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.
The Grounds of “Sainthood”
This initial episode lays the foundation needed to properly answer the question concerning Paul's omission of the word "saints" in his salutations to the Galatians. Most of Paul's letters to churches are addressed to saints, even 1 Corinthians, a very carnal church. The ground of "sainthood" in Paul's theology is the imputed righteousness of Christ, the gift of Christ's perfect holiness that is accounted to everyone who embraces Christ. The Christian's fundamental identity is his POSITIONAL holiness before a holy God, who regards us through the blood of Christ, and ACCOUNTS us holy. Christ's gift of His righteousness to believers is therefore the ground of "sainthood." Another meaning of "hagios" [saint in Greek] is "consecrated" or "set aside," both of which indicate the calling dimension of sainthood. the church is literally composed of those who are "called out," the literal meaning of church. "ekklesia" Consequently Paul describes believers in Corinth as "those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling." (1 Cor. 1:2) "Sanctified" here is derived from the same root as saint. Saints then are those called and set aside by God to receive Christ's positional holiness. This foundational plank of the Christian faith, our sainthood in Christ, is the basis for all subsequent growth in practical holiness, in which the Holy Spirit conforms our sinful CONDITION to our perfect POSITION in Christ.
You’re Made Worthy to Serve
This episode mostly addresses the hesitancy of many believers to engage in ministry based on a sense of unworthiness. Of course, none of us are "worthy" in and of ourselves, but we have been made worthy through the imputed righteousness of Christ. Yet even when believers have a proper understanding of the basis of righteousness, if they don't engage in ministry, the sense of unworthiness is more pronounced since sin issues are the primary focus. The answer to this skewed perspective is the half-and-half approach where believers do ministry while they address issues of sin. Interestingly, ministry itself often unlocks the grace of God, the grace to do ministry through our weaknesses.
Have you Really Changed Your Mind?
This episode states that the purpose of putting on the helmet of salvation is thinking and acting like Christ. This holistic description of salvation helps distinguish its purpose from that of the breastplate of righteousness, which primarily deals with positional righteousness, the gift of imputed righteousness to every believer. The helmet of salvation builds on the double transfer of 2 Cor. 5:21 (Christ took on our sin while we take on His righteousness), with a view to addressing the believer's actual condition, one in which believers still struggle with sin. This struggle is the theme of Romans 7:21-25, which presents the challenge of thinking and acting like Christ in light of residual evil. The solution, which amounts to taking up the helmet of salvation (thinking and acting like Christ), is Romans 8:2: "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death." Coupled with the subsequent passage, "the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace", both supply the means by which all believers can substantially have the mind of Christ. Donning the helmet of salvation is radically life-changing.