The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Panorama City, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed from the tape, GC 45-21, titled "Bible Questions and Answers."  A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE.

Question

"What did Paul mean in Romans 1:7, concerning 'To all that be in Rome . . . called saints?'"

Answer

I think probably, the confusion comes that so many people are raised in a Roman Catholic background where they are used to hearing the term "saint" in reference to some very unique individual who has been "canonized" by the Catholic church. You think of Saint So-and-So or Saint So-and-So and that's your identification. If you go into a Catholic Church and you go down what is known as the "Apes (sp.) of the Church" as opposed to the "Nave," all the way down the "Apes" of a large Catholic church, you will see along the sides "stations" occupied by certain saints.

I'll never forget the story of Dr. Kiper (sp.) who expressed that he took his friend into the great cathedral in New York (Saint Paul's Cathedral) and his friend wanted to visit that, he was a Roman Catholic visiting in the city while Dr. Kiper was attending Columbia University, and he had particular interest in Saint Joseph who was his own private saint (if you can have one) and he wanted to go and worship at the shrine of Saint Joseph, and they both went there together, only to find a sign hanging around the neck of Saint Joseph which said, "Do not worship here, this Saint is out of order." Apparently, there was something wrong with the mechanics of the lighting and other things that went on there. Dr. Kiper said that was the greatest opening to witness about who really is always "in order" that he ever had in his life.

So I don't think we want to be confused about who is a saint. The simple answer will come to you if you simply open your Bible to 1 Corinthians, chapter 1, and look at verse 2, and then you will know for all time what a saint or who a saint really is.

In 1 Corinthians 1, Paul identifies himself as the author, and he identifies the recipients as "The church of God, which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus (or set apart), called saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord." Now, there you have a definition of a saint: one who is sanctified in Christ Jesus and who calls upon the name of Jesus Christ. In any place, in any city, anyone who has been sanctified in Christ Jesus, through salvation, who calls upon His name as Lord--is a saint! The word means "set apart," or "holy" (hagios is the Greek word). Anyone who is a Christian is a saint--anyone! You find that, that term is used in many, many places to address Christians.

In 2 Corinthians 1:1, there is a greeting with "all the saints who are in Achaia" and this is a typical Pauline expression, as it was throughout the life of the early church. Ephesians chapter 1, "to the saints who are at Ephesus." It is simply a term used to describe any Christian. So I hope that helps.

Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur Collection" by:

Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
Box 119
Columbus, New Jersey, USA, 08022
Websites: www.biblebb.com and www.gospelgems.com
Email: tony@biblebb.com
Online since 1986