Colossians 1:1-2 Saints

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. [Colossians 1:1-2 NASB]

Paul addressed his letter to the saints in Colossae. He was not speaking to a select few, but to every believer in Christ. According to New Testament usage, every believer is a saint. There is no canonization process and no proof of sainthood required. 

What is required to be a saint is to;

confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. [Romans 10:9-10 NASB]

We were once sinners. Paul wrote, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." [Romans 3:23 NASB] Regarding sin, he said, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." [Romans 6:23 NASB]

The apostle John told us, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." [1 John 1:9 NASB]

There is an expression that some Christians repeat, "I am just a sinner saved by grace". That is not true. You are either a sinner or a saint. If you confess Jesus as you Lord, you are a Christian, and you are a saint.

The problem with thinking of yourself as a "sinner saved by grace," is that it implicitly gives you permission to sin. Your sins are forgiven, but that is not the same a having permission to sin.

Right living comes from right thinking. Paul said,

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. [Romans 12:1-2 NASB]

By definition, a saint is one who is holy, sanctified, and set apart for God. That is how God sees you, and how you need to see yourself. God has placed His presence within you. We are told, 

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. [1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NASB]

You have been freed from sin. It no longer has mastery over you. You once were enslaved by sin, but now, you belong to God. He said,

But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. [Romans 6:22 NASB]

From now on, you serve God in righteousness. You can live a life of holiness, set apart from God. You are a saint.

Heavenly Father, thank You that you have called us to you and set us apart for Yourself. Thank you for forgiving our sins, and making us holy.