For all the saints who from their labors rest,
Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,
Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest. Alleluia! Alleluia!

That hymn has long been one of my favorites. I can remember singing it when I was a child, and later playing it on my trumpet to accompany the organist in worship. It became a little more difficult for me to sing this hymn after it was part of the service for my father’s funeral. Difficult because tears of joy would stream down my face as these words took on more significance for me. I freely admit that I still get choked up with emotion more often than not when this hymn is used in a worship services.

The lyrics are beautiful and powerful. I love to think of fellow believers in Jesus as saints, because that is what Jesus makes us. But that does not mean we are without sin.

One of the teachings that reemerged during the Reformation was that we are simul justus et peccator. This is a Latin phrase that means “at the same time sinner and saint.”

Those who have put their faith in Jesus have been made holy by Him, so they are saints. You are saved as a gift from God, not by what you do. God declares you to be “not guilty” for Jesus’ sake. This is true even though you remain sinful.

You and I have the same struggle in our lives that Paul described in Romans 7:7ff. And we will sometimes give in to temptations, just as Paul said: “the evil I do not want to do, this I keep on doing.” We are sinners. But because of faith in Jesus, God will not count your sins against you (2 Corinthians 5:19). Instead, He sees you as righteous and holy: a saint.

This is what gives us our peace, our confidence, our ability to face each day. That is why we can rejoice and sing with confidence, even through the tears, when someone dies with faith in Jesus.

Revelation 14:13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”

Those who die in the Lord are those who put their faith in Christ. They, along with all of you who believe in Jesus, are saints, having been made holy by God.