om. i. 7; 1
Cor. i. 2).

Another frequent cause of misunderstanding is the idea that "the
Saints" mean only a few very holy persons, who have attained by the
grace of God such a degree of perfection, as is beyond the reach of
those who live an active life in the world. But this idea also is
found to be contrary to the ordinary Bible use of the word. Those whom
S. Paul addresses in his Epistles as "Saints," are rebuked for almost
every kind of sin. The Corinthians, especially, are an instance of the
imperfections which may yet be found in God's Saints, and may teach us
how tenderly we need to deal with the failings of those who are just
emerging from heathenism in our own days. The First Epistle to the
Corinthians administers rebukes for schism, fornication, idolatrous
tendencies, misuse of spiritual gifts, profanation of the worship of
God, and misbelief. And even the Saints at Ephesus, who are addressed
as if they had made great advance in the understanding of the
mysteries of the faith, are warned to abstain from lying, violent
anger, stealing, foul speaking, and unkind behaviour (Eph. iv. 25-32).
From which we learn to give a very wide meaning to the word "Saints;"
and to understand by it, Christian people who, with many imperfections
and frequent falls, are seeking to gain a better knowledge and deeper
love of God; and are striving to be led by the Holy Spirit to resist
sin and advance in holiness.

And what is "The Communion" which such persons enjoy?

It is Communion with God, so that their "life is hid with Christ in
God" (Col. iii. 3). They are declared to be united with God, as a
branch is united with its stem; deriving spiritual life--a new and
higher life than the natural life which belongs to all--from Him. They
are "begotten again" (1 Pet. i. 3), and "born of God" (S. John i. 13);
and the seed of this eternal life is not left dormant in them, as it
is in the careless and ungodly; for they remain not as "children," but
"grow up unto Him in all things" (Eph. iv. 14, 15); and letting "the
mind that was in Christ Jesus" (Phil. ii. 5) be in them, and "being
strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man, Christ dwells
in their heart by faith" (Eph. iii. 16, 17); and they are advancing
"unto the perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness
of Christ" (Eph. iv. 13).

The closeness of this union or communion with God in Christ is
expressed more fully by the figure of the body and its mem