"The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. So all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will be afraid of you." (Deuteronomy 28:9-10)Under God's previous covenant, instituted through Moses, His promise to the Israelites that they would be "holy people" was dependent upon their keeping the commandments and the covenants they made with God. Contrast this with our calling as holy people under God's present covenant, instituted through Jesus. In this new covenant all believers are call "saints".
"Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours" (1 Corintheans 1:1-2)In each case, the believers in total are referred to as "the saints". This particular Greek word is the same word used as an adjective to describe God's Spirit that He was to send to all believers.
"Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 1:1)
"Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:1)
"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father." (Colossians 1:1-2)
"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you." (John 14:26)The term "Holy Spirit" could equally be translated "Saintly Spirit"; the word for "Holy" and for "Saint" are the same Greek word. The point is this: while under the old covenant holiness was dependent upon keeping the law, under the new covenant we are automatically made holy through our faith in Jesus Christ, independent of the law. Under the new covenant we don't become holy rather we are born holy when we are born again through the Spirit of God. We are holy because we are children of God not as the result of works. We are holy because we are His!
David Robison
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