There has been some controversy about what these words mean. Some think
that there are two classes, the saints and the faithful. And
some think that there is only one, the faithful saints. If the latter were
true, then there would be little need for the warnings and exhortation
s of the last 3 chapters of Ephesians.
In the first place, saints are made. Upon believing, they are
saved by grace thru faith, nothing of themselves, (lest they
should boast), but a pure gift from God.
A saint is one who is sanctified, or cleansed. This
happens at the time of believing, not some time afterward. God does
not put believers on probation for life, but gives it to them at the
moment of their belief.
But a faithful one is something different. Faithful means
full of faith. One is not counted faithful till he has walked
in the good works which were before ordained for him. In the kingdom
age, a faithful servant was one who made use of the talents or
pounds that were entrusted to his care.
So here in Eph 1:1 we have those who have accepted the truth
of the mystery, have believed it. And we have also those who not
only believed it, but worked according to it. Hence the two classes,
saints and faithful.
These two groups are mentioned in 2Ti 2:11,12. Those who have
died with Him shall live with Him some time; those who suffer
or endure shall reign with Him. Those who have died with Him
are the saints; those who endure or suffer are the
faithful.
Again in Ph'p 3:18,19 we find the saints falling into error,
making their god their belly and minding earthly things. They will suffer
loss for it. But in verse 14 in same chapter you find a faithful
one seeking the prize of the high calling.
The last 3 chapters of Ephesians are taken up with instructions
as to how to be faithful. The very first exhortation covers all the
rest, Walk worthy. This includes such things as; keeping the unity,
putting off the old man with his deeds, putting on the new man, and putting
away lying (the lie). Also a 3-fold walk, in love, in light,
and circumspectly. Being faithful involves the relationship of
husbands and wives, parents and children, and servants and masters. Being
faithful also involves being able to stand, to withstand
, and when salvation has been worked out, to still stand; all this
armed with the whole armor of God. This is how saints become
faithful.
Remember this; a believer can do anything an unbeliever can do. He still
has the old nature in him. That is why that chapter 2 of
Colossians is taken up with "BEWARE." Even the apostle Paul
was very concerned lest he should be unapproved (1Co 9:27).
We must recognize, that in general, there are 3 classes of
believers in the world today. We cannot realize the force of the words
above, saints and faithful, unless we know this.
1. Those who have life according to John 3:16. These
are children (Joh 1:12, margin). They have not attained to
an adoption or sonship. No works are ordained that they should
walk in them. No such responsibilities are given to little children.
So far as we know, these will be in the new earth, paradise
, with Adam and others who have not been members of some family
of God, either on earth or in heaven. John's gospel
was written after that Israel were set aside, after their complete
fall. So these believers can have no part with Israel
and her kingdom which has been closed to membership for over
1900 years.
2. A second class are those who imagine that the kingdom
is still open and that they are to carry out the commission of Israel
in relation to the world and the nations. They practice the rituals
and ordinances of Israel, and pretend that they are Jews
(Re 2:9; 3:9). And the sad part is that they imagine that their
kingdom is to be in heaven, whereas Israel were never
told that they would go to heaven, but that their kingdom
would be here on earth. Now these folks are mostly believers. They
have life. But their works are built of the wrong materials. They
will not stand the fires of testing, for they know not, and do not, the will
of God for this age. And since the kingdom is not open to them,
they must have their part with the first group, paradise, or the
new earth.
3. This third class is made up of those who have heard the
gospel of the dispensation of the mystery and have believed
it. We have showed how these were divided into two groups, the
saints and the faithful. Having a sonship, they have
responsibility. They are created unto good works which were
before ordained that they should walk in them. Those that
believe, but walk after their own wills are saints. Those who
believe and walk worthy of the calling are faithful. It is
not that some may reject the truth, but they have neglected it. That is the
prevailing condition in Christendom today. People who believe are
all too satisfied to stay in the wilderness.
Manna did sustain life, and that was what it was for. But it was
not to be compared with the milk and honey in the promised land. In
fact, some of Israel would have preferred the fare in Egypt to that
manna, and so they grumbled about it.
As a nation, Israel had a great commission. The church
also has a great commission. Those who learn the mysteries of their
calling and do the good works associated with that calling, are
not only saints but faithful.
