Saint

<<a person possessing God-like qualities>>

The NT applies this term to all Christians signifying their relationship to Christ and the Christ-like character that should be developing because the Holy Spirit is within each true believer (Rom 1:7, 16:2; 1 Cor 1:2, 6:19; Gal 5:22,23; Eph 4:12, 5:3). In some Bibles the four gospels are headed up as ‘The gospel according to Saint...’ (also abbreviated to St).

Today, the friends of a very good, patient or unselfish, non-complaining person may refer to them as a saint. Such ‘saintly’ people, by their self-discipline and devotion to others, exhibit exemplary character.

In the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches, various deceased people are officially venerated or honoured as being saints because of their outstanding, holy life – for example, St Francis of Assisi. They are revered, prayed to, and in some instances, worshiped. Yet the Bible's teaching is, we the saints (because of our connection to Christ) are called to revere, worship, and pray to God alone, not anyone else (Ex 20:3-6; Act 10:25,26; Rev 19:10, 22:9).