This episode provides the answer to the question, demonstrating that Paul's omission of the word "saints" in his intro to the Galatians is best explained by analyzing Paul's letters chronologically. The earliest letters Galatians (49) and 1 and 2 Thessalonians (50 and 51) omit the "word" saints in the intro, though the Thessalonian correspondence uses it in the body of the letters. Paul directed these 3 letters to "churches." 1 and 2 Corinthians, written next (55 and 56), are addressed both to "churches" and "saints." The last 4 letters (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Romans, written 57-62) are not addressed to churches at all, but just to saints. The best explanation of the omission of the word "saints" in Galatians is therefore stylistic: the omission is consistent with the omissions to the Thessalonians written at the same time and Paul's last 4 letters don't use the word "church" at all in the intro. Paul nevertheless considered the gatherings of saints as "churches," though he chose not to specifically address "churches" in the intro.
Paul’s Use of “Saints” in his Thessalonian Correspondence
This episode narrowly focuses on 1 and 2 Thessalonians, noting that while "saints" are not mentioned in the intro, they are referred to in the body of the letter. 1 Thessalonians 3:13 refers to "the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints." This is strong evidence, but not airtight, that Paul was describing "believers." The reason is that "saints" or "holy ones" is sometimes used in reference to angels, as in Jude 14 and Daniel 7:10. Irrefutable evidence that Paul meant believers when he described the Thessalonians as saints occurs in 2 Thessalonians 1:10: at the second coming Christ "comes to be glorified in His saints." So while Paul doesn't use the word "saints" in his intro to 1 and 2 Thessalonians, he definitely had believers in mind in 2 Thessalonians. This fact of course makes the omission of the word "saints" in both the intro and body of Galatians more glaring. The explanation of this omission is provided in the next lesson.
“Also no Salutations to Saints in Thessalonica”
On the road to answering the question regarding the omission of the word "saints" in the intro to Galatians, this episode notes that the same omission occurs in the books of 1 and 2 Thessalonians. Paul uses the words "saints" in 6 of his 9 epistles to churches. The episode notes Augustine's distinction between the visible and invisible church, and posits that Paul addressed his letters to the visible church, which included believers and unbelievers. Christ's use of the word church in Matthew 16:18 only referred to believers. "Upon this rock, I build my church." The distinction between the visible and invisible church might possibly influence how the question is ultimately answered.