How to Be a Saint

This is NOT one of my football devotions. To be a football saint you have to live in New Orleans - or at least play for their team. That is not what this post is referring to.

It was announced yesterday that on April 27th of next year Pope Francis will declare Popes John Paul II and John XXIII to be saints.

Fox news reported these miracles of John Paul II.

Pope John Paul II

"A first miracle was attributed to John Paul in 2011, in which the Vatican said a French nun that was dying of Parkinson’s disease was cured after she and other nuns prayed for the intercession of John Paul.
John Paul’s second miracle was approved by Francis three months ago. A 50-year-old Costa Rican woman said she was cured of a brain aneurysm after a photo of John Paul appeared to talk to her, The Guardian reports." 

They've only found one miracle attributed to John XXIII, but if the Pope wants to make someone a saint he can "bend" the rules if he wants to. Really. Who's going to argue with the Pope?

So I googled "How to become a saint" and found that it can take years and even decades to "become a saint."

If I understand correctly how becoming a saint is supposed to go, you have to be a really good, holy person while you are alive and there has to be a couple of verified miracles that you've done and a Pope has to decide that you should be a saint and I've probably left a lot out of the process, but I think you get the idea.

As much as we can admire these men for the good things they did during their lives (in addition to having their pictures talk to someone to heal a brain aneurism) I have to take issue with our Catholic friend's teaching of how a person becomes a saint.

As you read the teachings of the Apostle Paul you'll see that he applied the term "saints" to all believers in Jesus Christ.

For example:

1 Corinthians 1:2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:

"Saint" is taken from the Latin word "sanctus" which means "holy" or "set apart." If you are a follower of Jesus Christ you a saint. It doesn't mean you no longer sin. It doesn't mean you are suddenly perfect and can do miracles. Being a saint means Christ has set you apart as His own. It's not a special place in the hierarchy of Christendom.

In Vacation Bible School we explain it with the ABC's of salvation.

A - Admit to God that you are a sinner.
B - Believe that Jesus Christ died and rose again to pay for your sin.
C - Confess that Jesus Christ is your Savior and Lord.

If you have given your life to Christ and you are following Him day by day you may not do any big miracles, but others will know that you are a Christian - a Saint - because they see Him in you. They will see love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control.

Go live your life as a saint. Don't make people wonder for years or decades whether you are a saint or not.

If you'd like to see more of my postings about saints, click on these links.

When the Saints Go Marching In
Today Is Your Day
Saint Update