You're not a Saint until the Pope says you're a Saint!

Dear saints, I cannot let yesterday's historical religious event go without a comment. In a ceremony at Vatican City, watched by millions on Satellite TV, Pope Francis canonized John XXIII and John Paul II. In Roman Catholicism, canonization only happens by papal authority after a long process proving the person lived and died in such a holy way that he or she is worthy to be called a saint. 

Can the Roman Catholic tradition be reconciled with biblical teaching? Not at all.

In Roman Catholic theology, the “saints” are in heaven. In the Bible, the “saints” are on earth. In Roman Catholic tradition, a person does not become a “saint” unless he/she is “beatified” by a bishop or “canonized” by the Pope. In the Bible, everyone who has received Jesus Christ by faith is a “saint.” In Roman Catholicism, the “saints” are prayed to. In the Bible, “saints” pray. (Acts 9:32; 2 Cor. 8:4; Eph. 1:1; Col. 1:2; Heb. 6:10)

Who am I and Why am I here?

Until my 30’s, I struggled with  my “identity.” Though I was born again, and supposed to be a saint, I felt like a sinner caught in a web of failure and futility. But then, the Holy Spirit revealed to me who I was (am) “in Christ.”

 
Today, I feel no more saintly than in those days of ignorance, but I now have an objective, biblical definition of who I am! Feelings do not define me. I am a son of God, a new creation, a new self (John 1:12; 2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 4:24): truths that exceed my best self-evaluation.

And herein I employ Ray Stedman's words: “We think that we have to change the way we act in order to be different; God says, No, I have made you different, and when you believe it you will automatically change the way you act. This struggle can cease only when we reckon on who we really are in Christ. It is a new self-image that delivers us, when we begin to think of ourselves as God thinks of us...” (Edited)  When you know who you are, and whose you are, you will also come to understand why you are here (Eph. 2:10).

Has the Church been Halloweened?

It’s that time again: Halloween. One church announcement reads: “Mountains of candy. Crazy decorated trunks. Fire eaters, break dancers, jugglers. Come to Trunk-or-Treat this Thursday. Doors open at 5:30 pm.” And what else are we opening our doors to?

I know there are a ton of conservatives who will be throwing eggs at Christian halloweenies, convinced it is wrong to participate in a day whose origins are as pagan as witches, vampires, ghosts, and devils. Others will innocently claim we have moved far away from Halloween’s beginnings—just as we have from those of Christmas.

So let's put the question to the “redeeming values” test. Does Halloween have any redeeming value, that is, good qualities about something outweighing the bad things? Certainly Christmas has been redeemed from its pagan beginnings. But can the same be said for Hallows Eve, the night before “All Saints Day,” as it is called. Is this an unholy trick? Have we been halloweened!

Take Time to be Holy?

Jesus addressed God as Holy Father (Matt. 6:9; John 17:11). John Calvin said, “That God's name should be hallowed is to say that God should have His own honor of which He is so worthy, so that men should never think or speak of Him without the greatest veneration.” A. W. Tozer said, “No religion has been greater than its idea of God.”

Warren Wiersbe tells the following experience as an example of people's poor understanding of God’s holiness.

'We will stand and sing hymn 325,’ announced the worship leader, ‘Take Time to Be Holy. We will sing verses one and four.’ If I had been sitting with the congregation instead of on the platform, I might have laughed out loud. Imagine a Christian congregation singing “Take Time to Be Holy” and not even taking time to sing the entire song! If we can’t take the time (less than four minutes) to sing a song about holiness, we’re not likely to take time to devote ourselves to “perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Cor. 7:1).