Morning By Morning #187

Called to be saints.

Romans 1:7

From the pen of Charles Spurgeon:

We are quite apt to regard the apostolic saints of the first century as though they were saints in a more special way than other children of God. We tend to think of the apostles as extraordinary people, scarcely subject to the same weaknesses and temptations we have, yet everyone God called by His grace and sanctified by His Spirit are saints. In thinking this way, however, we forget the truth that the closer a man lives to God, the more intensely he will mourn over his own evil heart; and the more his Master honors him in His service, the more the evils of the flesh tempt and test him day by day.

The fact is that if we had personally known the apostle Paul, we would have thought him to be remarkably like the rest of us in God’s chosen family. And after speaking with him we would have said, “His experience is much the same as ours. He is more faithful, more holy, and better taught in God’s Word than we are, but he has much the same, if not greater, trials to endure.” Thus, don’t look upon the saints of old as being exempt from difficulties, weaknesses, or sins, and don’t regard them with such mystical reverence that you nearly become an idolater. The level of holiness they attained is possible for us, for we are “called to be saints” by the very same Voice who called them to their lofty vocation.

It is actually every Christian’s duty to work his way into the inner circle of sainthood, and if we find that the attainments of the saints of old were superior to ours—as they certainly were—let us follow their example, emulating their passion and holiness. We have the same light they had, and the same grace is accessible to us, so why should we ever be satisfied with anything less in heavenly character? They lived with Jesus, they lived for Jesus, and, thus, they became like Jesus. As we live by the same Spirit, may we live in the same manner they did—“fix[ing] our eyes on Jesus” (Heb. 12:2). Then our sainthood will soon be apparent.

From the pen of Jim Reimann:

Not only do we tend to think of the apostles as more “saintly” than we are but we often have an elevated opinion of the Old Testament saints. Yet they too were actually common ordinary people whom the Lord used in extraordinary ways. For example, James tells us, “Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years” (James 5:17).

Even more encouraging is what the writer of Hebrews tells us about our Lord Jesus:

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help [us] who are being tempted.

Hebrews 2:14 – 18