My Blog

01/27/2009

This was emphasized recently in being reminded that Princess Diana died just ten years ago. But that seems like only yesterday. Ten years is not a long time. Ten years from now I will be 95, if Ilive. Though by that time I will probably no longer be alive, or if alive I might be delusional, afflicted by Altheimers or other debilitating disease. Yet, judged by the swiftness with which thelast ten years has passed, the next ten years will pass equallyfast.

We tend however not to think of death in any near time frame, there being an illusion that life on this earth goes on forever. This another spinoff probably from the evolutionary concept that most things happen gradually through slow evolutionary change.

That's not true. Just about everything meaningful happens suddenly, often unexpectedly. Most things that change things for us drastically come about suddenly, not being anticipated. Test this premise; these examples: Meeting the person you marry? Job moves from one location to another? Threats to health by way of disease or accident that affect you or your loved ones seriously. On ad infinitum.

Yet, contrariwise, we recognize the temporary nature of this abode in the language Paul spoke, and in the songs we sing, such as in "The Life of a Flower." Many of the songs like this one speak the different language Christians spoke a century or more ago, many of them being written then. Unlike Christians of the first century, constantly aware of their status as resident aliens, anticipating Christ's second coming, we seem not much anymore to think in these terms. Instead, to think of this world as a place of permanent abode.

Emphasizing the brevity of life and again on a personal note, I remember my wife, sitting in the chair next to me, six years ago. One minute she was talking and breathing normally. The next moment she had slumped in the chair and her last words, "Call an ambulance.:" Then she stopped breathing, air exhausting from her mouth and nostrils. In seconds she was dead.

Life is uncertain and the events that affect us entirely dependant upon God's providence, his mercy and his disposition. Not, as the unbeliever would have it, upon fate and the inexorable laws of nature. For it is upon the possible infinite combination of natural laws, and through them, that just about anything can happen. As shown to us in the things that were written aforetime for our learning, how God was able to manipulate history, primarily through his natural laws, to benefit, especially, those who fear Him.

We depend upon God's mercy. "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him." (2 Chron 16:9). His primary benefit to man, mostly made possible through manipulating his natural laws, first foretold in Genesis, running like a theme through the Scriptures, was in bringing his Son into the world to die on the cross, through whom we have the forgiveness of sins.

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All Christians Are Priests

11/23/2008

ALL Christians Are Priests

According to Revelation 1:5-6, those who have had their sins washed away with Christ's blood have been made a kingdom and priests. It is this cleansing that qualifies us to serve as priests of God.

Although under the law of Moses, God chose among the Israelites the descendants of Aaron to serve as priests, absolutely nowhere in the New Testament do we read of a special class of Christians being appointed to serve as priests. All who are in the kingdom of Christ serve as priests. There is no clergy/laity division in Christ's kingdom.

But one may wonder how Christians function as priests. While the priests under the Law of Moses offered various types of sacrifices including animal sacrifices, priests in Christ's kingdom offer spiritual sacrifices. Peter tells us in 1 Peter 2:5, "you are living stones, being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God." Peter is addressing Christians, thus "you" must be all Christians. According to Romans 12:1, we are to (figuratively speaking) lay our bodies on the altar of God. This makes sense because our bodies are the instruments by which these spiritual sacrifices are to be offered. Hebrews 13:15-16 says that praising God, giving Him our thanks, doing good works and sharing are all spiritual sacrifices that God's New Testament priests are to offer. Also, according to Philippians 4:14-18, when we support the preaching of the gospel through giving, we offer a spiritual sacrifice to God. Are these not activities in which all Christians should be involved? And when any Christian engages in these activities, are they not acting as priests when they offer these spiritual sacrifices? The answer, of course, is yes.

Since Christians are priests, we go through no one to get to God except our High Priest, Christ. According to 1 Timothy 2:5, there is one mediator between God and man, that is Christ. This is part of the good news of the gospel! We don't have to go through any person except Christ to access God. Hebrews 4:15-16 says, "For we (Christians) do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Remember, there is ONE mediator between us and God, no more.

Having been cleansed by the blood of Christ, we are then elevated by God to serve Him as Priest. What a great privilege and blessing this is! Yet, what a great responsibility as well. We must keep ourselves pure if we want to serve God as Priests.

If you are interested in Bible-based teaching, service and worship without the imposition of man-made doctrines, contact us and we will be happy to set up a Bible study with you.