S.A.I.N.T
First and foremost, Mother Teresa’s works of charity in the mold of Tabitha of yore (Acts 9:36) are at once inspirational, to say the least. Indian media in the last week (at the time of this writing) predictably went agog over the canonization of that admirable Nun from India. Her canonization marked the culmination of a process - sometimes called "the saint-making machine" - that is long, complex, expensive, opaque and often contentious. The Catholic Church posthumously confers sainthood on people considered so holy during their lives that they are now believed to be with God and can intercede with him to perform miracles (one wonders what then the God-ordained mediator…the one and only Christ… would be left to do - 1 Tim 2:5-…sic). Such is the status of the universally acclaimed nun known for her charitable work in the slums of Kolkata, that Pope Francis on Sunday declared her a saint in front of an estimated 120,000 pilgrims at Vatican. Not to be left behind, there were some Indian political leaders too at the Vatican. Not to be left behind, there were some Indian political leaders too at the Vatican, to witness the “grand event” to bask in reflected glory as is their wont? Well, I do not intend to comment more on that (sic).
All this brings us to the topic as to who is a “Saint” as per the truthful Scripture which alone contains the Almighty’s counsel on many spiritual matters including “Sainthood”. “Sola Scriptura” was the guiding motto of that great Reformer Martin Luther meaning to understand God’s counsel in any spiritual matter we need to bank only on the infallible Scripture rather than on the analysis of any fallible human mind outside of it.
Let the Scripture take over at this stage…
Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both their's and our's- 1 Cor 1:2 (KJV)
Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:- Phillippians 1:1
To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse:- Col 1:2
These Scripture portions, if anything blare out the truth that everyone in Christ (read every born-again Christian) is a Saint in the eyes of the omniscient God, though he/she who came “warts and all” to the great Sculptor at the point of regeneration would doubtless be still struggling (who doesn’t???) with the “old nature” (Rom 7:15-20) whilst being conformed unto the perfect image of Christ (2 Cor 3:18). The Corinthian believers had several rough edges in their spiritual personality which needed to be polished. Ditto with the believers’ at Philippi and Colossae but that did not bar the Inspired Writer from addressing them as “Saints”.
In this message, Yours truly endeavors to take a much closer look on what constitutes a Saint in the Christian realm, by hmmmm…using an acronym…what else… “S.A.I.N.T”!!!
S-Saved…
And (he) brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. Acts 16:30-31
It is at point of regeneration that a Christian’s life begins. Without the re-birth experience (John 3:3) all the good deeds performed with the noblest of intention would not take us to Heaven or for that matter bring Heaven into our hearts (Rom 14:17), for we are all intrinsically wicked, having inherited the fallen nature from our First parents (Adam and Eve). By fallen nature, I mean the nature where the wicked traits simply dominate the good ones so much so that the good ones are as good as dead in the eyes of the Holy God. Yes, we are all born wild (thanks NDTV)!!! As such the good deeds done with hearts and hands which are not yet washed clean by the Blood of Jesus are bound to appear as “Dirty rags” (Isa 64:6) in the pure, all-searching eyes of the Holy God. By contrast, none of the good works performed by a person following his regeneration would ever be in vain (1 Cor 15:58).
At re-birth (this needs to be experienced to be understood properly), one who is now given a new heart, is inclined to please the Person who has performed this ethereal heart transplantation in him wholeheartedly (Col 2:11-13).
Dr. Christiaan Barnard, Louis Washkansky, Denise Darvall….do not blame yourselves in case these names do not ring a bell with you. Well, Dr Barnard was the Cardiac surgeon who performed the first heart transplantation surgery in medical history on 3rd December 1967, at the Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa replacing the ailing heart of Louis Washansky with the healthy one of 25 year old Darvall who had succumbed to her injuries in an automobile accident.
By the way, Louis Washansky (a Polish Jew) died soon…after only 18 days post this epoch-making heart operation but in contrast the new heart Dr. Jesus puts inside a sinner who seeks His deliverance lengthens the life-span of the saved sinner by infinity (spiritually speaking). Add to this the fact (keeping in view the astronomical costs involved in heart-transplantation surgery) that the new heart guaranteeing Eternal life is given free of cost, one would at once realize what is the length, breadth , height and depth of God’s grace in saving a Sinner. I repeat all those who have received these “new heart” are Biblically called Saints (1 Cor 1:2, Philippians 1:1, Col 1:2).
At this stage, let it be said that the Heavenly Father’s purpose in saving a sinner is not only to ensure that the latter comes to dwell with Him forever in Heaven but also to transform Him into Son’s beautiful image (SS 6:10) so that one day Heaven would be filled with Jesus-like people (not in the matter of physical resemblance but in the spiritual sense- 1 John 3:1-2). Oh how the Father loves the Son!!! That leads us to the following topics…
A-Altar…
And so, dear brothers, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living sacrifice, holy—the kind he can accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?- Rom 12:1
Now what does that transformation process into Christ-like image entail. Cross bearing (Luke 9:23)!!! Period!!! A Saint (read a saved sinner) of the Christian realm is the one who is called to lay his body as a “living sacrifice” on the altar, as it were (read bear the Cross) to please the One who had marvellously created in him this new life. Now what does it mean to bear the Cross or offer oneself as a “living sacrifice” (note the norm as per the Dispensation of the Mosaic Law was to always offer a slain animal in a Brazen altar to the Almighty for spiritual purposes but never a living one). Well, it means to please God in every area of one’s life -public or private- putting one’s own interests aside (sometimes legitimate ones’ also) ...whatever be the cost being… willing to take injustice also in one’s stride without retaliation- (1 Cor 10:3/ 1 Peter 2:19-24 TLB). No wonder wise Sadhu Sundar Singh summed it up (being “the Living sacrifice” lifestyle) insightfully “It is more difficult to live a Christian life than to die as a martyr” for a glorious death of martyrdom by any means is a only a matter of time whereas the former (a self-denying Christian life) to be lived day in and day out is a no mean task…but a very challenging one at that needing a very special inner equipping (I would come to it soon).
Ever wondered why the Jewish Brazen altar had horns? Now when we consider the fact that it was to bind the slain, skinned animal to the Altar lest the “Dead one slips away”(friction would be very less between the smooth surface of the Altar and the skinned animal- Leviticus 1:6-7 TLB, Psa 118:27 KJV), one can well imagine the extent of one’s commitment (to the Saviour) to be sitting right atop the fiery altar while still being alive. Thanks Sadhu Sundar Singh once again for thy insightful words.
Now our Heavenly Father who knows the scope of the task before every Christian of being the Living sacrifice is not unfair. That leads us to the next topic…
I-Indwell/Image
On the last day, the climax of the holidays, Jesus shouted to the crowds, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water shall flow from the inmost being of anyone who believes in me.” (He was speaking of the Holy Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him…) – John 7:37-39
Even as a Saint of the Christian realm who is called to be a “living sacrifice” all with the aim of becoming Christ-like is “toughing it out”, let it be said here that the all-wise Almighty sustains Him in this process by placing His own Spirit of perpetual joy and peace (read the Holy Spirit) inside of him at all times. This inner strengthening (Eph 3:16-TLB) is what equips a Saint of the Christian realm to rise to any levels of sacrifice, even while getting molded into the Christ-like image.
It is in this “rarefied atmosphere” of painful Cross outside and joyous Spirit inside that a Christian’s Jesus-like character gets built-up (Romans 5:2-4 /James 1:2-4/ 1 Peter 1:7-8 TLB). As someone put it wisely…
Cross without the Spirit (Living waters), you would dry-up,
Spirit without the humbling Cross, you would puff-up,
With the Cross and the Spirit, you would grow-up (into Christ-like image)
N-No short-cuts…
I don’t mean to say I am perfect. I haven’t learned all I should even yet, but I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ saved me for and wants me to be.- Phil 3:12 (TLB)
Here, I am reminded of a wise saying “Salvation is the miracle of the moment but molding of a person into a Christ-like is a life-long process”. Yes, Dear Friends while the overhaul of a sinner into a saint happens in the blinking of an eye, subsequently transforming that Saint into Christ-like image calls for a long haul, where there are no short-cuts. If as dedicated a Saint like Apostle Paul is found admitting that he has not arrived there yet…what about all of us? Whilst being in different stages of spiritual maturity, let’s co-operate with the indwelling Spirit and be led by Him even as He leads us into full Christ-like maturity. Oh yeah, we join the “College of Calvary” by faith so to speak at the point of re-generation but it is only over a period of time that we would graduate out of it bearing His certificate ….opps sorry…I mean His image (2 Peter 1:5-11 ESV). A wise Sculptor was once asked how he created a wonderful image out of plain rock. Well, his answer? I already saw that image in the rock in my mind’s eye I just chiseled out what was not necessary (Col 3:1-11 TLB). What would exit is one’s self-gratification tendency, anger, hatred etc and what would remain is self-control, patience, love et al (Gal 5:22-23) which was all part of Adam’s original nature (created in God’s image- Gen 1:27-28) before the Fall. It is just that, that after the Fall, all the sinful traits not only entered man but they simply overshadowed the godly ones’ to the point that latter were as good as dead. With the quickening Spirit inside now (Rom 8:2), they (Godly traits) are bound to come alive and dominate to an extent that slowly but surely the wicked traits would erased out. How’s that for role-reversal in the spiritual realm!!!
By the same token, I am duty-bound to say that what happens to those “Saints” who do not co-operate with the “teacher” (Holy Spirit) in the learning process? I mean those who do not obediently submit themselves to the Divine trainer. On this side of Eternity, the painful consequences which were applicable to the “Saints of Corinth” would sadly apply to them too (1 Cor 11:30) in order that the painful disciplining would set them aright (1 Cor 11:32).
Triumphant…
Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne.- Rev 3:21
Now who then are these “Victorious Ones”, if they are not the ones’ who silently bore the cross (becoming victims of blatant lies and injustice, without ever retaliating) with the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit becoming Christ-like in the process. These single-minded souls keeping the Heavenly rewards in mind had faithfully depended on the power of the Indwelling Holy Spirit to finish their “course” in the “College of Calvary” faithfully.
Dear Friends for these full-fledged Saints now bearing Christ-like image, there may not be much of Earthly accolades coming their way but they would get the highest reward of hearing those words from the Heavenly Father Himself in front of the angels, the words He reserved only for His only Son…”This is my Son and I am well-pleased with Him” (Matt 3:17). Honestly, for these “Saints” barring that Divine commendation would anything be more important!!! Anything above that such as rewards “which no eye has seen, no ear has heard (1 Cor 2:9) are only a bonus!!!
Suresh Manoharan
An Unworthy Servant
Ps...this message replete with pictures can also be accessed at the following URL...
http://www.jandsmministries.com/message_sep1_16.asp
