We are going to draw the truths of this topic from the book of Ephesians, but before we delve into what we are, we should establish who the Apostle is writing to. We know he was writing to people at Ephesus, a principle port city on the west coast of Asia Minor, however not to everyone that lived there, but to a specific segment of the population. In 1:1 he defines this to be “the saints …and faithful in Christ Jesus”. So what comprises becoming a saint? It does not require a human being to confer the rights of “sainthood” upon one to make them a saint. The Greek word here means sacred, which according to Strong’s is to be “physically pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially consecrated”. To me this says one becomes a saint the moment he or she comes to Jesus in repentance, receives Him as their personal Lord and Savior, and purposes to follow Him; it is at that moment that we become “a new creation, old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” 2 Corinthians 5:17; we are consecrated to Him! But then Ephesians continues to define this as “the faithful in Christ Jesus”, now faithful in the Greek objectively is to be trustworthy and subjectively trustful. We trust Him, but becoming trustworthy is obtained over time as one proves to be faithful. This leads me to verses like Acts 14:22 where they are exhorted to “continue in the faith”, and Colossians 1:23 which says, “If indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel…” So the qualifications for these blessings are first to be born again (John 3:3), and then to continue in Christ. Hosea 6:3 says “Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord”. So my position in Christ is secured by my response to Him and my continued pursuit of Him!
All things new
By Rose Hill
When turning away from every sin,
And faithfully pursuing Him.
Then, all things have become new,
And God’s blessings have come to you.
Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version copyright …1982 by Thomas Nelson Co. used by permission.