The word saints (ἅγιοι, hagioi), means "those who are holy," or "those who are devoted or consecrated to God." The radical idea of the word saints is that it refers to those who are separated from a common use and set apart for a sacred use.[1]
Did you know that the Scripture calls a believer in Jesus Christ a saint? You don’t have to be made a saint by the Catholic Church to be one. When you receive Christ as Lord and Savior, God designates you as a saint. You become a “holy one,” not because of anything you have done, but because Christ’s sacrifice has covered you and your sin. Are you comfortable being called a saint? You are one. You’re a saint. It’s the truth.
But there is something else important here than one's identity. A saint is set apart for sacred use, for God's purposes. Once you become a believer in Jesus Christ, you are no longer your own to do with yourself whatever you wish. You are now set aside for the direction of the Holy One of Israel. Your submission is to Him. Your direction comes from Him. Your provision is found in Him. So start acting like Whose you are.
Not only are those of us who follow Christ called to be saints, but we are also called to be faithful. We are called to be true and sincere believers in Christ. We are called to be constant and persevering in the faith of Christ. We are called to fidelity to the Gospel, and our profession of it. We are called to Christ Himself, to abide in Him whose name we bear. And we are called to one another in Christ, to honest and heartfelt fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ.[2]
A holy and faithful life speaks of one's character, the essential inner life of a believer, the real mettle of one's being, that element of one's conscience that grows and develops under hardship, through discipline, and is tested by the sirens of comfort and ease.
In your character, does your life honor Christ? In your work, do you work with the character of Christ? Your character is always showing. When you charge irresponsibly on your company’s account, your character is showing. When you take home supplies and tools that don’t belong to you, your character is showing. When you tell off color jokes or enjoy someone else telling them, your character is showing. When you use colorful language, your character is showing. When your remote strays to the movie channels late at night, your character is showing. When you are unfaithful to your spouse, your character is showing.
When you stand up for the defenseless, your character is showing. When you refuse the offer because it is illegal, your character is showing. When you refuse the divisive gossip a listening ear, your character is showing. When you hand the extra change back to the cashier, your character is showing. When the Lord finds you seeking Him each day through His Word and prayer, your character is showing.
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