Forthright Magazine http://www.forthright.net Straight to the Cross ---- In Honor of Saints by Tim Hall It Ain't Easy by Paul Goddard ---- COLUMN: Heavenly Connections In Honor Of Saints by Tim Hall Yes, I'm wearing green today, though I only have a couple of articles of green clothing. Green is not my favorite color. So why is it a big deal that I'm wearing green today? It's St. Patrick's Day and wearing green is a tradition. If you don't, you're liable to be pinched by an offended leprechaun! Who is this "Saint" Patrick anyway? Or the fellow we honored last month, "Saint" Valentine? I honestly don't know much about either of them, but plenty of others do. There are many, in fact, who venerate these and other "saints." To them, saints are people who have risen above the normal levels of faithfulness. They're the super heroes of Christendom. Why is there such interest in these saints? These lofty ones now provide additional means of getting the attention of God, we're told. In many places drivers mount statues of St. Christopher on their dashboards, believing that the presence of his image gives an extra layer of protection as they travel. Praying to the saints, we're told, increases your chances of receiving blessings from the Lord. No such teaching can be found in the Bible. Saints are not the elite of Christianity; every Christian is to be a saint. Evidence for this can be found, for example, in Acts 9. At Joppa Peter performed a great miracle; he restored life to a dead woman. Luke wrote about what happened: "Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive" (Acts 9:41, NKJV). According to some, there are relatively few saints to be found in any generation. Luke, however, noted the presence of two or more in one community. Paul, in Romans 15:25, spoke of saints being in Jerusalem; in the same letter he sent greetings to the saints in Rome (Romans 16:15). In virtually every letter Paul wrote, allusions are made to saints who lived in that location. In opening his letter to the church at Rome, Paul wrote: "To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints" (Romans 1:7). Every Christian is called to become a saint. It's not a mysterious concept. The word is from the same Greek root as "holy." Simply put, God wants every Christian to become holy, separated from sin. Those who make that their goal are referred to as saints. "Me? I'm no saint." That's often heard, but it shouldn't be spoken by a Christian. No, we'll never be perfect, but we should always be striving to keep our garments unspotted from sin (James 1:27). And the only one to whom we look for help from God is the "one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5). Praying to a saint bypasses the route God established. The Bible speaks often of saints. You can be one. You ought to be one. ---- What's your reaction to this article? Tell us here: http://www.forthright.net//in_honor_of_saints.htm ---- COLUMN: Up for the Task It Ain't Easy by Paul Goddard Catherine Cantwell never received information on how, when, or where her husband died. The country had been at war for only a few months when Abner Cantwell rode off to enlist in Captain Tompkins's Texas Confederate Militia, on September 30, 1861. He would never return, nor lay eyes on his baby boy, who was born on January 31, 1862. The baby's name was Wilson Elixander Cantwell. I know this, because Wilson was my grandmother's grandfather. Times were hard in Texas after the war. Deprivation was the norm of the day, and the basic concern was for food, shelter, and clothing. Therefore, death was a common experience for these isolated pioneers. Wilson's mother died when he was just eight years old, and her death was followed by the death of his best friend. He was killed by the Comanche Indians on his way to school. Fortunately for Wilson, he escaped the attack and headed North on a cattle drive to Kansas. Years later, after enduring long hours in the saddle, Wilson married a widow, Amie Kuykendall Guffee. They had four children and returned to Texas in 1884. This young family settled in old Greer County (now Oklahoma) to farm a one hundred and sixty acre homestead near his former employer. This move caused a ruckus, for the former boss claimed that Wilson was squatting on his open range. Furthermore, he had no right to fence it off with barbed wire. Wilson responded by telling the cowboy to shut the gate on his way off of his property. This angered the cattleman, and he reacted by pulling his gun and shooting Wilson through the lung. As he collapsed, the assailant simply rode away. The victim was then loaded into a wagon, and the entire family set off on a forty- five mile journey to find a doctor. Wilson survived to recuperate, but during the bedlam, Amie had a miscarriage and lost her fifth child. If you study the history of mankind, you will see that suffering has always been a part man's existence. Every generation has a suffering story to tell, and this begs us to ask an age-old question. It is easy to understand why sinful living brings about suffering, but why do bad things happen to good people? Sometimes folks want to place the blame on the person who is doing the suffering. This reaction is revealed when we read the story of Jesus healing the blind man (John 9:1-3). It was a misconception by Jesus' own disciples that either this man or his parents had sinned, but Jesus taught that the blindness had occurred so that God would be displayed in the man's life. Likewise, some see suffering as a time of despair, but it is a time to identify with Christ. Peter explained this to the Christians living in Asia Minor (1 Peter 1:3-12). Paul explained it to the church in Rome (Romans 5:1-11), and James to the Christians scattered among the nations (James 1:2- 12). Rejoice when you suffer, for suffering brings praise, glory, and honor to Christ! Christian, are you up for the task? "Living by faith, in Jesus above, Trusting, confiding in His great love; From all harm safe in His sheltering arm, I'm living by faith and feel no alarm." James Wells ---- What's your reaction to this article? Tell us here: http://www.forthright.net/up_for_the_task/it_aint_easy.htm ---- You can help us get the word out. Here's how: http://www.forthright.net/editorial/lend_a_hand.htm