Saints and Sinners
Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, and when he saves one he makes them, instantly, a saint. The word “saint” means “set apart one” or “holy one.” It is a blessed truth that those called by Jesus are now, and forever, His saints. It is also true that those “sinners who have been called” who have now been made saints, ought to live as saints and put off their old identity of sinner. We ought to live in a manner worthy of this high and heavenly calling to be the saints of God.

There is, however, a danger in identifying ourselves as saints, over against identifying ourselves as sinners. That is, if we identify ourselves as saints, in such a way that it makes us consider ourselves “healthy” or “righteous,” as in Matthew 9:13, then we become as those who act as though they do not need Jesus as a physician. Jesus is compassionate toward the distressed and downcast. Jesus longs to be compassionate to us, but if we consider ourselves healthy, we have no need for compassion. It is only sick sinners that Jesus calls, and by calling these sinners He transforms them into righteous saints. There is a danger then, that the sinners, now saints, might stop looking to Jesus as a life-saving physician.

This may seem like an obvious danger that is hardly worthy of consideration. Perhaps some people rarely forget their desperate need for the healing of their compassionate physician. But I, for one, know the danger of counting myself a saint, to the diminishing of my desperate need for healing and compassion from Christ. I have found it easy to fall into spiritual self-reliance, holding firmly to the truth that I am a saint, and thereby striving to live like one. Ironically, this has often limited my dependence on my physician, because I come to think of myself as well. I can clearly recall my own resistance to calling myself a sinner, in fear that I would be misidentifying myself, for in truth, I am, by Christ’s decisive work, truly and forever a saint.

But what is a saint? If a sinner is one that sins, is a saint one who does not sin? Of course not, 1 John tells us if we claim to be without sin we deceive ourselves. In the world a saint is thought of as a hallo-wearing, sinless person, but that is not what it means. In a basic sense, a saint is simply “a sinner who has been called.” By Christ’s calling we receive our status as saints, but this does not change the fact that a called sinner is still a sinner. A set apart, holy, child of God is simply a sinner who has been called by Jesus. As such, we are saints who are still sick, and who still need a physician, and who still must rely on the compassion of the one who called them out of darkness and into the light. Such a calling should never diminish our need for our physician but only deepen it. Even though our calling as saints does result in a progressive, experienced holiness, which causes us to sin less, in reality our sanctification opens our eyes to how sick we really are. Not until our ultimate glorification will being a saint mean that we are actually healthy, and that we have no more need for healing. Not until we reach heaven will our calling as saints mean we are finally, in fullness, no longer sinners. Until then, we saints are merely “sinners who have been called” who cling to their great healer, dependent utterly on his compassion hand.

O my soul, don’t be a Pharisee that thinks he is well when he is the sickest of all. Don’t let your calling as “saint” diminish your utter dependence on your compassionate savior. Acknowledge your sickness and come to Jesus for He is compassionate and merciful and draws near to those that draw near to him. Lord thank you for calling me, keep me coming to you. Preserve me O God my healer.