“you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
a holy priesthood
What is the point of the “spiritual house?” The Greek reads “for a holy priesthood.” The reason we have a spiritual house is so that we can function as priests. The reason we are spiritual buildings is so that we might exercise the right of our priesthood privileges.Our translation does not translate a word found in the Greek, the word “unto” – “unto a holy priesthood.”
It is God’s purpose that each Christian becomes a priest. A priest acts on behalf of another. Since every Christian is a priest, every Christian can act on the behalf of every other Christian or even non-Christians.
The characteristics of a priest:
1. he has access to God
2. his task is to bring others to God [a prophet brings God to the people; a priest brings the people to God]
3. he brings offerings to GodThe functions of the New Testament priest is to
- confess,
1 John 1:9 - pray,
Hebrews 4:16 sacrifice: the body,
Romans 12:1
praise, Hebrews 13:15
money, Hebrews 13:16
obedience to leadership, Hebrews 13:17
Principle:
God expects us to exercise our privileges as a priest.
Application:
We often question our purpose for existence on planet earth. This verse says that one purpose for our existence is to function as priests.
Do you intercede for others? Do you pray for the lost? Do you represent Jesus Christ to those who do not know him? These are functions of your priesthood.
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