Root Words | Different, Faithful and Joined

Recently I was reading the book of Romans and I have again realized the wealth of teaching just in the introductions of Paul’s letters. Take for instance his letter to Ephesians where Paul writes, “To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus.” Right there, Paul gives us “Three things that every Christian is”:

1. To the saints: It is unfortunate that this word “saint” has been so misdefined. In fact if you look up the word in Webster’s dictionary, you will find the definition as “one officially recognized especially through canonization as preeminent for holiness”. The problem with this definition is that those that wrote it apparently never read the New Testament because Paul did not write to dead people but rather to those that were living! Saints are not people that are “officially recognized” for being holier than everybody else based upon whether or not some group witnessed them performing two miracles or after their death someone had prayed to them for a healing and was healed. The word “Saint” appears nine times in this letter alone and in more modern terms it means, “To the DIFFERENT ones who are in Ephesus”; the people who had been recreated “differently” than the rest of the people in Ephesus.
2. Faithful: The 2^nd characteristic is that they were people who had exercised their trust in a whole new place: “Christ Jesus”. They were not saved because they had lived faithful lives; they were faithful because they had trusted Jesus instead of themselves. Now the word “faithful” reminds us of not being quitters. These Christians just couldn’t stop trusting Jesus. You might say that they were addicted to following Him in every area of their lives.   
3. In Christ Jesus: The final trait is that they were “In Christ”. That phrase along with the words “In Him” appear eighteen times in this letter and nine of those are found in verses 1:3-23. The phrase means more than just trusting Jesus – it means being “joined” with him into one body positionally! Whatever these “different faithful followers” were was not based upon their own accomplishments or inward character; it was because of Jesus.

I don’t know about you but this New Year I want to be more “different”, more “faithful” and more “joined” to Him than I was last year.

Blessings,

Pastor Dale