Called as saints

John Farley
Pastor Teacher
Sunday,
October 15, 2023

There will be no Bible study on Thursday November 9th

Called as saints.

JOH 15:1-14

Make sure that we don’t lose sight of who we are in Christ.

Which is greater: being a disciple,
or being a member of the body of Christ?

Being in the body of Christ is a far greater standing than being a disciple.

Disciples followed Jesus on earth.

Saints are in permanent union with the Resurrected Christ in heaven.

The word “disciple” doesn’t appear in the Bible after the book of Acts.

Paul never uses the words “disciple” or “disciples” in his epistles. Not once.

Members of the body of Christ are never referred to as disciples.

ROM 1:7

Paul refers to the believers in Rome as saints (not disciples).

1CO 1:2;
2CO 1:1; EPH 1:1; and COL 1:2.

We are not disciples. We are saints!

The facts about us as saints are far greater than the possibilities for the disciples.

The New Testament word is “mystery”.

“Mystery” has a very specific and clearly defined meaning in the New Testament.

COL 1:25-27

A mystery is truth that was hidden from past generations but is now manifested to the saints.

God made known this rich glorious mystery to the Gentiles - Christ is in them!

EPH 3:1-10

Hidden from disciples in the past - revealed to the saints in the church!

What is the content of the mystery now revealed here in Eph 3?

Jews and Gentiles together - fellow heirs and fellow members of the body of Christ!

Our identity as saints now is far greater than that of believers before Christ rose.

The church is a new creation with her own unique privileges, blessings, and destiny.

JOH 15:14-15

Our intimacy with Christ is far greater than friendship even.

We are MEMBERS OF HIS BODY. [EPH 5:28-32]

God did it for us.
He required nothing of us.
It is permanent.

Read ROM 7:4-6, ROM 8:1-4, and GAL 5:22-23
for more.