In the Bible, saints are all believers in Jesus Christ, set apart by God for His purposes. The term 'saint' comes from a word meaning 'holy one' and refers not to a special class of super-spiritual people, but to every person who has been made holy through faith in Christ. This article looks at what Scripture says about saints, from the biblical meaning and key verses to how Christians across traditions understand this truth.
What Does the Word 'Saint' Mean in the Bible?
The word saint translates the Greek hagios and the Hebrew qadosh, both meaning “holy one” or “set apart one.” At its core, a saint is someone set apart for God’s use. In the Old Testament, the nation of Israel as a whole was called to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation, set apart from the surrounding peoples to reflect God’s character. In the New Testament, the term takes on a deeply personal and communal meaning: every person united to Christ through faith is a saint.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
— 1 Peter 2:9
Peter takes language first spoken to Israel at Sinai (Exodus 19:6) and applies it to the multiethnic church. Saints are not a spiritual elite but the entire people of God on earth. Paul’s letters regularly open with greetings “to the saints” in a given city — ordinary believers wrestling with the same struggles we face today.
to the assembly of God which is at Corinth—those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints, with all who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, both theirs and ours:
— 1 Corinthians 1:2
Notice the phrase “called to be saints.” It is not a title we earn after a lifetime of heroic virtue; it is an identity given to us at conversion. The same letter later describes some of these saints as immature, quarreling, and tolerating serious sin — yet Paul still calls them saints. Sainthood, biblically, is fundamentally about belonging to God.
Saints in the Old Testament
Long before the New Testament church gathered, the faithful in Israel were called “saints” or “holy ones.” The psalmist writes of the godly who delight him, and Daniel sees a vision of the end times when the saints receive an everlasting kingdom.
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As for the saints who are in the earth, they are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight.
— Psalms 16:3
But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.’
— Daniel 7:18
These Old Testament “saints” were not perfect people. David, the author of Psalm 16, committed grievous sins, yet he is numbered among the holy ones because of God’s covenant mercy. In Scripture, a saint is not defined by flawless performance but by belonging to a holy God. The holy God makes the people holy. That has never changed.
You shall be holy to me, for I, Yahweh, am holy, and have set you apart from the peoples, that you should be mine.
— Leviticus 20:26
This divine separation is the heartbeat of sainthood. It is first a work of God, not a human achievement. The same pattern carries into the New Testament, where believers are “sanctified” — a word that shares the same root as “saint.”
Saints in the New Testament
The New Testament identifies every follower of Jesus living on earth as a saint. Paul addresses his letters to “the saints” in Rome, Corinth, Ephesus, Philippi, and Colossae. These were not memorialized heroes; they were living congregations full of new believers, tempted and struggling just like modern Christians.
to all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
— Romans 1:7
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus:
— Ephesians 1:1
Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and servants:
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These “saints” were not distant patrons to be prayed to. They were fellow members of Christ’s body right here on earth. Paul prays for them, instructs them, and even rebukes them — all while calling them saints. The New Testament never uses the term for a special deceased person whom the church formally recognizes. It consistently applies the word to the whole community of the redeemed.
Don’t you know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
— 1 Corinthians 6:2
This future role underscores that sainthood is not yet fully experienced. The saints are still becoming what they already are — holy ones who will one day reign with Christ. That hope anchors every believer’s identity.
5 Key Truths About Saints in the Bible
To bring the biblical picture into focus, here are five foundational truths about saints. Each is rooted directly in God’s Word.
- Saints are set apart by God, not by human declaration. From the moment someone trusts Christ, they are “sanctified in Christ Jesus” (1 Corinthians 1:2). Sainthood is a gift of grace, not a medal of honor.
- Saints are made holy through Christ’s sacrifice once for all. Hebrews 10:10 says, “And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” The cleansing is complete, not an ongoing project to earn status.
- Saints are called to live holy lives. The identity always precedes the command. Because we are saints, we are to act like it. “As he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct” (1 Peter 1:15).
- Saints will inherit God’s kingdom. Daniel’s vision finds its fulfillment in Revelation: “Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him” (Revelation 20:6).
- All true believers are saints — not a select few. Paul sends greetings from “all the saints” and to “every saint” (Philippians 4:21-22). There is no biblical distinction between ordinary Christians and a special class called saints.
How Different Christian Traditions Understand Saints
While all Christians agree that the Bible calls God’s people “saints,” different traditions emphasize different dimensions of this truth. Understanding these distinctions can help us appreciate the richness of the whole church without dividing over language.
In the Catholic tradition, the term “saint” often points to individuals in heaven who have lived lives of exceptional virtue and whose intercession the Church confirms through canonization. Catholics look to passages like Revelation 5:8, where the prayers of the saints rise as incense before God’s throne, and Hebrews 12:1, which speaks of a great “cloud of witnesses” cheering on the earthly church. They believe the redeemed in heaven can pray for us and encourage us on our journey. The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes the communion of saints as the unity of the faithful on earth, the souls in purgatory, and the blessed in heaven.
Therefore let’s also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with perseverance the race that is set before us,
— Hebrews 12:1
In the Eastern Orthodox tradition, saints are also those who have been transformed by the Holy Spirit (deified) and now live in God’s presence. Icons of saints in worship are not worshipped as idols but honored as windows into heaven, reflecting the belief that the entire Church, visible and invisible, worships together around God’s throne. Orthodox Christians point to 2 Peter 1:4 and the Transfiguration as glimpses of the glory that awaits all believers, seen most clearly in the saints.
Many Protestant traditions emphasize that the New Testament never uses “saint” to refer to a deceased Christian whose prayers are sought. For them, every born-again believer is a saint now, on equal footing before God through Christ. They stress texts like 1 Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” In this view, the living “saints” are to pray directly to God through Jesus, and the great cloud of witnesses is an encouragement, not a prayer line. Yet Protestants also gladly honor those who have gone before as examples of faith, reading their biographies and thanking God for their lives.
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For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
— 1 Timothy 2:5
What unites all these perspectives is the conviction that God alone makes people holy and that the saints — however we define the term — point us back to Jesus, the ultimate Holy One.
Living as Saints Today
Sainthood is not a dusty theological category. It changes how we wake up on Monday morning. If you belong to Christ, you are already a saint. That means you are loved, set apart, empowered, and destined for glory. But it also carries a daily invitation.
The New Testament repeatedly connects our identity as saints with practical holiness. We are not saints because we behave perfectly, but saints should live differently. Paul urges the Ephesians to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called” (Ephesians 4:1). Peter echoes, “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance” (1 Peter 1:14).
but just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior, because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
— 1 Peter 1:15-16
Living as a saint means refusing to cheapen grace. It means forgiving when it hurts, loving when it is inconvenient, and pursuing purity in a world that calls darkness light. It is not about perfection but direction — a life tilted toward Jesus. And when we stumble, we remind ourselves: we are still saints, not because we stayed upright, but because He holds us. That truth produces humility, not arrogance.
If you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ, you are a saint — not by your own goodness, but by His. Embrace that identity today. Let it shape your prayers, your choices, and your hope. And if this article encouraged you, share it with someone who needs to hear who they really are in God’s eyes. You might also spend a few minutes reading one of Paul’s letters, noticing how he addresses ordinary believers like you as “saints.” That is your name too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions people ask
What is the biblical definition of a saint?
In the Bible, a saint is someone who has been set apart by God as holy. The word translates the Greek hagios and Hebrew qadosh, both meaning “holy one.” It applies to all who belong to God through faith, not a special category of super-spiritual people. Paul addresses his letters to “the saints” in various cities, meaning the entire congregation of believers. (1 Corinthians 1:2)
Are all Christians considered saints?
Yes, according to the New Testament, every person who has been born again through faith in Jesus Christ is a saint. Paul greets whole churches — including those with serious problems — as saints. The Bible never uses the term to distinguish a higher tier of Christians. It is a shared identity grounded in Christ’s work, not our performance. (Ephesians 1:1; Romans 1:7)
Do saints have to be perfect?
No. Biblical saints were far from perfect. David, a man after God’s own heart, committed adultery and murder, yet he is called a saint. The Corinthian church included immoral and divisive members, yet Paul still calls them saints. A saint is a forgiven sinner, not a sinless person. Holiness comes from Christ, and we grow into that holiness over a lifetime. (1 Corinthians 1:2)
How does someone become a saint according to the Bible?
Becoming a saint is not a process the church initiates after death; it begins the moment a person trusts Jesus Christ for salvation. At conversion, believers are sanctified — set apart as God’s possession — and receive a new identity. There is no biblical teaching that sainthood requires miracles performed or a formal canonization. It is a gift received by faith. (Hebrews 10:10)
What is the difference between saints and angels?
The Bible treats saints and angels as distinct beings. Saints are redeemed human beings, bought by Christ’s blood and destined to reign with Him. Angels are created spiritual beings who serve God but are never called saints. While some traditions may refer to holy angels as “saints” in a broader sense, Scripture consistently applies the word to people. The saints will even judge angels. (1 Corinthians 6:2-3)
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