1 Corthiniants 1:2, “To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.”
Who was Saint Patrick?
Saint Patrick was born in Roman Britain during the fifth century. In his younger years, he considered himself a pagan (much like an atheist in today’s terms); however, at 16 years old, he was kidnapped and enslaved in Ireland. Luckily, six years later, he was able to escape by boat back to Britain. While it is unclear whether he converted to Christianity during his captivity or after, he returned to Ireland to bring Christianity to the population.
There are a couple of theories surrounding Patrick. One is that he drove all the snakes out of Ireland, which we now know cannot be true because there were never any snakes in Ireland due to the climate. Manly believes that was a metaphor for him driving out the paganism. Another more likely idea about Patrick is that he used a white and yellow clover (what we think of as a shamrock) to represent the three heads of the trinity. Generations later, to celebrate their Christian faith, people started wearing clovers on their shirts which then grew to people wearing green. The Roman Catholic church did not make Patrick a Patron Saint until the 12th century when the stories of his 30-year long ministry started to become well known and admired.
So what is the difference between a Biblical saint and a Patron Saint?
In the New Testament sense, a saint is a “living individual who has dedicated themselves to the worship and service of the one true God as revealed through his Son, Jesus Christ.” Every Christ-follower is called to be a saint, following after God’s own heart.
Romans 1:7, “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.”
Paul refers to the church in Rome as saints because they have a full relationship with God.
If the stories are true and Patrick did indeed spend 30 years of his life as a Christian Missionary in Ireland, then he was a saint long before the 12th century. A Patron Saint is an official title given primarily by the Roman Catholic Church. They are believed to intercede for the people of the earth, praying on their behalf and advocating for them.
Although the belief of Patron Saints is not practiced in the evangelical church, the people of the Christian church have something in common with Patrick; he was born a person just like you and me. No extraordinary power, no closer to God, yet he chose to dedicate his life to spreading the gospel. He was unashamed of what he believed in and recognized the lost because he knew that he was once lost. Although we do not believe in the Saints interceding for us, we do believe in God interceding for us. We know that the same God that empowered Patrick to carry out his calling can empower you.
Is there anyone in your life that has been an example of what it means to follow after God? Think about what they have done, and it impacted you and your walk with Christ.
Sources:
https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Saints