Called to be Saints

Romans 1:7 says: To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 22:14 says: For many are called, but few are chosen.

God choses who is actually a saint  but His criteria is based upon spiritual maturity. For us to become a saint  the goal that God gives to every person who is saved. However, we must grow up  spiritually in order to achieve this Biblical title.

In many parts of the world, people think that everyone born in a country that is called 'a Christian country' is a Christian.  Many people believe that they are Christian  when they join a religion that is called 'a Christian religion'.  They would agree that people who do not meet this requirement are not truly Biblical Christians.  Others believe they are Christian  when they are baptized by a church which claims to be 'a Christian religion'.  They would agree that people who do not meet this requirement are not truly Biblical Christians.  Most people who claim to read their Bible think that they are Christians  as soon as they are saved.  Most Bible preaching preachers would also agree with this.  They would agree that people who do not meet this requirement are not truly Biblical Christians.  However, all of these definitions can not be correct. The fact is that God defines the word Christian in the Bible and God's definition is more than being saved.  In addition, this is one of several Biblical words which reveal a level of spiritual maturity.  This is important to know because God makes certain promises to more spiritually mature people than He does to saved but spiritually immature people.

The devil motivates people to claim to be what they are not for several reasons, all of which end up making God look bad.

• The devil is a liar and the father of lies  (John 8:44).  Since saved people are to give God glory, saved people who go along with the lies of the devil are doing the opposite of giving God glory.  Eventually, God has to punish His children who keep supporting the lies of the devil.  Therefore, agreeing with the lies from the devil makes God look bad and causes the child of God to be punished.
• There are promises from God attached to our maturing spiritually.  People who are saved but have not reached that level of spiritual maturity have not met God's requirements in order to receive the promises.  When God's people believe that they should receive these promises, but they don't receive the promises because they have not met God's requirements, they question God, the Bible and the promises of God.
• No one likes to go through the lessons which bring maturity whether it is physical or spiritual.  Our flesh is lazy and all of us want a short-cut.  That's why people believe that they can just name it and claim it.  However, God refuses to accept such short-cuts.  Therefore, people who take these short-cuts deceive themselves and they can be harder to win to the truth than people who have not been deceived.  In Matthew 23:15 Jesus warned about our following religion which wants to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. 
• When lost people try to claim  promises from the Bible, God's people are supposed to correct them.  However, if God's people are not spiritually mature and able to clearly explain the truth of the Bible then God's people contribute to the confusion over what the Bible really says.
• I could go on with more reasons why the Devil wants God's people to believe lies about God's promises and their own level of spiritual maturity, but we will return to the main subject with the warning that if you do not make your personal beliefs match the Bible then you will be deceived and be punished by God instead of being blessed.

God has different words in the Bible which describe a person's relationship with God.  These words are:

1. Lost
2. Child of God
3. Carnal child of God
4. Church member
5. disciple
6. Son
7. Christian
8. Saint

In addition, to these words, the Bible has words for positions within the church which people associate with spiritual maturity because people are supposed to be spiritually mature before receiving these positions.  However, 1John 4:1 warns: Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.  We will not go into these words about positions but will warn that the Devil has people claim these positions.  They are liars just like the devil.  Therefore, do not assume that a person has any level of spiritual maturity just because they claim to have some position or title.  Always try the spirits whether they are of God.  This means that we must test repeatedly until we are very confident with the honesty and level of spiritual maturity which the person claims.  Doubt all spiritual claims until you have personally verified the claim. Bible definitions of these words.

1. Lost - 'This is our initial state when we are born'.  We are all born selfish and self-centered.  We all want things to go our own way and not obey God.  A child will fuss when there is nothing wrong because it wants all of its mother's attention
• 1John 3:4 says sin is the transgression of the law.  God does not want us going into Heaven and making it a mess like this world is a mess
• Yes, Jesus died for the sins of the whole world (1John 2:2).  But He also said I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.  In John 14:6.  The person Who is 'God in human flesh' is our only way to God the Father and true salvation.  Anyone who has not accepted this personal relationship with Him as Lord is lost according to the Bible.  In addition, this relationship includes an agreement to worship and obey the Son of God as our Lord.  This is so that He has our agreement to change us after we are saved
• Any so-called plan of salvation which does not include this relationship and agreement is not Biblical and is a lie from the Devil which will send people into the lake of fire  for eternity.  As the angel told Joseph in Matthew 1:21 thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.  Unless He gets us out of our sins, He has not saved us from our sins.
2. Child of God - 'Any person who is truly Biblically saved is a child of God'.
• Romans 5:8 says: But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 
• When He died for us  He redeemed  us that we might receive the adoption of sons  as explained by Galatians 4:4-5, which says: But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.  Thus, our receive the adoption  is dependent upon God's Son, which matches what we said was required to change from being lost to being a child of God. 
• Again, Ephesians 1:5-6 says: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.  Where we were lost and on our way to an eternity in the lake of fire,  we are made children of God  and our destination changed to be God's personal home called Heaven  when we personally accepted that Christ died for our own personal sins and accepted the relationship which He offers to us
• However, Galatians 4:1 tells us Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all.  This verse literally tells us that we do not get all of the promises to sons  as long as he is a child.  This is only one of several places in the Bible which tell us that we must meet God's conditions in order to receive God's promises
• Yes, we will go to Heaven but we are not promised a mansion but only promised a place,  which is only bed-space.  Also, God does not wipe away every tear  until after more than 1,000 yearss after the 'Rapture' and the Bible teaches that God's disobedient children will have tears an average of twice a week for that 1,000 yearss.  Therefore, God provides much motivation for us to grow up.
• Ephesians 4:11-15 tells us that God gave ministers to the chuirch For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.  One of the major reasons why God created the church is to help His children to grow up into him in all things.  God did this because He wants to bless His children but only blesses those who grow up.  God provided everything that His children need to grow up,  but requires us to make the personal effort because He will not take away our free will.
3. Carnal child of God - 'This is someone who is truly Biblically saved but who is living like a lost person'.  The title carnal Christian  is a lie from the Devil and is never accepted by God.  This will be explained in a moment but God's true children need to know the consequences of being carnal.
• 1Corinthians 3:1-3 says And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?  There are many more references in the Bible which describe the carnal child of God but the main point here is that such are babes in Christ.  They are not the spiritually mature people who are true Biblical Christians.
• Romans 8:6-7 says For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.  Notice that the results of being carnal is a lack of peace, it is disobedience to to the law of God  and results in death.
• Romans 6:16 says Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?  If we are not obeying God to the point that our life shows righteousness then we are doing a sin unto death.
• 1Corinthians 10:5 says But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.  These were God's children who disobeyed God and God killed them.  1Corinthians 10 goes on to warn us against doing the same type of sins.
• Ephesians 5:3-6 and Colossians 3:3-6 both warn us that the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.  The children of disobedience  are God's children  who live in disobedience,  which are carnal saved people.
4. Church member - 'You must be Biblically baptized before becoming a church member'.
• Becoming a church member makes the local church our spiritual family.  They may take care of us and care about us as a sympathizer,  but not to the same extent as when we are church members.  Also, they have every right to exclude us from things if we are not members.
• A church member must first be Biblically baptized in order to be identified with God and His church.  1Corinthians 10:1-2 says: Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea.  Lots of people want to argue about a lot of non-Biblical things concerning baptism including dunking  versus sprinkling.  However, the Jews crossed the Red Sea on dry land and were neither dunked  nor sprinkled.  However they were identified with Moses and the Mosaic Law.
• Romans 6:3-4 says: Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.  Baptism is a symbolic ceremony whereby we publicly declare that we will walk in newness of life  like Christ did after His resurrection.  The basic gospel is that He died to pay for our sins, He was buried to be separated from this world and He rose to walk differently.  We are dunked  to show that we will be identified with His paying for our sins and that we agree that we can not earn Heaven on our own.  We are put under the water symbolizing that we will be separated from this world and the sins and temptations of it.  We are raised out of the water symbolizing that we agree to walk in newness of life.
• Our baptism is done in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost  (Matthew 28:19).  This is a public declaration that we are agreeing that our future life will be identified with the holiness and righteousness of God the Father.  We are agreeing that our future life will be identified with the sacrifice and service of God the Son.  We are agreeing that our future life will be identified with the ongoing personal relationship with God which is through God the Holy Ghost.
• Amos 3:3 says: Can two walk together, except they be agreed?  We can not join God's church until we publicly agree to walk with God.
5. Disciple - A disciple is a 'taught child of God who has a disciplined life of learning'.  They pray and read their Bible daily as a minimum.  They also study and meditate on God's word so that it can affect their daily walk of life.
• Acts 11:26 says And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.  There were many saved people in the church at this time but they were not called Christians.  You can not be a true Biblical Christian unless you are first a disciple.
• Acts 11:29 says that disciples are active in the work of the church especially in the area of giving.
• Acts 13:52 says And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.
• Acts 19:1-2 warns that someone can be a disciple while not being saved.  Such people believe what religious men tell them and not what the Bible actually says.
• John 6:66 says From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.  These disciples rejected Jesus because He taught spiritual truths which they did not understand and which they had to accept by faith before they could understand the truths.
• John 6:67-69 says Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.  True Biblical disciples believed what the Bible literally says even when they don't understand it.  This is called faith.  They trust that God will give them understanding at a later time.
• Mark 10:13 says And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.  A true disciple must accept that he is still learning and will make mistakes.  He must be willing to be corrected By God and God's man.
• Mark 14:13-16 says And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him. And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us. And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.  True disciples are willing to obey even when God tells them to do something which makes no sense in our flesh.
6. Christian - 'A saved person whose daily life displays control by Christ'.
• Acts 11:26 says And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.  There were many saved people in the church at this time but they were not called Christians.  You can not be a true Biblical Christian unless you are first a disciple.
• Acts 26:28 says Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.  Even as a lost man, Agrippa understood that true Christian doctrine has no middle ground.  Matthew 12:30 and Luke 11:23 say He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.  A true Biblical Christian has committed their entire life to gathereth  with Jesus Christ.  The th  on this word means that this is a lifestyle of keeping on keeping on getting closer  to Jesus Christ.  Anyone who has not completely dedicated their life to getting closer to Jesus Christ is not a true Biblical Christian.  This is why it is impossible to be a true Biblical Christian and carnal at the same time.  These two types of people are walking in opposite directions from each other.
• Much more can be said about this role for the saved person but we will move on.
• 2Timothy 3:12 says Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution..  1Peter 4:16 says Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.  A true Biblical Christian knows that suffering and persecution absolutely will happen in their life and they are not only prepared for it but are also prepared to glorify God in the suffering and because of the suffering.
• Romans 8:10 says And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.  One doctrinal error, which denies the Trinity, claims that all saved always have Christ in them.  However, the truth is that all saved always have the Holy Ghost in them and Christ is a different member of the Trinity.  Ephesians 5:32 teaches that the relationship between a man and his wife is a picture of the relationship between Christ and the church.  A married man can leave his wife and still be married but not be in a proper relationship with his wife.  Likewise, a saved person can leave a proper relationship with Christ and still be saved.  Such a person is not in Christ  and Christ is not in them.  This is one of several Bible references which tell us how a true Christian will live because they are in a proper relationship with Christ.  The phrase the body is dead because of sin  means that true Biblical Christians will stop responding to the prompts of the body (is dead)  because those prompts leads to sin.  Also, the true Biblical Christian will follow God's Holy Spirit  because He leads us to life.
• 2Corinthians 5:17 says Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  There is a doctrinal error which claims that we can be saved and not have God change our life.  Without going into that doctrinal error, this verse clearly says that true Biblical Christians will be a new creature (and) old things are passed away.  Whether a person is lost or carnal is a separate issue from the truth that a person can not be a true Biblical Christian and still do their old sins and not have an obviously changed life which makes them a new creature.
• 2Peter 1:8 says For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The verses before this one tell us what these things  are which are to be in you.  Beyond that, this verse tells us that a true Biblical Christian will be neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Also, Acts 18:26 tells us that And (Apollos) began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.  Neither Aquila nor Priscilla were preachers but they were true Biblical Christians who helped to start at least three churches according to the Bible.  True Biblical Christians know Bible doctrine well enough to correct doctrinal error no matter how famous a preacher might be.
• Much more can be said about this role for the saved person but we will move on.
7. Son - 'Someone who has received the character of their father'.
• John 1:12-13 says But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.  Notice that the word received is past-tense while to become the sons of God  is future tense.  After a child is born you have to teach it how to be in this world.  Likewise, after we are born again, we must learn how to be like God.
• Jesus is the Son of God because He shows us the character of God.  He is the Son of man because He is fully human.  He is the Son of David because He is the ruling Jew Who will take the throne of David in the 1,000 years reign of Christ.
• Paul trained many preachers but he only called three son because they also received his character in the ministry.  They were Timothy, Titus and Onesimus.
• Hebrews 5:8-10 says Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.  A son learns the lessons that the father gives in order to become the person that the father wants him to be.  In this case, the Son of God had to experience being human in order to understand our weaknesses and to be our high priest.
• Hebrews 2:10 says For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.  The amount of glory  that we receive in eternity is dependent upon how well we learn to become a son of God  and have the same character as God.
• Acts 2:17 says And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:  God gives us His Holy Spirit so that we can learn to be like Him.
• Romans 1:4 says And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:  Our life must increase in holiness and showing the resurrected Christ in order for us to become more of a son of God.
• Romans 8:14 says For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.  You can not be fulfilling the lusts of the flesh and be a son of God  at the same time.
• Romans 8:29 says For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.  A son of God  is conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.
8. Saint - 'a spiritually mature saved person who is actively involved in the ministry of the church'.
• Acts 9:13 says Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem.  Saints are living people who are active in the ministry.  True Biblical saints  continue to serve God in spite of persecution and death.
• Romans 1:7 says To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.  This is what God wants all saved to become.  We are called to be saints  but Matthew 22:14 says For many are called, but few are chosen.  God choses who is actually a saint  but His criteria is based upon spiritual maturity.
• Romans 8:27-28 says And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.  First, these verses say that the Holy Spirit maketh intercession for the saints.  The more spiritually mature you are the more you see the Holy Spirit working in your prayer life.  Secondly, these verses do not say that all things work together for good  for everyone but for them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.  A saint focuses his life on the love of God and on fulfilling the purpose of God.  That is why he has these promises from God.
• Romans 16:2 says That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.  Romans 16 names several non-preachers who were in Rome starting a church.  True saints are true missionaries and available to be sent anywhere God wants them to go.
• 1Corinthians 16:15 says I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,).  The ministry of the saints  is missions.
• 2Corinthians 9:12 says For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;  True saints not only supply the needs of others but they give thanks to God for the help they receive an d for the ability to help others.
• Ephesians 1:18-19 says The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power.  True saints understand Biblical doctrine and experience the power of God in their lives.  Their understanding and belief is based upon the working of God's power and not just according to religious tradition.
• Ephesians 3:16-19 says That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.  These many blessings are given to saints while the less spiritually mature may not experience them.
• Colossians 1:12 says Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.  The full inheritance  is given to saints in light.  People with a lesser spiritual maturity receive a lesser inheritance.
• 1Corinthians 14:33 says For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.  True saints have unity of doctrine because their beliefs are dictated by the Bible and God's Holy Spirit.

There is a lot more which can be said about each of these Bible words which describe the spiritual maturity of saved people.  The important thing to realize is that you can not claim  the blessings of a certain level until you reach that level.  The greatest blessings are reserved for saved people who are not only called to be saints  but have reached that level of spiritual maturity.  Such people are capable of going anywhere and doing the ministry of a missionary even if they are alone.

Are you even a child of God? If not, then none of these blessings will be given to you and you will spend eternity in the lake of fire  with devils.

Are you capable of being a missionary and willing to go anywhere God wants to send you? If not, will you ask God to help you become spiritually mature enough to receive all of God's blessings?

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