Accepted: I am a saint, a holy one

Ephesians 1:1 NKJV
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:

Paul uses the term saint a number of times and it basically means Christian. The expression 'holy one' may also be used. It is not talking about a great person who died, but rather a Christian who is or has been through this earthly journey.

Being called a holy one references the fact that a true believer is sanctified. When a believer is holy, they are sanctified and set-apart. Believers are set apart to God for His glory and purposes, and away from the world and the kingdom of darkness. If you are thinking of holy ones being righteous, that is incorporated in justification and is absolutely true - being clothed in the righteousness of Christ.

There is another aspect of being a saint. As we rejoice in our 'set-apart' standing and relationship, we must remember that we are called with a purpose. Paul here references the saints who are not only in Ephesus, but are also faithful in Jesus Christ.

In Romans 16:2, Paul tells the Romans to receive Phoebe unto themselves "in a manner worthy of the saints". This carries two meanings: first, because Phoebe is a saint, she deserves to be received with Christian love, secondly, because the believers in the church at Rome are saints, their behavior toward her must be that of Christian love. Saints take care of each other for the pleasure of Christ.

As we have talked about saints, you may have had the Roman Catholic list of saints banging around in your head. That is a totally different thing. Those saints have supposedly earned (merited) enough righteousness that they have made it to heaven. This is an extreme deviation from Scripture. No one will make it to heaven other than by the righteousness (merit) of Jesus Christ.

Wishing you God's richest blessing, fellow saint.
Dennis