Monday, November 1, 2005
1 Peter 2:9 You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
TODAY IS THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH'S MEMORIAL DAY
When Martin Luther affixed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church on the eve of All Saints Day in 1517 the reverence which the early church had shown to some of the first Christian martyrs had been turned into an adoration and worship of them. It was felt that the saints had some kind of special influence because of their merits. They were thought to be able to intercede between the common person and God.
Each nation, city, and profession had its saint. One saint protected against hail, one against fire, one against poison. St. Appollonia cured toothache; St. Othilia, eye trouble; St. Gallus looked after geese and St. Anthony, pigs. Of course, this kind of superstition amounted to terrible idolatry.
When Martin Luther and the reformers cleaned up the Church Calendar they left only a few individual "Saints Days" -- notably, Biblical figures through whom God has blessed His Church. Among those "minor festivals" of the Church Year is November 1, All Saints Day.
An oversight? No. There are saints, of course. The Bible uses that word many times. It is not used, however, of those who have led a perfect life or found honor in the eyes of men. It is much simpler than that. Scripture calls all believers in Christ by this title. A saint is simply someone whom the Holy Spirit has sanctified -- has made holy through faith in Jesus Christ. Saints are holy because they have been washed in the blood of the Lamb -- and that is true of every believer in Christ.
On All Saints Day, we do not honor or worship the dead as though they can speak to God for us or help us in any way. Instead, we remember that through faith in Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit cleanses sinners of all guilt and shame, and that those who have died in Christ and we who live in Him are part of one great fellowship: The Communion of Saints.
