Saints for sinners

Nov 1 is historically the day the church remembers those whom have died in the previous calendar year:  All Saints Day.  ‘Saint’ is quite a loaded term in our culture.  It is used throughout the New Testament to refer to those who have been ‘set apart’ or made holy by their relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  All who follow Jesus are biblically known as ‘saints’.

But there are some common saint-beliefs that we need to de-bunk.  We don’t pray TO the saints.

1Timothy 2:5 (ESV) For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

We have do not need extra mediators, extra saints to go between us and God.  Our relationship with God is based exclusively on the finished work of Jesus on the cross.  He is our only ‘go-between’.  We don’t need help from saint so-and-so to get ahead.

Secondly, we don’t pray FOR the saints.

Hebrews 9:27 (ESV) And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,

We all get one shot, one life, to decide who we will follow.  Once that life is over, our decision is made.  We cannot pray people into heaven once they have died.  We cannot wish them out of some purgatory-esque after-life.  One shot.  So, decide who you will follow while you walk this earth.  Will you be a saint?