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Pastor Carter addresses Questions on
SAINTS




What qualifies one as a saint of God?

"Saint" in the Greek, as found in the New Testament, is defined in two words which are very closely associated. In fact, these words were both derived from the same root word. They are:

1. hagios - meaning sacred, physically pure, morally blameless, and consecrated to
the Most Holy One.
2. hagnos - meaning - clean, innocent, modest, perfect, chaste and pure.


In Hebrew, as found in the Old Testament, the words used for "saints" are as follows:

1. chaciyd - a kind, religiously pious and godly man, good, holy, and merciful.
Chaciyd is, however, from another Hebrew word...
2. chacad - meaning one who is kind and merciful; one who reproves and corrects
but maintains mercy.
3. qodesh - a sacred place or thing (in our case, as the temple of the Holy Spirit, we
are that sacred place). A thing that is consecrated, dedicated and
hallowed unto the Lord in holiness.


The thing I would like to point out is this....

All of these original definitions, which are derived from original words in their original languages, all point to certain characteristics found in people who are referred to in Scripture as "saints." In reading those original definitions, however, we can understand that's a pretty hard standard, a pretty tall order, a pretty high bar to clear in order to be considered a "saint."

I would submit that we, as human beings who's righteousness is nothing more than filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6), could in no way attain such a status by our own deeds and actions (Ephesians 2:8-9). Even the Apostle Paul helped to demonstrate to us that he struggled to do what was right at times (Romans 7). He was human. So are we.

I would submit that if we try to achieve such perfected status in our own flesh, we will fail miserably every time, making a fool of ourselves and a mockery of the Name of the God we serve.

What we must realize is that we are who we are in Christ, not because of anything we have done, but because of the work He did in our behalf. He was our propitiation. He was our payment. He was our sacrifice. (Please read Romans 3:23-28 )

Our righteousness is only in Him. He is the only good and perfect thing on the inside of us (Hebrews 13:20-21). We are His children.... His offspring... His heirs... His servants.... His "saints," not by any work of our own, but by His work alone.

It is because of Him that we are holy. It is because of Him that we are sanctified. It is because of Him that we are positioned into a right-standing with the Father. It's because of Him that we are privileged to take on a title we did not earn.... "saints".

In fact, to illustrate that point, I saved the best for last...

The word "saint" in Scripture can be traced all the way back to a primitive Hebrew root word, qadash.  Take heart in it's meaning...

qadash - To make clean; to pronounce clean; to observe as clean; and as a result,
to be clean. To appoint, bid, consecrate, dedicate and hallow one to be
holy and keep one in holiness. To keep, prepare, proclaim, purify, and
to sanctify wholly.


Praise the Lord! There is nothing you can do to earn sainthood-status with the Lord. You are clean because He made you clean. You are clean because He called you clean. You are clean because He looks at you as though you are, even though you did nothing to earn it and, in fact, often make mistakes that would disqualify you from cleanliness.

He consecrates, sanctifies and sets you apart unto Himself, not because you earned it, but because He appointed you to be. He imputes His righteousness to us and calls us holy even though we know we aren't. All we have to do is believe, confess, and receive the work He did on our behalf (Romans 4:22-25).

I'm thankful that even though I didn't earn it, my position in the Kingdom is secured by the sacrifice He gave so many years ago. I'm thankful that because of Him, I can call myself a member of His family. I'm thankful that, one day, when He comes back riding on a steaming white stallion, and all His saints are with Him, I'll be one of them (1 Thes. 3:13, Rev. 19:11-14)...

...And if you're blood-bought, and if you have appropriated the work He did for you and are clean and righteous because of it... you'll be one of them, too.

Praise the Lord, Saints!







Contact FHC with your questions and Pastor Carter will answer them here.



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Copyright © Pastor Chad Carter • Family Harvest Church Global Ministries



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PASTOR CHAD CARTER
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