In this lesson, we will examine the Roman practice of venerating certain individuals to their version of “sainthood” and then look at what the Bible has to say in response. The solution may surprise you: You too can be a saint!
- “By the year 100 A.D., Christians were honoring other Christians who had died, and asking for their intercession. Many people think that honoring saints was something the Church set up later, but it was part of Christianity from the very beginning. As a matter of fact, this practice came from a long-standing tradition in the Jewish faith of honoring prophets and holy people with shrines. The first saints were martyrs, people who had given up their lives for the Faith in the persecution of Christians.”1
No proof is given for these claims, Biblical or extrabiblical. In any event, the word of God gives no indication that men like James and Stephen were so enshrined in the early church‹no command, no example, no inference anywhere. The Catholic site continues:
- “Canonization, the process the Church uses to name a saint, has only been used since the tenth century. For hundreds of years, starting with the first martyrs of the early Church, saints were chosen by public acclaim. Though this was a more democratic way to recognize saints, some saints’ stories were distorted by legend and some never existed. Gradually, the bishops and finally the Vatican took over authority for approving saints.”2
Again no evidence is offered to prove the contentions, but we see clearly the modern process used by the Catholic church is 900 years too late to be Biblical.
The first step is a decision on “veneration,” whether or not a dead Catholic is worthy of respect and imitation in life and practice:
- “Often, the process starts many years after death in order give perspective on the candidate. The local bishop investigates the candidate’s life and writings for heroic virtue (or martyrdom) and orthodoxy of doctrine. Then a panel of theologians at the Vatican evaluates the candidate. After approval by the panel and cardinals of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the pope proclaims the candidate ‘venerable.'”3
But the Bible does not reserve this respect for dead Christians, but implores us to note all those who walk justly and imitate them (Phil. 3:17, 1 Cor. 4:16, 11:1, Heb. 6:11-12).
The next step is called “beatification” and requires evidence that at least one miracle has accompanied the life of the candidate (unless he was martyred):
- “Since miracles are considered proof that the person is in heaven and can intercede for us, the miracle must take place after the candidate’s death and as a result of a specific petition to the candidate. When the pope proclaims the candidate beatified or “blessed,” the person can be venerated by a particular region or group of people with whom the person holds special importance.”4
Sadly though, the age of miracles ceased when the word of God was fully revealed about 1900 years ago (1 Cor. 13:8-12). The Bible implores the living to make intercession through prayer, but never attributes that power to the dead (1 Tim. 2:1); this would come dangerously close to making the saint another mediator between man and God (1 Tim. 2:5).
The last step is termed “canonization” and requires yet another miracle (even in the case of martyrs):
- “Only after one more miracle will the pope canonize the saint (this includes martyrs as well). The title of saint tells us that the person lived a holy life, is in heaven, and is to be honored by the universal Church. Canonization does not ‘make’ a person a saint; it recognizes what God has already done.”5
Why does it take the Pope to recognize what God has done? The Bible tells us that we can tell a tree by its fruits, a saint by his life (Gal. 5:22-26).
Finally we are reminded that the Pope’s decision is “infallible and irrevocable.”6 No saint can become “uncanonized” and no decision can ever be deemed mistaken. But the church admits it has made many mistakes in canonizing:
- “In 1969, the Church took a long look at all the saints on its calendar to see if there was historical evidence that that saint existed and lived a life of holiness. In taking that long look, the Church discovered that there was little proof that many ‘saints,’ including some very popular ones, ever lived. Christopher was one of the names that was determined to have a basis mostly in legend. Therefore Christopher (and others) were dropped from the universal calendar.”7
The Roman Catholic church venerates hundreds of saints, regionally or internationally. The web site concludes: “So while every person who is canonized is a saint, not every holy person has been canonized. You have probably known many ‘saints’ in your life, and you are called by God to be one yourself.” There may be saints that the Pope does not know about and you may even meet one. Because of the necessity of actual supernatural events, that is really impossible by the Catholic definition of saint. But by Bible definition, you will meet saints and you must be one to be saved.
- “Just as the Israelites claimed for themselves the title oi agioi [the holy ones], because God selected them from the other nations to lead a life acceptable to him and rejoice in his favor and protection, so this appellation is very often in the New Testament transferred to Christians, as those whom God has selected “ek tou kosmou” [out of the world], that under the influence of the Holy Spirit they may be rendered, through holiness, partakers of salvation in the kingdom of God.”8
This definition of “saint” and its usage in the Bible is not limited to election by merit and reputation as it is in Catholicism. Instead, it is wholly dependent upon the election according to grace which brings all the redeemed into Christ. Simply put, all genuine Christians are saints and there are no “unsainted” Christians.
Consider the address of Paul’s letter sent to the original congregation in Rome (Rom. 1:7). He writes to all the beloved of God in Rome and says they were all called to be saints. The only limitation placed upon sainthood here is that one must be beloved and called by God; II Thess. 2:13 calls all the brethren in Christ beloved of the Lord and Rom. 8:30 bestows the privilege calling upon all who are justified in Jesus. We see that sainthood is a broad term, encompassing more than a select group who have earned canonization, but also includes all those who are beloved of God and called to be justified; the Bible describes no special classes of super saints.
Romans 8:27 tells us the spirit makes intercession “for” saints. Saints need intercession made for them. If they are all in heaven with God (as many believe), why?
Several passages speak of supplying the physical and spiritual needs of the saints. If they are in heaven, what physical need do they yet have (Rom. 12:13)? Paul was on his way to Jerusalem as he wrote this “to minister to the saints” (15:25).
Indeed every passage that mentions saints will confirm that there are saints living on earth and that the decree of the Pope is not necessary to announce one’s sainthood. Most people do not understand this, believing the saints to be a select group of men and women who earned their canonization by martyrdom or miracle. Most people reserve the term “saint” for extraordinarily good and kind people. But the Bible makes it plain that a saint is a Christian, a person called to the gospel and justified by his faith when he obeys it (1 Cor. 6:11, Rom. 8:30 and James 2:24).
The church universal then is composed of sanctified immersed people (Eph. 5:25-27). The Greek word for church, “ekklesia” (ekklhsia), means literally “the called-out.” The church is literally composed of sanctified people, or saints!
A sanctified life is one set apart from the popular course of the world in general, to indulge sinful appetites. The English word “sanctified” comes from the same Greek word, “hagios,” (agioV) as “holy.” That is the kind of life enjoined upon the redeemed, the saints of God on earth and in the church of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:13-16, 2:9). A saint lives a holy life (Eph. 1:4, Titus 1:8, 1 Peter 3:5, 2 Peter 1:21). He may be in the world, but he is not of the world (Rom. 12:1-2, 1 Peter 4:1-4). Sainthood requires being set apart from sinful pursuits (1 Thess. 4:3).
- Roman Catholic Internet Site: http://www.catholic.org/saints/faq.html.
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
- Thayer, Joseph, “Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament,” p. 6.
- Ibid.
