April 2, 1999 (David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, fbns@wayoflife.org) – Pope John Paul II has approved a waver to put Mother Teresa on a fast track to become a "saint." Normally a five-year waiting period is required after the death of an individual before the process toward Catholic sainthood is even started. Mother Teresa died in September 1997, only 18 months ago. With the Pope’s permission, Archbishop Henry Sebastian D’Souza of Calcutta has begun the investigation that will doubtless lead to "beatification" and eventually canonization as a "saint." For beatification, it must be "proved that the intercession of the candidate has caused a miracle for which science has no explanation." One miracle is required for beatification; two for sainthood. Archbishop D’Souza hopes to see Mother Teresa declared a saint in 2000.

The Catholic doctrine of sainthood proves its heretical nature. Nowhere do we find the Christians in the apostolic churches praying to saints. The Bible instructs us to pray to God the Father through Jesus Christ, the one and only Mediator between God and men (1 Tim. 2:5). To pray to a mere man or woman is blasphemy.

The Bible term "saint" means one who is set apart for God. The words "saint," "holy," and "sanctify" are from the same Hebrew and Greek words. In the New Testament the term "saint" is applied to all true born again Christians, not to a special class of deceased Christians (Acts 9:13,32,41; 26:10; Rom. 8:27; 12:13; 15:25,31; 16:2,15; 1 Cor. 6:1,2; 14:33; 16:1,15; 2 Cor. 8:4; 9:1,12; 13:13; Eph. 1:1; Phil. 1:1; Col. 1:2,4; Phile. 7; Heb. 6:10; 13:24). Even the carnal Christians at Corinth were called saints (2 Cor. 1:1). Born again Christians are not saints because they are sinless; they are saints because they have a sinless Savior and He has removed their sin before God (Rev. 1:5,6; 1 Pet. 2:9,10). In the sight of God, through Jesus Christ, the believer is "holy and unblameable and unreproveable" (Col. 1:22). This is why we can be called saints. Praise the Lord’s holy name!