1st Peter 2:4,5,9 & 10; 4 And coming to Him as to a living
stone, rejected by men, but choice and precious in the sight of God, 5 you
also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy
priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through
Jesus Christ. 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a
holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may
proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into
His marvelous light; 10 for you once were not a people, but now you
are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have
received mercy.
Under the Old Testament system
one would have to come to God bringing an offering and usually approaching
God through a mediator or priest. This all changed when Christ became our
High Priest and invited us to come to Him personally as a priest in our on
right based upon His grace. See Hebrews 4:15,16; 15 For we have
not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our
infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet
without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of
grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
KJV
A. The Old Testament Priesthood Features Fulfilled in
Christ
1. The Order of Melchizedek
This goes back to the days of Abraham as recorded in Genesis 14 where
Melchizedek is seen as the priest of God without beginning or end! “Without
father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of
days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he abides a priest
perpetually.” Hebrews 7:3 Even though Jesus was not of the
tribe of Aaron, He is declared a priest of a higher order! Hebrews
7:14-17; 14 For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah,
a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests. 15
And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the
likeness of Melchizedek, 16 who has become such not on the
basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an
indestructible life. 17 For it is witnessed of Him, “Thou
art a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”
2. The Order of Aaron
The priesthood of Aaron was responsible to represent the people before
God. None but the High Priest was able to enter God’s Most Holy Place in
the Tabernacle. Yet it is said of Christ Hebrews 9:11-15; 11 But
when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He
entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with
hands, that is to say, not of this creation; 12 and not through the
blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy
place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if
the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those
who have been defiled, sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, 14
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit
offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead
works to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason He is the
mediator of a new covenant, in order that since a death has taken place
for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under
the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of
the eternal inheritance.
B. The New Testament Priesthood Function of Believers
1. It is For All Believers Equally; 1st Peter
2:5 (see text)
2. It is By Grace Alone; Revelation 1:5,6
5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful
witness, the first-born of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the
earth. To Him who loves us, and released us from our sins by His blood, 6
and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and
Father; to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever.
Amen.
3. It is a Priestly Ministry
a. Regarding Praise; Hebrews 13:15 Through
Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that
is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.
b. Regarding Substance; Hebrews 13:16 And do
not neglect doing good and sharing; for with such sacrifices God is
pleased.
C. The Unscriptural Priesthood Features of Some
Denominations
1. The Priest may absolve sin; *“we
can truly say that Christ forgives sins, using the lips and hands of the
priest”
2. The Priest Offers the Sacrifice of Christ; **
“The Mass is the sacrifice of the New Law in which Christ, through the
ministry of the priest, offers Himself to God in an unbloody manner under
the appearance of bread and wine.”
3. Some groups see the sacrament as a lesser
conveyance of grace, yet in some form grace is conveyed. This is foreign
to the NT. Every man and woman may approach God on the basis of
faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ. No other mediator is
ever needed.
* New St Joseph Baltimore Catechism, pg 185 ** New St Joseph Baltimore
Catechism, pg 168
What about you, my friend?
God has provided the
means for you to be saved, baptized and be a part of His New Testament
Local Church ministry -- He gave His Son to intercede; all we have to do is confess our sin, ask for His forgiveness
and call upon Him to save us from the guilt and penalty of sin.
2nd Corinthians 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin
on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
If you have never entrusted your life to Him, why not come to Him today
for Salvation. That's the first order of business.
"And
there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven
that has been given among men, by which we must be
saved." Acts
4:12
Please contact
us if you sense your need to come to Him. We can help. (Just
click on "contact us.")
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