|
One of the blessings of New Testament Christianity
is that each individual Christian is a priest who is able to
offer up sacrifices to God. Each Christian can have a direct
relationship with God with Jesus as their mediator. Under the
Patriarchal dispensation it was only the father of the family
who served as the Priest. Men like Job and Abraham served as
the priests of their families. The Law of Moses only permitted
those of the tribe of Levi to serve as priests and offer sacrifices
to God. The Israelites could only approach God through the Levitical
priests. Today, most of the denominational organizations and
Catholic Church have created unscriptural boundaries (the clergy/laity
system) between the priests and "common" members of
their churches. The sacrifices required under the Old Testament
were animals and material possessions, but the New Testament
teaches that every Christian has the opportunity and responsibility
to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God. Christians may serve
different roles in the work and service of the church, but each
and every one of us has the ability to offer up sacrifices daily
through our faith and manner of life. Let's examine a few passages
from the New Testament that speak of our positions as priests
in the Kingdom of God. 1. "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Pet. 2:9). Peter stated that we are a "royal" priesthood because we are all priests in Jesus' kingdom. He also stated that Christians "are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 2:5). As a "holy priesthood" and "holy nation" we are to live lives that are set apart, or sanctified, and by doing so we will be making spiritual sacrifices that will also proclaim the glory of God. Each Christian serves as a priest that builds up the spiritual house, which is His church. 2. "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased" (Heb. 13:15-16). The writer of Hebrews implies each Christian's priesthood by stating the sacrifices we are to offer God. We offer sacrifices through the fruit of our lips that includes prayer, singing, and worship. We also sacrifice to God by giving of our time, love, and attention to help others. 3. "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service" (Rom. 12:1). Paul implies that each Christian is a priest as he exhorts the "brethren" to present their bodies as a living sacrifice. We serve God daily by sacrificing a holy life. The sacrifices of the Old Testament were killed and presented on altars before God. We are to live each day of our life as a continual living sacrifice. Jesus Christ, our High Priest was offered up once for all by His death on the cross (Heb. 9:23-10:10). God no longer demands dead sacrifices, but instead, followers that will dedicate their lives as a living sacrificial testimony to the grace that was offered us on the cross. As Christian priests, we each share the blessing and responsibility of offering our daily life as a sacrifice to God. -Ed |