The Bible says in 1Corinthians 10:31 LITV, Then whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all things to the glory of God. We serve God in all things.

Then Paul wrote, and faithful in Christ Jesus. When Paul wrote the words, saints and faithful, Paul is not writing about two different groups. They are the one and same group. The same people are referred to by both designations, which means, by both descriptions, or by both names, and this is seen clearly in the Greek. 

The Greek word for faithful is pistos, and is used the NT frequently, and here it means having faith in Christ. A believer in Christ. Simply, as one commentator said, No man, therefore, is a believer who is not also a saint; and, on the other hand, no man is a saint who is not a believer. The saints of God are believers in Christ. You cannot be a saint, if you are not a believer, and you cannot be believer and not be a saint.

Notice the final words in the verse, in Christ Jesus. Again, it is because we are in Christ Jesus. Every true Christian is a saint and faithful in Christ Jesus, not because of you and me, but because of the grace of God. It is because of our union with Christ, which God elected for us to have before the foundation of the world. The Bible says in Ephesians 2:8 LITV, For by grace you are saved, through faith, and this not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; not of works, that anyone should boast. We are not saints and faithful in Christ Jesus because of what we have done, but because of what God has done in His Son, the Lord Jesus.

The Spirit of God called us, and sanctified us in Christ. A saint is a believer in the Lord Jesus, not something man has done, not what the church makes someone into. A saint is not a religious person who has been exalted by a church. A true believer is a true believer by the grace of God in Christ Jesus, and sets us apart in Christ, for His use, and not for the use of the world. We are saints because we have been set apart by God for Him in the Lord Jesus Christ, all by the grace of God.

Let that be an encouragement, knowing we are declared saints before God because of our new relationship with Jesus, set apart in the righteousness of Christ, as true believers, All by the grace of God, we are set apart for Him, so let that be a desire to live as the Bible says in 1Corinthians 10:31LITV, Then whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all things to the glory of God. May we look to God to help us by His grace and strength in the Lord Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit, as we serve Him day by day, according to the Word of God.