1Corinthians 1:2 comments: who are the saints?

1:2  Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

Notice here that Paul refers to the entire church at Corinth which we will find consists of several churches meeting in persons’ homes which sometimes comes together as one, as in other cities.

Romans 16:5  Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.

1Corinthians 1:11  For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

1Corinthians 14:23  If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?

1Corinthians 16:15  I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)…19  The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.

Colossians 4:15  Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.

A church is not a building in the Bible. It is the people who have trusted Christ who come together as His body on earth. A passage in Colossians will help here.

Colossians 1:12 ¶  Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13  Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14  In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 15  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 18  And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19  For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; 20  And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. 21  And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22  In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: 23  If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; 24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church: 25  Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; 26  Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: 28  Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: 29  Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Saints are sanctified ones, set apart by faith, who call upon the name of Jesus Christ. Christ is the one that unites all believers. He is the Lord, theirs and ours, of Christians.

Romans 10:9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine

heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

    12 ¶  For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

This is the Biblical definition of saints rather than some transference of pagan gods to a kind of divine parliament overseeing humanity. Most of the early Roman saints had their counterparts in pagan gods or festivals brought over into the official Roman version of state-Christianity to make it more palatable to people who were expected to become Christians without being born-again in the Biblical sense. Biblically, all believers are saints, set apart in Christ by faith. Praying to a Christianized pagan god for intercession with Christ is rather suspect, don’t you think?