Saint MLK?
"I've Got a Dream!"
Should Martin Luther King, Jr. be considered for Sainthood?
In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word qodesh means holiness, sacredness, set apart, or sanctuary. Another Hebrew
word, chaciyd, is similar and is often translated as faithful, kind, godly, pious, or saint.
In the New Testament, the Greek word hagios corresponds to qodesh. It means set apart by or for God—holy, sacred, loved by God, and called out.
Consider these Old Testament verses:
“He will guard the feet of His saints (chaciyd), but the wicked shall be silent in darkness. For by strength no man shall prevail.” —1 Samuel 2:9
(KJV)
"But the saints
(qodesh) of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever" —Daniel 7:18 (KJV)
“the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the people, the
saints
(qodesh) of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom” —Daniel 7:27 (KJV)
“Sing to the Lord, you saints (chaciyd) of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness.” —Psalm 30:4 (KJV)
"Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant (chaciyd) for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him" Psalm 4:3 (NIV).
In the New Testament, the term saints is often used to describe followers of Jesus:
“Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints
(hagios) who lived at Lydda.” —Acts 9:32 (ESV)
Before his conversion, Paul persecuted Christians, referring to them as saints
(hagios): “I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them.” —Acts 26:10 (ESV)
Later, Paul addressed his letters to the saints, that is, to believers in Christ:
“To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints (hagios)” —Romans 1:7 (ESV)
“To the saints (hagios) who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus” —Ephesians 1:1 (ESV)
“To the saints (hagios) and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae” —Colossians 1:2 (ESV)
Throughout Scripture, saints refers to those who belong to God—those made holy not by their deeds, but by Christ’s righteousness. Jesus bore our sins on the cross and gave us His righteousness in return. As a result, God’s people are set apart to serve His Kingdom—as His ambassadors, bringing the Good News of forgiveness, justice, and peace to the world.
Martin Luther King, Jr. professed faith in Jesus Christ. His life bore testimony to his faith as he sought God’s will for his life, his family, his people, and his nation. He worked tirelessly to bring justice and peace to a broken world.
Should Martin Luther King, Jr. be considered for sainthood?
The answer is NO—because, according to God’s Word, he already is a saint! Praise the Lord!
Prayer
Dear Lord, like our brother Martin Luther King, Jr., help us take up our mantle of sainthood. Empower us to bring the message of forgiveness, peace, and justice to the world. Amen.
Copyright 2019 Sarah A. Keith
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