Paul called them “saints.” Whether writing to congregations in Rome, Corinth, Ephesus, Philippi, or Colossae, he greeted the people as they were: saints. It means “holy ones,” and if Christ is born in you through faith in Him, the Bible says you are holy, set apart from the ways of the world and set apart to God. We are not holy because of ourselves; we are holy in spite of ourselves. In grace, Jesus, who is holy by nature, lives in all who believe in Him1; He has made us one with Him,2 and His nature becomes our own. The writer of Hebrews states it clearly, “We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”3 As we said in a recent post, “You Are Holy; Get Used to It.”
What follows Paul’s lofty greetings, then, raises the eyebrow, for consider his admonitions to those he called saints. To the Colossian saints: “Put to death . . . whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed.”4 To the Ephesians saints: “Put off falsehood and speak truthfully . . . Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer . . . Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander.”5 Wait a minute! Paul is compelled to say these things to “saints”? They sound more like hypocrites than “holy ones”! But let’s look more closely.
In this world, believers live in what some call an “already, but not yet” reality. (I prefer “already, yet still,” but either will work.) We are already holy, for we live in Christ who “has now reconciled you in His body of flesh through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach.”6 Yet we also remain a work in progress: throughout this life, God continues to hone us into the image of Christ, as Paul so clearly states, “[God] who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”7 So “we have been made holy”8 through Jesus, yet He continues to perfect us as people who “are being made holy.”9
Then how do we live in this “already, but not yet” paradox? Choose wisely. Consider these coaching tips from Paul to Colossian saints: “As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. . . Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”10 If this is what real holiness looks like, I’m all in. What about you?
Father, in Your mercy, lead us from our ways into Your ways. Continue what You’ve started in us. In Christ we pray. Amen.
1 2 Corinthians 13:5
2 John 17:20-23
3 Hebrews 10:10 NIV
4 Colossians 3:5 NIV
5 Ephesians 4:25-32
6 Colossians 1:22 NASB
7 Philippians 1:6 ESV
8 Hebrews 10:10 NIV
9 Hebrews 10:14 NIV
10 Colossians 3:11-14 NIV
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Paul Nordman—Author 