Definition and List of Christian Saints in Scripture

The New Testament uses the Greek word hagioi (holy ones) to designate all believers in Christ, not a select spiritual elite. Paul addresses his letter "to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints" ^[4], employing the term as a standard descriptor for the entire Christian community. This usage appears throughout apostolic correspondence: believers are "saints" by virtue of their consecration to God through faith in Christ, not through extraordinary piety or posthumous ecclesiastical recognition ^[1].

Biblical Usage and Self-Designation

Early Christians did not initially call themselves "saints" in self-reference. The disciples were known among themselves as "brethren," "the faithful," "elect," "saints," and "believers" ^{[2, 3]}. The term "Christian" itself was first applied at Antioch around AD 43, likely by Greeks or Romans as a designation distinguishing Jesus's followers from the broader population ^{[2, 3]}. When "Christian" appears in the New Testament—only three times (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16)—it carries a tone of external labeling, sometimes contemptuous ^[3].

The scriptural pattern consistently applies "saints" to the whole body of believers. Revelation describes "the patience of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus" ^[5], framing sainthood as active faithfulness rather than achieved perfection. One commentary notes that "in the New Testament, all Christians are saints, people who have been specially set apart by God as his own holy people" ^[7]. This corporate understanding reflects the covenantal language of the Old Testament, where Israel was called to be "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation."

Historical Development of the Term

The restriction of "saint" to a "spiritual nobility" emerged in the fourth century, representing a significant shift from apostolic usage ^[1]. John Chrysostom observed that while New Testament writers called believers "saints," they never applied this term to themselves or to one another in a titular sense ^[8]. Later tradition reversed this practice: "the body of believers returned the compliment and fixed the term as a title upon the Apostles, New Testament writers, Church Fathers, and a large number of Christians more or less distinguished for learning or piety" ^[8].

This development created divergent traditions. Catholic theology honors patriarchs, prophets, and certain Old Testament figures as saints "in all the Church's liturgical traditions" ^[11], extending the category backward and establishing formal processes of canonization. The Anglican calendar preserves feast days for apostles and evangelists alongside other commemorated figures ^[12]. Protestant traditions, by contrast, typically maintain the New Testament's universal application while acknowledging the exemplary faith of particular individuals without conferring special status.

Theological Implications

The designation "saint" in Scripture carries no implication of sinlessness. Augustine addressed critics who claimed "that the saints in the Old Testament were not without sins," clarifying that freedom from sins came "not by their own power" but through divine grace ^[10]. The term denotes consecration and covenant relationship, not moral perfection. Many titles belonging to Christ in the singular extend to Christians in the plural: He is "THE SON," "High Priest," "King," "Lamb"; believers are "sons," "priests," "kings," "sheep," "lambs" ^[9]. This participatory language underscores that sainthood derives from union with Christ rather than individual achievement.

The scriptural list of saints, then, is coextensive with the list of believers. Peter addresses his letter to "those who have obtained a faith equal in value to ours" ^[6], assuming no hierarchy of sanctity among the redeemed. The New Testament provides no roster of specially designated saints but rather describes the church itself as "the saints" gathered in particular locations—Rome, Ephesus, Colossae. Where later tradition developed formal recognition of exemplary believers, Scripture presents sainthood as the common calling of all who belong to Christ through faith.

Sources

Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Saint — One separated from the world and consecrated to God; one holy by profession and by covenant; a believer in Christ (Ps. 16:3; Rom. 1:7; 8:27; Phil. 1:1; Heb. 6:10). The "saints" spoken of in Jude 1:14 are probably not the disciples of Christ, but the "innumerable company of angels" (Heb. 12:22; Ps. 68:17), with reference to Deut. 33:2. This word is also used of the holy dead (Matt. 27:52; Rev. 18:24). It was not used as a distinctive title of the apostles and evangelists and of a "spiritual nobility" till the fourth century. In that sense it is not a scriptura”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Christian — The name given by the Greeks or Romans, probably in reproach, to the followers of Jesus. It was first used at Antioch. The names by which the disciples were known among themselves were "brethren," "the faithful," "elect," "saints," "believers." But as distinguishing them from the multitude without, the name "Christian" came into use, and was universally accepted. This name occurs but three times in the New Testament (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Pet. 4:16).”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Christian — The disciples, we are told, (Acts 11:26) were first called Christians at Antioch on the Orontes, somewhere about A.D. 43. They were known to each other as, and were among themselves called, brethren, (Acts 15:1,23; 1 Corinthians 7:12) disciples, (Acts 9:26; 11:29) believers, (Acts 5:14) saints, (Romans 8:27; 15:25) The name "Christian," which, in the only other cases where it appears in the New Testament, (Acts 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16) is used contemptuously, could not have been applied by the early disciples to themselves, but was imposed upon them by the Gen”
Romans “Romans 1:7 (NASB) — to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Revelation “Here is the patience of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” -- Revelation 14:12”
II Peter “II Peter 1:1 (LEB) — Simeon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a faith equal in value to ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.”
Colossians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Colossians 1:4: 1:4 God’s people (literally holy ones, or saints): In the New Testament, all Christians are saints, people who have been specially set apart by God as his own holy people (3:12).”
CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Acts & Romans: of believers “saints,” but never apply this term to themselves or to one another. In later times the body of believers returned the compliment and fixed the term as a title upon the Apostles, New Testament writers, Church Fathers, and a large number of Christians more or less distinguished for learning or piety. Most Christians find the title more appropriate to the two first classes than to the two last.—G.B.S. but while they had been called so far as to be believers, he had besides a different thing committed to his hands, namely, the Apostleship, ”
1 Peter (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Peter 2:5: Ye also, as lively stones--partaking of the name and life which is in "THE LIVING STONE" (Pe1 2:4; Co1 3:11). Many names which belong to Christ in the singular are assigned to Christians in the plural. He is "THE SON," "High Priest," "King," "Lamb"; they, "sons," "priests," "kings," "sheep," "lambs." So the Shulamite called from Solomon [BENGEL]. are built up--Greek, "are being built up," as in Eph 2:22. Not as ALFORD, "Be ye built up." Peter grounds his exhortations, Pe1 2:2, Pe1 2:11, &c., on their conscious sense of their high privileges as living”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 12.--THE FOURTH CALUMNY,--THAT THE SAINTS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT ARE SAID TO BE NOT FREE FROM SINS.: "They say," says he, "that the saints in the Old Testament were not without sins,--that is that they were not free from crimes even by amendment, but they were seized by death in their guilt." Nay, I say that either before the law, or in the time of the Old Testament, they were freed from sins,--not by their own power, because "cursed is every one that hath put his hope in man,"[1] and without any doubt those are under this curse whom also the sacred”
Catechism of the Catholic Church (Catholic) “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Article 1 (part 3): unity of the Church.18 They would be the root on to which the Gentiles would be grafted, once they came to believe.19 61 The patriarchs, prophets and certain other Old Testament figures have been and always will be honoured as saints in all the Church's liturgical traditions. God forms his people Israel 62 After the patriarchs, God formed Israel as his people by freeing them from slavery in Egypt. He established with them the covenant of Mount Sinai and, through Moses, gave them his law so that they would recognize him and serve him as the ”
Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican) “Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican, 1571), The First Sunday in Advent (part 1): The First Sunday in Advent The Second Sunday in Advent The Third Sunday in Advent The Fourth Sunday in Advent Christmas Day Saint Stephen's Day Saint John The Evangelist's Day The Innocents' Day The Sunday after Christmas Day The Circumcision of Christ The Epiphany The First Sunday after the Epiphany The Second Sunday after the Epiphany The Third Sunday after the Epiphany The Fourth Sunday after The Epiphany The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany The Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany The Sunday called Septuagesi”

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