Jesus the Light 23 Every Believer a Priest
Mal.2:1-7: “This commandment is for you, O priests! True instruction was in their mouth and unrighteousness was not found on their lips; they walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and turned many back from iniquity.
“It is the duty of priests to teach the true knowledge of God. People should go to them to learn My will; for they are the messengers of the Lord Almighty.”
This summarizes God’s purpose for His priests in relationship to men. They are to be an example of godliness and teach the truth of the Word of God. The result of this devoted service is that many will be turned back from iniquity to the Lord’s narrow way.
Ezra was such a priest. Ez.7:10: “Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His decrees and laws in Israel.”
Jeremiah was also a priest who had the true message of God in his heart, lived by its truth, and turned many back from their evil ways. Jer.15:16: “Your Words were found and I ate them; and Your Word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.”
So God’s purpose for His priests is that they would represent the Lord before men. They do this both by their upright living and by their speaking the truth of God’s Word.
In the OT, only the sons of Aaron from the tribe of Levi were qualified to do this. They were specially chosen by God to be His priests to serve in the temple in Jerusalem.
But in the NT, there are no specially chosen people to serve as priests among believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. All that has changed. Why? Because in the New Covenant, each and every believer is a priest; there is no longer any special class of priests.
1 Pet.2:5,9: “You yourselves, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood and to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. You are a royal priesthood, a people for His special possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”
Under the New Covenant in the Lord Jesus Christ, every true believer in Him is also a true priest unto Himself. There is no separate class of holy hierarchy; no clergy that has special access to God that other believers do not. No, for “you are all one in Christ Jesus” –Gal.3:28.
Only in man-made systems of religion are there men who call themselves priests in order to distinguish themselves from all other believers in Christ Jesus. But that type of thing is never found, not even once, in the pages of the NT. It is an invention of men.
Besides living a godly life as an example to others and teaching the way of God in truth according to His Word, priests have sacrifices to offer. In the OT, the sons of Aaron sacrificed animals in the temple that the Law of God required.
But in the NT, animal sacrifices for sin are no more needed. The Lord Jesus abolished those completely by His once for all offering of Himself in our behalf. In those OT sacrifices, “there is a reminder of sins, year by year” –Heb.10:3.
But Heb.10:12-18 says: Christ, “having offered one sacrifice for sins forever…has perfected for all time those who are made holy. Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.”
Those types of sacrifices have ceased, once and for all. There is nothing left to offer; Christ’s one sacrifice has satisfied the Father forevermore. Nothing can be or need be added to Christ’s one perfect sacrifice.
No one can sacrifice Him again on an altar in a church building. No, He was offered once for sin and is now risen from the dead in glorious life and might, seated at the right hand of the Majesty in the heavens. There as our ever living High Priest, He represents all real believers without interruption by His own perfection. That is the basis of our acceptance both now and throughout all eternity.
So, the OT sacrifices have ended. The special class of priests chosen from Aaron’s sons are no more needed. Their work has been finished by the once-for-all perfect sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Which brings us back to what was said earlier: all believers in Christ Jesus without distinction are spiritual priests. All true Christians have something to offer: 1 Pet.2:5: “spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
So if the OT sacrifices have ceased, and Christ is never to be offered again, what are these spiritual sacrifices that believers in Christ Jesus are to offer up? The Word of God in Rom.12:1 gives us a clear answer:
“I exhort you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”
Dear Listener, you are the spiritual sacrifice that is to be offered up to God. This is your reasonable and spiritual offering that God desires and accepts. Give yourself to Him, in every area of your life: consciously, deliberately, and completely.
Nothing else you bring to God will have any value if this is not done. Dropping money in an offering is meaningless if you have not first given yourself to Him. Fasting will not please God if you are not wholly His.
Communion will not make you holy if your heart is still full of self-will and uncleanness. Baptism has no value if you have not presented yourself entirely unto God from the depths of your heart.
This is what God is desiring from Christ’s spiritual priests: lives that are completely devoted to Him. Lives that worship in Spirit and truth, not in ceremonies and religious noise. Jn.4:23: “The true worshippers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such people to worship Him.”
This is the first and most basic spiritual sacrifice that a person can offer unto God. If this is done, and you are yielded to the Lord Jesus as His living sacrifice, then other spiritual sacrifices can be offered unto Him. And what are they? Heb.13:15,16 tells us:
“Through Him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips that give thanks to His name. And do good and share what you have, for God is well-pleased with such sacrifices.”
Yes, Dear Listener, if you are a true follower of Christ, you are also a priest. The God of heaven bids you come directly to Him apart from human mediators. We have a great High Priest, Jesus the Son of God, who has passed through the heavens, now to appear in the presence of God for you.
Heb.4:14-16: He “sympathizes with our weaknesses, having been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace to help in the time of our need.”
You, yes, you, are welcome to draw near to the Holiest of all, to the very throne of God. You are a priest and you have open access before the Almighty. Christ Jesus is there; and He unfailingly represents you with full acceptance.
Present your body as a living and holy sacrifice acceptable to Him. This is the sacrifice He desires above all else. Then honor Him with the sacrifices of praise, thanksgiving, doing good, and sharing. For with such sacrifices God is well-pleased.
Jesus the Lord invites the lowliest, the weakest among His follows to come with confidence. He is there and He welcomes you. Mercy and grace await you there.
Copyright 2019 Steve Phillips