Vatican Cuts Cost to Become a Saint

[Vatican Cuts Cost to Become a Saint Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries] "The Vatican has said it is cutting the costs of sainthood applications, which can reportedly spiral up to a million dollars. Applications for sainthood can take years and costs include legal fees and travel bills for medical experts from around the world who are often called on to verify supposed medical miracles attributed to would-be saints. The Archdiocese of Indianapolis was cited by the Huffington Post as saying the price of canonization campaigns range between $250,000 and $1 million. Read more." Pro-Gospel.org

 

Response to comment [from a Christian]: "[A]nd a saint hood matters for what?"

 

Beats me.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the assembly of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia..." 2 Co 1:1

 

[Pope Begins Process of Sainthood for Eight Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries] "Pope Francis approved the "heroic virtue" of eight dead Servants of God, which now allows for their public veneration. The title "Servants of God," is the first stage in the sainthood process. Read more.

[Mike Gendron Comment] Once again we see the unbiblical nature of the Roman Catholic religion. God is the only one who appoints saints. Everyone born of the Spirit of God is a saint, and their sainthood is not based on anything they do, but on everything Christ has done! This is why many of the epistles are written to the "saints" at various churches. Paul wrote: "To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints" (Rom. 1:7). He said he was going to Jerusalem to bring aid to the saints (Rom. 15:25). To the church of Ephesus he said, you are "saints and members of the household of God" (Eph. 2:19). Furthermore saints are not to be venerated or worshipped. When Cornelius met Saint Peter he fell down at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, "Stand up; I too am a man" (Acts 10:25-26). To God alone be all worship and glory!" Pro-Gospel.org

 

"[P]lease tell me of the saints Paul knew of?"

 

Saints are those who have trusted in Christ.

Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours [1 Cor. 1:2].

"Notice it is "unto the church of God which is at Corinth." It is called the church of God because He is the One who is the Architect of the church. The letter is directed to the "sanctified in Christ Jesus."
The church is at Corinth, but it is in Christ Jesus. The address of the church is not important, but the person of Christ is all-important. What does it mean to be a Christian? It means to be in Christ! Whether you are at Corinth or at Los Angeles, at Ephesus or at New York City is incidental. The important question is: Are you in Christ Jesus?

Paul calls them "sanctified in Christ Jesus." The term sanctification is used in several different ways, as we have already seen in Romans. Here it is positional sanctification, which is the position we have in Christ. When sanctification is joined to God the Father or God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, then it is generally positional. When sanctification is connected with the Holy Spirit, then that is practical sanctification. We will learn in verse 30 that Christ has been made unto us sanctification—along with wisdom and righteousness and redemption. He is our sanctification.

You see, friend, you are not going to heaven until you are perfect—I am not either. And I am not perfect, not even near it. The fact of the matter is that if you knew me like I know myself, you wouldn’t listen to me. But wait a minute! Don’t tune me out because, if I knew you like you know yourself, I wouldn’t speak to you. So let’s just stay connected here, if you don’t mind.

Sanctification is a position we have in Christ. If you have trusted Him, He has been made over to you your sanctification. You are as saved right now as you will be a million years from now, because you are saved in Christ. You cannot add anything to that.

There is also a practical sanctification, which is something that varies. These Corinthians don’t sound like sanctified saints. The work of the Holy Spirit was not very much in evidence in their lives. But they were positionally sanctified in Christ Jesus.

They were "called to be saints"—again, note that "to be" is in italics, which means it is not in the original. Just as Paul was a called apostle, they were called saints. We are also called saints. We do not become saints by what we do; we become saints because of our position in Christ. The word saint actually means "set aside to God." Every Christian should be set aside to God. For example, the pans and vessels that were used in the tabernacle and later in the temple were called holy vessels. Holy? Yes, because they were for the use of God. On what basis is a child of God a saint or holy? On the basis that he is for the use of God. This is the position that we have. I repeat again, one is not a saint on the basis of what one does. All of mankind is divided between the "saints" and the "ain’ts." If you "ain’t" in Christ, then you are an "ain’t." If you are in Christ, then you are a "saint."

The Corinthians are called saints together "with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours." Possibly it would be more correct to say, "with all that in every place, both theirs and ours, who call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord." This also indicates that the teaching of this epistle is addressed to the church at large, which is composed of all who call upon the Lord Jesus, whether it be in Corinth or elsewhere..." McGee, J. V. (1997). Thru the Bible commentary (electronic ed., Vol. 5, pp. 4–5). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

 

Vatican Cuts Cost to Become a Saint