Sixty-eight times, the Word of God refers to his children as saints. Six of Paul’s letters to the church are addressed to saints.
What is a saint?
Some people use the word “saint” to refer to another as exceptionally good – someone who puts up with a lot and handles his or her situation better than most. Roman Catholics, on the other hand, believe one becomes a saint after he or she passes away – they also believe in praying to saints in heaven.
God describes “the saint” as one who is still alive on earth. Three examples:
[Peter] “came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda” (Acts 9:32).
“…many of the saints did I shut up in prison…” (Acts 26:10).
[God] “gave…apostles… proph-ets… evangelists… pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints…” (Ephesians 4:11-12).
Following are a few more descriptions of saints:
“And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after His resurrect-ion…” (Matthew 37:53-53).
“… Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints…” (Jude 1:14).
The Holy Spirit makes “interces-sion for the saints” (Romans 8:27).
The Antichrist will “make war with the saints” (Revelation 13:7).
The saints will inherit an everlasting Kingdom and judge the world (1 Corinthians 6:1-2).
So, despite what one believes the definition of a “saint” to be … one thing is for sure …
Precious
in the sight of the LORD
is the death of His Saints.
Psalms 116:15