God has made this day for all of us because He gave us the mark of being his children and holy people. We all have the acceptance to be in his house. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus.Today is All Saints Day, a holy day recognized by the Catholic Church and, in various ways, by various Protestant denominations. Eastern Orthodox Christians celebrate the Sunday of All Saints on the week after Pentecost. Some Christian traditions focus on remembering special Christians on All Saints Day or bringing to mind believers who have died and gone to be with the Lord. This day offers a fine opportunity to thank God for those whose lives have honored him and made a difference to us. Yet, its important to remember that the biblical sense of saint includes all of Gods people, not just those who have excelled in discipleship. I thought it might be helpful for us to review what we learned about saints from Ephesians 1:1. In the opening verse of this letter, Paul addresses the letters recipients as Gods holy people. Traditionally, the Greek word hagioi, translated here as Gods holy people, is rendered saints. Thus, the King James version reads, To the saints which are at Ephesus. In fact, the English word saint comes from the Latin sanctus, which means holy. So, saints are holy people, by definition. But what does it mean to be a holy person, a saint? According to Buddha, one can be holy by following the precepts of truth, love, compassion and faithfulness. So, from a biblical perspective, something is holy when it is set apart for God and Gods purposes. So, an animal to be sacrificed to the Lord is holy because it is designated for this special function. In Exodus 19, God set apart the Israelites as his own treasured possession (19:5). They would be a holy nation (19:6) through which God would make himself known to the world. In the New Testament, believers in Jesus Christ are referred to as saints or holy people because they have inherited Israels divinely conferred status as people set apart by God for him and for his saving purposes. If you have put your faith in Jesus Christ, you are a saint. You are a holy person. This does not necessarily say anything about your worthiness to receive this title or your exemplary lifestyle, however. I wouldnt recommend that you go around putting Saint in front of your name. Rather, you are a saint because God has chosen you to belong to him and his people. He has set you apart so that you might participate in his redeeming work in the world. Remember, as a saint, you have been joined to the family of all saints, including those who live around the world and those who have gone to be with the Lord. Therefore, on All Saints Day, it is a perfect time to remember that God has made you special for him and his purposes, and that he has joined you into the eternal, worldwide fellowship of all his saints. Moreover, its a good day to take seriously the fact that God wants to make himself known in this world through you as a member of the family of all saints. Brothers and sisters, let us be kind to each and embrace the holiness of the Lord. Happy feast day. (all Saints day )
Posted on: Thu, 31 Oct 2013 20:42:15 +0000
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