To The Saints in Christ Jesus

Who are the saints in Christ Jesus? A saint is one who is holy (morally pure, consecrated to God, different from the world because becoming like Jesus). And how does one become a saint? By faith in Jesus Christ we are crucified with Christ in death to sin, and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. Sin is no longer what we practice, but obedience to God and to his commands is what we practice, by his grace, and in his power.

And what is the gospel? It is that Jesus Christ, God the Son, came to earth, was born as a human baby, but without sin, grew to manhood, and was hated by many who put him to death on a cross. But in his death on that cross he put our sins to death with him so that, by God-persuaded faith in Jesus, we might now die with him to sin and walk with him in obedience to his commands, in holy living, free from our slavery to sin, and free to serve the Lord Jesus with our lives, according to his will and purpose for our lives.

And that is what it means to participate in the gospel, too. And the Greek word for this is koinónia, which means fellowship, communion, sharing, participation and partnership, which involves our cooperation with God and with his work of grace in our lives. He provides the way for us to be saved from our sins and to have the hope of heaven when we die, but then we must participate with him in this work of grace by dying to sin and living to God in walks of obedience to his commands in holy living, in his power.

And Paul’s confidence that Christ, who began a good work in the lives of the believers in Christ, would perfect that work until the day of Christ Jesus (of his return), was based on all of the above. They were those who had died with Christ to sin and who were now walking with Jesus in obedience to his commands in holy living. They were those who were no longer living for the sinful pleasures of the flesh. But in obedience to the Lord, they were growing and maturing in their walks of faith and in their surrender to the will of God.

So, what is this grace of which they were all partakers? It is not the kind of grace which is so popularized today which becomes a free license to continue living in sin without feelings of guilt and without punishment. For the grace of God, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for Jesus’ return. For Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” (See Titus 2:11-14; Ephesians 2:8-10)

And then, what was Paul’s prayer for them?


This is what the life of a Christian should look like. And this is not saying that we will be absolutely perfect always in everything that we do. And “the love” this is talking about is not human love, but agape love which comes from God and which prefers all that God prefers – holiness, righteousness, truth, obedience to God, faithfulness, moral purity and uprightness. For to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ involves us daily walking in obedience to our Lord, no longer as slaves to sin, but as servants of Christ.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10]

My Sheep

Based off John 10:1-30 NIV
An Original Work / June 24, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

My sheep hear me. They know me.
They listen to my voice and obey.
I call them and lead them.
They know my voice, so they follow me.
They will never follow strangers.
They will run away from them.
The voice of a stranger they know not;
They do not follow him.

So, I tell you the truth that
I am the gate, so you enter in.
Whoever does enter
Will find forgiveness and will be saved.
Nonetheless whoever enters
Not by the gate; other way,
He is the thief and a robber.
Listen not, the sheep to him.

Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,
Who laid his own life down for the sheep.
I know them. They know me.
They will live with me eternally.
The thief only comes to steal and
Kill and to destroy the church.
I have come to give you life that
You may have it to the full…

They know my voice, so they follow me.


To The Saints in Christ Jesus
An Original Work / July 10, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love