A Royal Priesthood (Full Version)

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CherishedbyGod -> A Royal Priesthood (4/27/2008 6:31:46 PM)

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

1Peter 2:9-10


1. What are the privledges of being a royal priesthood?
2. How does a believer fulfill their calling as a priest?
3. Do we realize the incredible honor we have being a royal priesthood?
4. Why does the apostle call it "royal"?



LCannon -> RE: A Royal Priesthood (4/27/2008 7:08:05 PM)

1. Privilege? Access Heb. 4:16
2. Priest? Responsibility Heb. 5:1-3
3. Yes though Paul said we see only 'dimly'. 1 Corinthians 13:12
4. "Royal"? Only by virtue of inheritance gained in kinship with a(The)King. James 2:8



CherishedbyGod -> RE: A Royal Priesthood (4/27/2008 7:24:40 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: LCannon

1. Privilege? Access Heb. 4:16
2. Priest? Responsibility Heb. 5:1-3
3. Yes though Paul said we see only 'dimly'. 1 Corinthians 13:12
4. "Royal"? Only by virtue of inheritance gained in kinship with a(The)King. James 2:8


Thank you!

I noticed your signature. Isn't the priesthood also connected with privlege in prayer?



LCannon -> RE: A Royal Priesthood (4/27/2008 10:01:17 PM)

Without responsibility most privilege is pretty hollow; it's called luxury. Responsibility without privilege is drudgery. Both are two sides of the same coin.



CropDuster -> RE: A Royal Priesthood (4/29/2008 6:48:03 AM)

I'm stuck somewhere between the Catholic Church's theory and practice of the sacrament of holy orders (the priesthood), and Luther's precept of a priesthood of all believers. I view the latter as the ordinary Christian's call to discipleship. When I think of discipleship in today's world, I can't help but reflect on the commitment of German Christian martyr, Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He argued that true discipleship leads to death, and this we must accept as God's will. I know that much of my world is filled with Evil, and that if it could, it would indeed kill me because I believe in Jesus Christ. Society hasn't deteriorated to the point at which it could get away with it -- not yet anyway. Nonetheless, I'm prepared to die for following Christ.



mariadreamer -> RE: A Royal Priesthood (4/29/2008 9:17:07 AM)

To fulfill the priesthood, we are called to offer ourselves and our lives as living sacrifices to God. Everything that exists only exists because of God and there is nothing that we can offer that is not already given to us by God. It was precisely the falling away from this priestly calling of giving thanks and offering everything onto God that was in the nature of the fall of Adam and Eve. Salvation and sanctification is in transforming all into its original purpose of being set apart and offered to God. Sacramental or institutional priesthood is not at odds with the priesthood of believer but a fulfillment of it, an image and outworking of Christ's own priesthood through His Church. The priest speaks on behalf of all during the Divine Liturgy, saying "We offer onto You Yours of Your Own, on behalf of all and for all".

The priesthood is royal because Christ's enthronement as the King was on the cross. Instead of thinking of our kingship in the earthly political way of lording it over, we think of it as dying (to ourselves, to the world) as the only way of being kings. St. Paul writes in Galatians 6:14 "God forbid that I should glory except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified onto me, and I unto the world."



CherishedbyGod -> RE: A Royal Priesthood (4/29/2008 1:45:11 PM)

Thank you, CropDuster and mariadreamer!

I appreciate you taking the time to answer....



CropDuster -> RE: A Royal Priesthood (4/29/2008 9:27:18 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: mariadreamer

To fulfill the priesthood, we are called to offer ourselves and our lives as living sacrifices to God. Everything that exists only exists because of God and there is nothing that we can offer that is not already given to us by God. It was precisely the falling away from this priestly calling of giving thanks and offering everything onto God that was in the nature of the fall of Adam and Eve. Salvation and sanctification is in transforming all into its original purpose of being set apart and offered to God. Sacramental or institutional priesthood is not at odds with the priesthood of believer but a fulfillment of it, an image and outworking of Christ's own priesthood through His Church. The priest speaks on behalf of all during the Divine Liturgy, saying "We offer onto You Yours of Your Own, on behalf of all and for all".

The priesthood is royal because Christ's enthronement as the King was on the cross. Instead of thinking of our kingship in the earthly political way of lording it over, we think of it as dying (to ourselves, to the world) as the only way of being kings. St. Paul writes in Galatians 6:14 "God forbid that I should glory except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified onto me, and I unto the world."


I agree, Maria. At the same time, however, I can relate to 'the Christian without a priest', he who goes forward alone, struggling to discern God's will, and to act on it, in a brutally destructive, ultra-sinister world. Again, I imagine the story of Bonhoeffer. He fought with himself as much as with Hitler's Reich, determining what discipleship meant in such desperate circumstances. He decided it revealed his obligation to kill Hitler, to die trying, to be tortured before being executed, and to throw himself on the mercy of God afterward. He was a Christian spiritual warrior who discovered that discipleship, on an individual level, means death, when the individual is confronted by overwhelming diabolism. Indeed, I respect, honor and benefit from my priests; at the same time, I understand that in the final analysis, I must respond to God's will, as an individual, as He unveils it to me.



mariadreamer -> RE: A Royal Priesthood (4/30/2008 9:00:49 AM)

Thanks cropduster,
I guess we'll have to disagree on the point of individualism. Individualism has become prominent in modern consumerist society. With all honor and respect for the martyrs such as the one you recalled, I do not think a Christian is ever "alone". The Church is a royal "priesthood", not a collection of individual priests, meaning we are together a priesthood as a people. If the rest of the Body of Christ (at least earthly) is not available (such as in many martyrdom situations etc), then we do what we can, but to willfully walk away from the rest of the priesthood of people, thinking i can do it alone, what is that but arrogance and pride? The Body is there to discern and to keep us from self-delusion.



CropDuster -> RE: A Royal Priesthood (4/30/2008 7:33:08 PM)

Indeed, but you and I might have to act alone in our Christian faith. Sure.....we have a lot of help -- namely, God's help. And you're right -- we are never alone, because we hold together with Christ. That's enough reinforcement for me. I don't need much else. One could reason that it's arrogant to believe one needs other people to secure one's salvation. I only need God. Where were 'other people' when Christ was murdered?



CherishedbyGod -> RE: A Royal Priesthood (4/30/2008 9:22:30 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: CropDuster

Where were 'other people' when Christ was murdered?



Profound and....so very tragic[>:]



HisPriest -> RE: A Royal Priesthood (5/2/2008 11:31:32 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: CherishedbyGod

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

1Peter 2:9-10


1. What are the privledges of being a royal priesthood?
2. How does a believer fulfill their calling as a priest?
3. Do we realize the incredible honor we have being a royal priesthood?
4. Why does the apostle call it "royal"?


Is so interesting that first of all the priests work for the High Priest which now is Jesus Christ; and the priest were suppose to be only the descendants of Aaron; if they could not prove this they were cast out!
We become priests when we accept Christ as our saviour; if the crhistian who can not prove his direct connecation with Christ, the heavenly High Priest, will accept us as his priest.



sagacity -> RE: A Royal Priesthood (5/3/2008 6:28:18 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: LCannon

1. Privilege? Access Heb. 4:16
2. Priest? Responsibility Heb. 5:1-3
3. Yes though Paul said we see only 'dimly'. 1 Corinthians 13:12
4. "Royal"? Only by virtue of inheritance gained in kinship with a(The)King. James 2:8


1 John 5:16
If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.


Corinthians 5:17-19
17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

18And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

19To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.



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