So, what does “saint” or “holy one” mean biblically? Today a saint is a “holy one” as a result of the Holy Spirit indwelling. Every born again follower of Jesus Christ becomes a saint. All born again Jews lived to the age rather than perish – John 3:16. But what about God’s chosen people while they were still in their old covenant? What about Able? Did his martyrdom make him acceptable to God or did the faith he already had get him killed? Romans 4:1-18

Psalms 37:28

LITV ²⁸ For Jehovah loves judgment and does not forsake His saints; they are preserved forever [kept to the age]; but the wicked’s seed shall be cut off.

Was Able preserved to the age? He certainly did not live to 1000 typically. Even his father only lived to be 930 years of age. Did Jesus save Able from perishing to the age along with all the old covenant faithful? Jesus said He would lose none that were His.

The apostle Paul refers to all new covenant people as saints. Paul was not acting like a saint when he was in the old covenant. The only thing that kept the people of God from perishing to the age was the Holy Spirit rebirth. Even if the churches Paul addressed had significant moral and theological problems, he still calls them all saints. In Exodus 19:5-6 God refers to Israel as “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” I Peter 2:9 applies this same language to the 12 tribes scattered: “you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” Could it be that the old covenant hold outs remained in the dark and perished because they weren’t God’s chosen people? The born again Jews were God’s chosen people set apart for God’s Holy Spirit work.

Born again people are all saints because the Holy Spirit makes them God’s chosen people. God’s residence in the temple of your body makes you a holy place on earth. What could make a place more holy? The Holy Spirit obviously doesn’t make anyone’s flesh and blood body immortal or sinless. Martyrdom was the outcome for many born again Jews who refused to return to their old covenant.

Peter himself sinned a common sin before and after being born again. Peter gave into his fear of the Jews who were still requiring circumcision in order for the Gentiles to be in their new covenant (born again Pharisees from Jerusalem). Having the courage to be a true witness was one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit residence, but it wasn’t guaranteed or automatic. We aren’t automatons, robots, androids, cyborgs or droits. We are humans. Being courageous unto death was not natural for the Jewish disciples. The ability of the old covenant status quo to take the life of the new covenant Jews was very real. Born again Jews who didn’t preach typical law-keeping and who let Gentiles into their new covenant without being circumcised were in danger of being murdered by the unfaithful Jews. Jesus’ Jewish disciples were found hiding for fear of the status quo Jews when Jesus appeared to them on His resurrection day. This appearance of Jesus was many hours after His resurrection and 50 days before their next Pentecost. The disciples were fearfully hiding in a room behind locked doors when Jesus said be at peace and receive the Holy Spirit – John 20:19-22.

After Pentecost Peter gave in to the born again Pharisees who were in the new covenant church yet still insisting on keeping the old covenant types, even after they themselves were born again. Paul corrected Peter to his face. Eventually Peter and Paul both died as faithful born again Jews, but that is not what made them saints. God didn’t accept Ables sacrifice because Cain was about to kill him. Able was already accepted by faith whether Cain killed him or not. It was his faith that got him killed.

Today the Holy Spirit residence still makes any born again person a saint. The Holy Spirit has all the faith of Jesus. They both believe the same thing. All born again people are biblically called saints whether they act like one or not. Sainthood is certainly required in order to go to heaven, but sainthood is only achieved by being born from above by the Holy Spirit. When Paul wrote to the saints in Corinth he addressed the whole church as saints, not just the so called spiritual hero among them, if there even were any at that church. All God’s chosen people are saints. Even in the church of Corinth.