by having to go to
the dead to solicit aid in our necessities. Paul means the saints on
earth--the Christians. He calls them saints out of respect to the Word
of God and his grace, which, in faith, renders them holy without
works.

47. It would be a great shame, a blasphemy, for a Christian to deny
that he is holy. It would be equivalent to denying the holiness of the
blood of Christ, of the Word, the Spirit, the grace of God, and of God
himself. And all these God has applied to or conferred upon the
Christian to render him holy. Paul does not hesitate to call himself a
saint (Eph 3, 8): "Unto me who am less than the least of all saints,
was this grace given." And (1 Tim 5, 10) he would relieve widows who
washed the feet of the saints. It is also said in Psalm 86, 2,
"Preserve my soul; for I am godly [holy]." Peter, too (1 Pet 1, 16),
quoting from Moses, speaks God's message, "Ye shall be holy; for I am
holy." The word "holy" in the Scriptures has reference only to the
living.

But we have had books other than the Scriptures to read. Consequently
we have been led by our seducers into the humiliating wickedness of
calling holy only the dead, and regarding it the highest presumption
to apply the term to ourselves. At the same time we are all desirous
of being called "Christians," a sublimer title than "holy"; for Christ
is perfect holiness, and Christians are named after Christ--after
perfect holiness. The shameful abomination known as "the exaltation of
saints" is responsible for the deplorable error here. The Pope's
influence has created the belief that only they are holy who are dead,
or whose works have exalted them to the honor of the title. But how
often is the devil exalted as a saint, and how often we regard them
saints who are of hell!

48. Paul's design in mentioning "the necessities of the saints" is to
teach and move us to do as much for Christians as we are inclined to
do for the saints of heaven; to regard such ministration as precious
service, for so it is. He commends to us the real saints--those in
want; who are of saintly character, though they may be forsaken,
hungry, naked, imprisoned, half-dead, regarded by the world as ungodly
evil-doers deserving of every form of misfortune; who, unable to help
themselves, need assistance. They differ much from those saints whose
help we, staring heavenward, implore. It is the poor Christians whom
Christ will array on the last day, saying, "Inasmuch as ye did it