It ought to be clear to Bible students that all Christians are declared to be saints, in the pattern of redemption outlined in Scripture. Rather than Mr., Miss, Ms., or Mrs., any Christian may rightly be addressed as Saint So-and-So. To become a saint one needs to be declared so by God. On a person’s acceptance of Christ as Savior, any human being has conferred upon him or her, by biblical decree, the honor of the status and title of Saint. By analogy, it is as though a king or queen placed the royal sword on one’s shoulder and declared that person to be a knight of the realm, officially entitled, Sir. There is consideration, a dedication, an expectation, a special position, an honor. An important dimension in Christianity is sanctification, a setting of a person in line with a human nature shift, a commitment to spiritual integrity, a way of life and service that is understood as different from preceding standard life. It is verified in a life of righteousness, service, faith and devotion. In Christian theology sainthood relates to Justification before God.
Persons like to embellish concepts in various directions. They believe they can make improvements to an original without diminishing the original. Actually they may be ratcheting up or down, or even laterally. So it is that a list of special saints has been presented to the world. From the mass of saints, some, having fulfilled the standards of sainthood as it has evolved in meaning, are again declared as Saints in some recognized context. These special Saints (titled) are said to deserve our admiration for modeling life, perhaps pray through to God as persons who will then transfer their prayers to God, God who grants influence in the heavens for these super saints. The prayers are not lost even if misaddressed. However, the matter is somewhat garbled in the development of other uses for saints, so they became patrons. Their names may be carried over to identify some special interest. For example, St. Vitus was chosen as the patron Saint of beggars. Beggars with the falling sickness (palsy demonstrations) gained more when they cut themselves, so bled at the nose, or frothed at the mouth (perhaps aided by soap). Ultimately, whether it was genuine or feigned, the demonstration became known as the St. Vitus Dance. By public demonstration the beggar sought alms of sensitive Christians entering or leaving churches. So common did the practice become that beggars were accused of utter knavery. Special areas or cages were located in population centers to hold them for ridicule when they became too bold or troublesome. The name, St. Vitus Dance, remains today. St. Vitus was irreverently exploited, as was Mary Magdalene, the patron saint of prostitutes. (Here we begin to shake our heads.)
The evangelical Christian does not find any biblical suggestion of the assignment of saints to prayer beyond the human pale. It appears that death closes all earthly identity, and prayer is something designed for saints on earth. Those who hold that saints have a continuing involvement with man’s future must rely on the tradition that evolved since apostolic times. It is unlikely that departed saints are knowledgeable of us. We can only conjecture. The biblical reference is that one can go directly to God, without detour through others, for prayer concerns.
Our preceding saints are at rest. It remains for Christians in the World to live up to their own title as saints. After death, human beings are as likely to remember the womb of nature as they are to remember the womb of mother. For those who have preceded us, we may be comforted to believe they are quite taken with a new environment, enhanced by the glory of God. Isaiah hints at the matter in the ultimate relief from troubled earth. (Isaiah 65:16-17) *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020