THE PRIESTHOOD OF THE BELIEVER
Church Truths Series
1. The Doctrine of the Priesthood is Pictured in the Old Testament and is Completed in the New Testament
a. The primary privilege of priesthood is the right to come into the very presence of God
b. God has committed His spiritual service to an appointed priesthood
- In the Old Testament priesthood was vested in a “select” group of Israelites under the authority of the High Priest
- In the New Testament the priesthood is vested in a “select” group – all Christians, under Christ, the High Priest
2. Old Testament Origin and Background of the Priesthood
a. (Exodus 19:5-8) The First Mention of a “priesthood” in Scripture is found in Exodus 19:6
- Verses 5, 6 – Israel was to be a “Nation of Priests”
- Since this privilege was dependent on obedience, it never materialized for Israel
- (Exodus 28:1) Instead, God chose one family – Aaron’s – and he and his sons were ordained as priests
b. (Hebrews 7:11 & 5:1, 4) The Old Testament priesthood was known as the “Levitical priesthood” and the “Aaronic priesthood” because Aaron and his sons were of the tribe of Levi
c. This priesthood functioned during the O.T. days and up through the time Christ came to the earth
3. The Priesthood Changed at the Time of the Death of Christ
a. Hebrews 7:11,12 – “another Priest” arose Who was after another order – “the order of Melchizedek”
b. That “other Priest” was Christ Himself
- from the Tribe of Judah, not Levi - therefore, Christ would not have been in the line of the priests
- but, like Melchizedek, He was appointed of God (Hebrews 7:28)
c. The “old priesthood” was abolished and a “new one” took its place
- Aaron was the first “High Priest” of the old “Levitical Priesthood”
- Christ is the first and only “head/High Priest” of the new spiritual priesthood
4. The Priesthood of Believers in the Church (READ I Peter 2:5-9)
a. In the Old Testament, Aaron was the first high priest – his sons were priests under him
b. Now, Christ is the High Priest and His sons, Christians, are priests under Him (I Peter 2:5-9)
c. In the Old Testament there was a special priesthood made up of a small group of priests even though God had originally offered to make the whole nation of Israel a “nation of priests” (Exodus 19:5-8)
- Since the Israelites did not obey Him, God chose the Levites to be the priests, instead of all of the people of Israel
d. But, being a priest today is not dependent on our obedience, so there is no “if you obey”
- The only obedience required is to “obey the Gospel” and trust the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior
- Peter declares that all believers form a “holy” and “royal” priesthood (I Peter 2:5,9,10)
- As with the Old Testament order of priests, New Testament priests are born into the priesthood
- In the O.T. one became a priest by “natural” birth; we become priests by “spiritual” birth
e. All believers in Christ are priests – male and female
- Being a priest does not mean one is a “preacher”
- Priests are worshippers and servants – the roles of all believers
f. No special spiritual “gift” is required to act as a priest today within the Church
- Prophets in the O.T. were chosen by God because of special gifts, just as evangelists, pastors and teachers are specially gifted and ordained by the Lord for His service today
- But, the priesthood does not require any special “gift”
2
- Christians, at every stage of maturity, can perform the functions of a priest: pray, worship, offer spiritual sacrifices, and give of their means
g. Christ rent (tore) the veil that kept man out of the presence of God in the temple/tabernacle
- He did that when He died upon the cross, making it possible now for every priest to enter into the “Holy of Holies”, which is the very presence of God (Hebrews 4:16)
- In the Old Testament, only the “High Priest” could enter the “Holy of Holies”, and then only once a year
- Now, through Christ, we are at liberty to come to offer the “sacrifice of praise to God continually, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His Name.” (Hebrews 13:15)
h. The Functions of New Testament Priests
(1) Worship the Lord – Hebrews 13:15
- Worship always comes first in Scripture
- John 4:23 “the Father seeks worshippers to worship Him in spirit and in truth”
- Worship is the only thing that we can give directly to God (service is rendered thru serving others)
- Only true believers can “worship God in spirit and in truth”
(2) Make Intercession for “all men” - I Timothy 2:1
- As Christ, our High Priest, intercedes for us in heaven, so we on earth intercede for others
- Praying for others is true priestly service unto God and man
- In the O.T., priests carried the sin of the people on their hearts (Leviticus 10:17; Numbers 18:1)
- And, we should do the same today – bear in our hearts the sorrows and the sins that often afflict God’s people, and pray for them
(3) Offer Sacrifices to God
- In the Old Testament, the sacrifices usually consisted of slain animals
- Today, the offerings/sacrifices of a believer/priest are:
(a) The Sacrifice of Praise – Hebrews 13:15
- (NKJV)”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”
- This sacrifice should be both individual and collective
(b) The Sacrifice of one’s Body – Romans 12:1
- (NKJV) “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.”
- Our time, our talents, our labor, and all that we have belong to Him
- It is true worship to yield them in His service
(c) The Sacrifice of one’s Material Possessions – Hebrews 13:16
- “But to do good and to share (communicate) forget not; for with such sacrifices God is well- pleased”
(d) The Sacrifice of Good Works – Hebrews 13:16
- We are to do the “good” things that we were “created for” when we were saved
(Ephesians 2:10)