Are You A Christian Or A Saint?
- Draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. - James 4:8
It is mind-boggling that so many people in the religious word call themselves Christians and are not ashamed to suffer as such. As it is written in 1 Peter 4:16, "If any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf." Amen.
Please, dear reader, don't put this article down until you are through reading it. You will do yourself much good. This is about life and death eternally, I have no intention of unsettling you from your religious happiness, but knowing that true happiness comes only to those whom the Lord corrects, as it is written, "Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty," Job 5:17. "Blessed is the man whom thou chasten-est (or instructeth) O Lord, and teachest him out of thy law (or words)," Psalms 94:12.
Now some may ask the question, "What difference doe it make whether one carries the label "Christian" or "Saint"? My friend, the differences are many and they are very broad. Just keep on reading and you will be amazed. Jesus said, "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free," John 8:32.
This is about eternal life, so "Buy the truth and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding," Proverbs 23:23.
Let us look at Webster's definition of the two words. A Christian - a believer in Jesus as the Christ, or in the religion based on the teachings of Jesus, having the qualities taught by Jesus, as love, kindness, etc. A Saint - one of God's chosen and usually Christian people. In certain churches, a person officially recognized as have attained heaven after an exceptionally holy life, and duly venerated. I have issues with some of the definitions of both words, but time and space does not allow going into those in this writing. But notice, it does not take much to be a Christian. No wonder there are so many (Lord , Jesus help us). Now we know why out of 31,173 verses and 773,692 words in the 66 books of King James bible, the word 'Christian' can be found only three times, and the word 'Saint' or 'Saints' about ninety-six times. Is that not shocking? Indeed it is!
Because the term 'Christian' is found so few times in the scriptures, we will look at all three. Acts 11:26 reads, "Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus for to seek Saul; and when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church; and taught much people, and the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch."
Who called them 'Christians and why? The people of Antioch, because all they heard for a whole year was about Jesus Christ and Him crucified. It is said that the term 'Christian' was at first a derogatory term used to refer to the followers of Christ, In Acts 26:27, 28 the Apostle Paul was speaking before King Agrippa. "King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, "Almost thou persuadest me to be Christian." When King Agrippa use the term 'Christian it was no difference than when it was used in Antioch by the people in referring to the disciples, which fit Webster's definition. 'A believer is Jesus as the Christ.' There was no inspiration then and there is none today. The multitude is wrong again!
The third reading where the term 'Christian' is found was already quoted in paragraph one, but let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God on this behalf," 1 Peter 4:15, 16. This is very inspirational, but it was not intended that the term Christian be used in referring to themselves, seeing that they were more than just believers in Jesus as the Christ. Amen! Alleluia!
Notice in verse 15 he said that as believers they were not to suffer tribulation as law-breakers, or immoral, or meddlers in the affairs of others. But if they suffer because they believed that Jesus is Christ they need not be ashamed, but glorify God on this behalf. We notice that vast multitudes are called 'Christians' and so few 'Saints.' Compare that with the words of our Lord in Matthew 7:13, 14, which reads. "Enter ye in at the straight gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. Because straight it the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." This is frightening.
Now let me inform you that 96 or more times the word 'saint or 'saints' is written in scripture, all does not refer to believers or the church (people). Although most of them have to do with the people of God who are on this earth, some refer to angels. Paul wrote in Philemon 1:7, "For we have a great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels (hearts) of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother." In Colossians 1:4 he wrote, "Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the Saints." The Lord spoke to one of the Saints by the name of Ananias, so he could go and pray for Paul, a persecutor of the Church, but Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem," Act 9:13.
In the three scriptures where the word 'Christian appears in the bible, it says nothing about lifestyle or character. It is so very different with 'Saints.' See a few scriptures about them. "Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ, through the will of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be Saints." Sanctified is set apart. Set apart from what? Ephesians 5:3-5, "But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once name among you, ass becometh Saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient. But rather giving of thanks."
"For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God." Saints in all ages have been those who lived holy by keeping God's laws and commandments. Read it in your bible. "Here is the patience of the Saints, here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith (teachings( of Jesus," Revelation 14:12. See Revelation 12:17, and Revelation 19:8.
All we've been hearing from the Christian world is that nobody is able to keep God's commandments, or the commandments are abolished, or it was for the Jews. Thanks be to the good Lord, by the grace of God, we can do all things through Christ that strengthens us. As is is written, "But as he which had called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation (conduct). Because it is written, "Be ye holy for I am holy," 1 Peter 1:15, 16. My friends, the choice is yours. Be a Saint or a Christian. We read in Daniel 7:27, "And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the Saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him." Amen!
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