PRIEST/PRIESTHOOD

Priest = hiereus meaning priest

Priesthood = hiera meaning an assembly of priests

    hierosune meaning priestly office

1. I Peter 2:5 “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”

2. I Peter 2:9 “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 marvelous light:”

3. Revelation 1:6 “Jesus hath made us kings, and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

4. Revelation 5:10 “Jesus hath made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”

5. Revelation 20:6 “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”

NOTE: According to the New Testament, we are now a royal priesthood. The function of a priest is to offer a sacrifice, which according to Romans 12:1-2 is for us to “present our bodies a living sacrifice...”

An example of offering our bodies is in the Biblical account of Abraham offering Isaac unto God according to Genesis 22:6f where he took a 1) sword, 2) fire and a 3)(sacrifice.

Today, the sword could represent the Word of God; the fire, the Holy Spirit; sacrifice, an offering of our bodies in 1) repentance, 2) submission and 3) obedience.

As Christians, we are all priests, redeemed and called by God. And as priests, we have direct and constant access to the King, and this is our position. Our function is to work within the priesthood. We are not just individual priests ministering alone but rather priests who function together with other priests of the ekklesia. As priests we share His life with other priests, and we also take the concerns of other priests to God...thus we are a royal priesthood!