Monday, November 2, 2009
Psalm 30:4 Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name.
ON SAINTS AND SAINTHOOD
Yesterday was "All Saints' Day" on the calendar (a festival dating back to the 9th century). It's unfortunate this festival isn't celebrated as widely among Christians as it once was). All Saints' Day affords an opportunity to review the faith-strengthening and soul-comforting teaching of Scripture on saints and sainthood. How do people get to be saints? What lies in store for them in yonder life?
In Revelation we're told about an extraordinary vision God granted to His servant John. In the vision John found himself in heaven where he saw an impossible-to-count crowd standing before God's throne. All were wearing white robes and singing: "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" John also saw angels standing around who fell on their faces before the enthroned One, shouting: "Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God forever! Amen!" As John watched and listened, spellbound by the experience, an elder standing nearby informed him of the identity of the members of this vast crowd: "These are the ones who come out of terrible suffering. They have washed their robes in the Lamb's blood and made them white." In other words: These are the people who during their time on earth (a time filled with all kinds of fiery trials and painful experiences) heard Christ's Gospel, believed it, were dressed by Him in a robe of holiness, and were made co-heirs with Him of heaven's unending glory.
What a comforting Bible truth! What a joy to know "sainthood" doesn't depend on our holy living. Were it possible for us to keep all God's commands but slipped up once, this would be enough to disqualify us from joining the white-robed throng in heaven. We have become saints not by our own moral excellence but because of the moral excellence of Jesus which our merciful God has credited to us by faith.
Let's praise His holy name here. Let's look forward to the time when we'll praise Him in perfection hereafter.
