Colossians 1:1-8, Who are the saints? (1)

The question from today’s passage is, “who are the saints?”  Are they a special class of Christian, different than the “faithful brethren?”  Or are both terms referring to all Christians?  The former view is that of Catholicism.  Which is true? (This is a subject brought upon us as we are in Ireland where the Catholic Church is dominant.  This question arose in the course of our Bible Study in Colossians.)

The Greek word for “saints” is hagios, which is the word “Holy” when speaking of the Holy Spirit.  The word is used 229x in the NT of which 92 refer to the Holy Spirit.  That leaves a lot of opportunity to demonstrate that “holiness” is a fitting adjective for all believers and not just a special class.  For example …

·       Heb. 12:14 states that no one will see the Lord without holiness.  In other words, the only ones to see the Lord are saints.  That indicates all believers are “saints.”

·       Eph. 1:2 has a similar beginning as Colossians, “to the saints and faithful in Christ Jesus.”  Speaking of all these recipients Paul goes on to say in 1:4, He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame.  He is speaking of all believers, not just a special class.

·       Phil. 4:21 indicates “saints” are in Christ Jesus.  Paul regularly refers to all believers as being “in Christ.” 

·       Rom. 1:7 refers to saints in Rome, 1 Cor. 1:2 to saints in Corinth, as our passage refers to those in Colosse.  This is normal.  There are saints in every church.  That fits better with the thought that all believers are saints.

·       1 Cor. 1:2 tells us that “those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus” are all “called to be saints” along with the many other saints in every place.  These saints are those who call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Rom. 10:13 tells us that all who call on the name of the Lord are saved people.

·       Staying in 1 Cor. 1:2, “sanctified” is the verb (saints is the adjective) and is defined thus: to render or acknowledge as holy; to separate from profane things and dedicate to God; to purity.  In 1 Thess. 5:23 Paul prays for all the believers, Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely ...  This is for all Christians, not just a select few.  Heb. 2:11 says, For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren.  Christ became a man so as to set apart people for Himself whom He refers to as His brethren.  Again, this is for all believers. “Sanctification” is what makes a person a “saint.”  Examine 2 Tim. 2:18-21 to see this.

·       Eph. 2:19: Believers from Jewish and Gentile background (without exception, in other words all believers) are “fellow citizens” in the family of God.

·       Col. 1:4: The love of Christians is not just for a special few but for each other.  Jesus commanded us to love the brethren (Jn. 13:34-35).

There are no instructions given to us as to how we would make a distinction between “classes” of brothers.  We will pick up that thought in the next post.  What Catholicism does is not laid on us in Scripture.  It is added “tradition.”