Interesting Questions-76

The saints in the Bible

Letter to the Editor:
PASUGO, April 1997, p.2

AS A CATHOLIC, I often wonder why the Iglesia ni Cristo believes in the Bible and yet does not believe in saints like Luke, Mark, Paul, and Matthew when in fact they are the ones who wrote the New Testament.   It was not Jesus Christ who wrote the  New Testament but it was His disciples who wrote everything Jesus taught them. In spite of this fact, why is it that you don't believe in St. Peter, St. Luke, St. John, and so on?

Maui C. Zamora
Pasay City, Philippines

Editor's reply:

     The Iglesia ni Cristo believes in saints but not in the same way Catholics do. Catholics define the term “saint” as “a title properly given to those human members of Christ recognized by the Church, either traditionally or by formal canonization, as being in heaven and thus worthy of honor” (New Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. 12., p. 852). The Catholic encyclopedia further adds that saints act as “intercessors with God for the living and for souls in purgatory” (Ibid., p. 962).

     On the other hand, the Holy Scriptures defines the term “saint” in this manner.

     “To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.” (I Cor. 1:2, New King James Version)

     The saints that the Bible refers to are those who have been sanctified by the blood of Christ. However, not all were sanctified or made holy by Christ’s blood. The Holy Scriptures attest that only the Church of Christ was purchased by Christ’s blood:

     “Take heeds therefore to yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood.” (Acts 20:28, Lamsa)

     Clearly then, those who have been sanctified by the blood of Christ, called by the Bible as saints, are the members of the Church of Christ. It is in this context that we recognize the apostles, being preachers in the Church of Christ, as saints.

     The apostles are not the only ones called saints, but even the faithful who belong to Christ’s body or Church. However, members of the Church of Christ do not use “saint” as a title attached to their names.

     We do not accept the Catholic definition of saint as “intercessors with God’s” because the Bible teaches that there is only one intercessor or mediator between God and men, the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. I Tim. 2:5). Moreover, the Bible disproves the claim that the holy who have died are now in heaven. The Scriptures teach that all men who have died, including the holy, lie in the grave (cf. Ps. 88:4-5). The holy do not ascend to heaven right after their death. Neither are they “saints” whom we could call upon to intercede in our behalf. For instance, David, whom the Scriptures teach as holy (cf. Ps. 86:2), did not ascend to heaven after his death:

     “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. For David did not ascend into the heavens…” (Acts 2:29, 34, NKJV)

     The dead will remain lying in their graves and will rise only when the heavens are no more (cf. Job 14:10-12). When will the heavens disappear? Apostle Peter states that the heavens will disappear on Judgment Day (cf. II Pt. 3:10, 7). Also then and only then will the dead rise from their graves. As such, the belief that there ate holy men or “saints” already in heaven acting as a man’s mediators to God is unscriptural.

 

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Bible Study Suggestion: If you have further questions, please feel free to visit the Iglesia ni Cristo congregation nearest you. A minister or an evangelical worker would be happy to answer any biblical question you have in mind.  For the latest Worship Service Directory of Iglesia ni Cristo Locales and Congregations outside the Philippines, please visit www.iglesianicristoworshipservice.com or just click link at home page.