Saint – (n) A sanctified member of Old Testament Israel; A member of the Gospel of Grace Body of Christ, consecrated by God and sealed by the Holy Spirit; A member of Israel’s New Testament Little Flock.
God used this word in its various senses 101 times in Scripture: 39 times to Israel in their Masoretic Text Old Testament; Once to Israel in their Koine Greek Old Testament book of Matthew; 3 times to Israel in the transition book of Acts; Once to the Body of Christ in the transition book of Acts; 39 times to the Body of Christ in the Gospel of Grace (Romans thru Philemon); and 18 times to Israel’s Little Flock in their tribulation books (Hebrews thru Revelation).
To understand God’s definition of saint, you must Rightly Divide Scripture; the meanings are specific according to dispensations.
The first saints listed in Israel’s Masoretic Text Old Testament are the 10,000 Israelites and heads of the tribes, in Deuteronomy, that sat under Moses after God gave them the law; they are the people of Israel that trusted, obeyed, and believed God strictly according to the gospel given to them. In Israel’s Masoretic Text Old Testament, the only ones listed by name are Moses, Aaron, and David; the groups listed are the prophets, priests, and congregation. Of the 39 uses in Israel’s Masoretic Text Old Testament, 8 instances are prophetically about Israel’s Little Flock congregation in the 70th week of Daniel. But not all prophets and priests listed in Scripture are saints, some are prophets or priests of other gods or of gentile religions. Beginning in Judges 17, most of the prophets and priests of Israel had abandoned God and the truth of Scripture, so we know that they are not included as the saints of God.
The instance in Israel’s Koine Greek Old Testament (Matthew thru John), is a declaration that many (not all) of Israel’s Masoretic Text Old Testament saints were bodily resurrected at the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The reason that not all of the saints of Israel’s Masoretic Text Old Testament were resurrected is too detailed for inclusion here. Although not designated as saints, we know from the definition that the saints living in Israel’s Koine Greek Old Testament are the apostles and the members of Israel’s Little Flock congregation.
In 4 instances in the transition book of Acts are talking about Israel’s Little Flock saints in Jerusalem and the ones scattered by Jewish persecution into other regions and countries.
Today, in the Dispensation of Grace, the saints are the members of the Body of Christ, which does not include anyone involved in any religion; not the religion of Israel, Judaism, or any of the gentile religions, including Christianity and Islam.
In the ages to come, found in Israel’s Little Flock tribulation books (Hebrews thru Revelation), the saints are members of Israel’s New Testament Little Flock congregation.
The Catholic Church sees itself as being equal to God in the forgiving of sins, and instituting religious laws and observances, among other things. In so doing, they have invented their own definition for saints:
- Saint – (n) A specific canonized Christian, also one of the elect members of the body of Christ; One consecrated or set apart to the service of God; A moral or virtuous person, one who is pure or upright in heart and life, pious, devout; In an Old Testament sense, a pre-Christian prophet.
- Saint – (adj) Holy, divinely inspired, worthy of worship, a holy relic; Used before proper names of a canonized person (Sainte Marian Magdalene, etc.); Past participle of consecrate, sacred.
The Christian definition has become the standard for today through Presumed Public Knowledge, which is the case for a lot of words used in English today.
By altering the definition of common words, it obscures the truth of Scripture, and in many instances makes the Word of God devoid of truth; a corruption of Scripture. The overt Corruption of Scripture by Christianity is the invention of various versions of what they call bibles, and the additions of other writings; the Apocrypha, Dead Sea Scrolls, etc.
Among other things, Christianity’s false doctrine includes
- The redefining of the Body of Christ: What Christianity calls the Body of Christ is actually a reference to the members of their religion, which is completely contrary to what God has defined in Scripture.
- Christianity has invented a contrary doctrine for ‘the elect’.
- They have a false doctrine about being devout.
- They teach that morals and virtue have standing with God, but Scripture teaches that your standing with God is completely dependent upon believing God Exclusively and Explicitly according to Rightly Divided Scripture.
- They teach the worship of people, and articles/artifacts (idols)
- They regard their ceremonies as being superior to the Rightly Divided Scripture.
- They have invented processes, methods, and prayers for salvation, while disregarding Scripture about salvation.
- They deny God’s dispensations and co mingle and cherry-pick doctrines, gospels or pieces of gospels, to fit their desires and agendas.
For a better understanding, read The Truth According to Scripture: Book One: Basic Bible Knowledge, which is also available on Amazon.
See also Christian, Congregation, Consecrate, Devout, Dispensation, Holy Spirit, Jew, Sanctify