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The Saints Always
Win After the Saints won the Super Bowl Sunday night, Bill Johnson came in Monday morning and said, “The Saints always win, don’t they, Jake?” Bill is right. The saints always win, as we will see in this article. First, let’s
understand who “the saints” really are. one separated
from the world and consecrated to God; one holy by profession and by covenant;
a believer in Christ (Psalm 16:3; Romans 1:7; Romans 8:27; Phil. 1:1; Hebrews
6:10). The
“saints” spoken of in Jude 1:14 are probably not the disciples of Christ, but
the “innumerable company of angels” (Hebrews 12:22; Psalm 68:17), with
reference to Deut. 33:2. This
word is also used of the holy dead (Matthew 27:52; Rev. 18:24). It was not used
as a distinctive title of the apostles and evangelists and of a “spiritual
nobility” till the fourth century. In that sense it is not a scriptural title. In the remainder of
this article, I’m not using the word “saints” to refer to angels, nor am I
using it in the unscriptural sense of a ”spiritual nobility.” No, “saint” in this article means a true
“believer in Christ.” In other words,
“saints” means “Christians.” The saints will suffer, but the saints always win. It was prophesied that the Roman Emperor Domitian would
“speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most
High” (Daniel 7:25 ESV). Yes, Domitian
“was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them” (Rev. 13:7 ESV). But, even then, the saints would be the
ultimate winners. It was prophesied that
Domitian’s “power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of
the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the
people of the Most High.” (Daniel 7:26-27 NIV).
[For more information about the prophecies concerning Domitian in Daniel
7 and the book of Revelation, please read my article titled “Domitian” on our
website (joplinchurchofchrist.com).] Jesus spoke of
a victory that awaited suffering saints.
He said, "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you
and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great
in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew
5:11-12 ESV). Likewise, the apostle Paul
said, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth
comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18 ESV). The saints will die, but the saints always win. What was true
in Old Testament times is still true today: “Precious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of his saints” (Psalm 116:15 ESV).
What does death mean for the saint?
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