OUR SPIRITUAL PRIESTHOOD

"Unto him (Christ) who loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." Revelation 1:6-7

In being a New Testament Christian, we are made to be a spiritual priest in the Kingdom of God so that we can offer up Spiritual Sacrifices unto the Lord our God. Therefore, we should become a priest in the Kingdom of God so that with the Lord's help we can overcome the forces of evil.

Learn the following truth because your life is valuable.

THE REASONS FOR OUR SPIRITUAL PRIESTHOOD

I. In being a New Testament Christian, we are made to be a spiritual priest in the Kingdom of God because we have obeyed the gospel of Christ. "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness." Romans 6:16-18

II. In being a son of God by regeneration, we are made to be a spiritual priest in the Kingdom of God because God has translated us from the kingdom of Satan and has placed us in the Kingdom of His Dear Son. "Who (God) hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son. In whom (Christ) we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins." Colossians 1:12-13

III. In being a new creature in Christ, we are made to be a spiritual priest in the Kingdom of God because we are living a godly life upon the earth. "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world." Titus 2:12-12

THE REQUIREMENTS OF OUR SPIRITUAL PRIESTHOOD

I. If we desire to be a priest of God, we must offer up Spiritual Sacrifices which are acceptable unto the Lord our God. "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 2:5

Now, our worship services which we are offering up unto the Lord God is a spiritual sacrifice because we are to worship God in spirit and in truth. Therefore, we must worship the Lord our God in spirit (with the proper attitude) and in truth (according to His revealed truth unto us).

II. If we want to be a priest of God, we must offer the services of our body as a living sacrifice unto the Lord our God. "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present you bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God." Romans 12:1-2

Now, the acts and deeds which we doing in this life is a sacrifice which we are offering unto the Lord our God. Therefore, our acts and deeds must be done according to the will of God.

THE BLESSINGS OF OUR SPIRITUAL PRIESTHOOD

I. In being a New Testament Christian, our priesthood is a royal priesthood. "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." 1 Peter 2:9

Now, our priesthood is a royal priesthood because it has dignity so that we can worship the Lord our God in spirit and in truth. Therefore, God created and redeemed us through Christ to be a special people.

II. In being a new creature in Christ, our priesthood is a kingly priesthood. "Blessed and holy is he (the Christian) that hath part in the first resurrection (being raised with His Lord by the act of baptism): on such the second death (Spiritual Death) hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." Revelation 20:6

Now, the thousand years symbolize the complete reign of Christ over the powers of Satan during the gospel age upon the earth. Therefore, through the power of the gospel and with the Lord's help we can reign over Satan while we sojourn upon the earth.

THE CONCLUSION

I. We in being a New Testament Christian are a spiritual priest in the Kingdom of God because we have been created and redeemed by three Heavenly Persons (Personalities or Beings) who equally are called God in being the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit , and who are called Christ in being the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit so that in this world we can become like Them. Equality signifies that those three Heavenly Persons who equally are called God and Christ in being our Creator and our Redeemer are equal in power, rule and authority in matters of Their Own Individual Being of life because They equally possess the same Divine Personage, Powers, Nature and Attributes of life.

II. The Father and the Son Relationship which exist between God and Christ is the being of a Father-head Figure and an Offspring Status Relationship instead of being two ranked Persons because those three God-Persons, who were called the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit in being our Creator, equally made Themselves to work in the Divine Name of Christ in being called the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit so that They could be our Redeemer. Rank means that the Father would be the first Person in power, rule and authority; the Son (Jesus) would be the second Person in power, rule and authority; whereas the Holy Spirit would be the third Person in power, rule and authority.

III. God and Christ are the two Divine Names in which three Heavenly Persons who equally are working in matters of our own creation and redemption of life because we in being a New Testament Christian been created and redeemed by three equal Persons who are called God in being the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit, and who are called Christ in being the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit so that in that world which is to come we can become equal (having power, rule and authority) with Them.

A. We in being a New Testament Christian will become equal with those three Spiritual Persons who equally are called God and Christ in being our Creator and our Redeemer because in our Heavenly Home we will equally possess Their Spiritual Personage of life which will be a Spiritual Body, and an Eternal Soul and Spirit in matters of our own individual nature of life. "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thessalonians 5;23 "It is sown a nature body, it is raised a spiritual body, There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body." 1 Corinthians 15:44 "Who (our Lord) shall change our vile body (our fleshly body), that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body (His Spiritual Body), according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself" Philippians 3:21 "And as we have borne the image of the earthy (the earthy man who possesses a physical body, and an Eternal Soul and Spirit), we shall also bear the image of the heavenly" (the Spiritual Person who has a Spiritual Body, and an Eternal Soul and Spirit). 1 Corinthians 15:49 This means that we will be a Spiritual Person who possesses a Spiritual Body, and an Eternal Soul and Spirit in our Heavenly Home because these are the Spiritual Characteristics of a Spiritual Person.

B. We in being a New Testament Christian will become equal with those three Divine Persons who equally are called God and Christ in being our Creator and our Redeemer because in our Heavenly Home we will equally possess Their Divine Powers of life in reference to our own individual being of life. "If we suffer, we shall also reign (rule) with him (the Lord our God). If we deny him, he also will deny us." 2 Timothy 2:12 "To him that overcometh (the forces of evil) will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." Revelation 3:21 "And to him will I give power over the nations. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father." Revelation 2:26-27 "And they shall reign (rule) for ever and ever" (over the powers of Satan). Revelation 22:5 This means that we will be Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent in our Heavenly Home because these are the Divine Powers of a Divine Person.

C. We in being a New Testament Christian will become equal with those three Divine Persons who equally are called God and Christ in being our Creator and our Redeemer because in our Heavenly Home we will equally possess Their Divine Nature of life in matters of our own individual nature of life. "It is written in your law, I said, Ye (created men) are gods. If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scriptures can not be broken." John 10:34-35 "God has given unto us many exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." 2 Peter 1:4 "Him that overcometh (the powers of Satan) will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name." Revelation 3:12 "Of whom (God) the whole family in heaven and earth is named." Ephesians 3:15 This means that we will be eternal, impartial, self-existing, glorious, accessible, monotheistical, divine, visible, perfect, immutable, spiritual and immortal in our Heavenly Home because these are the Divine Traits of a Divine Person.

D. We in being a New Testament Christian will become equal with those three Divine Persons who equally are called God and Christ in being our Creator and our Redeemer because in our Heavenly Home we will equally possess Their Divine Attributes of life in reference to our own individual being of life. "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Matthew 5:48 "Be ye also merciful, as your Father also is merciful." Luke 6:36 "He that overcometh (the powers of sin), the same shall be clothed in white raiment (having his Divine Attributes Perfected): and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angles." Revelation 3:5 "For there shall in no wise enter into it (the Heavenly City) any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life." Revelation 21:27 This means that we will be lovable, holy, merciful, faithful, just, righteous, good, jealous, truthful, longsuffering, unchangeable and gracious in our Heavenly Home because these are the Divine Attributes of a Divine Person.

E. We in being a New Testament Christian will become equal with those three Divine Persons who equally are called God and Christ in being our Creator and our Redeemer because we are heirs of God and joint-heirs (equal heirs) with Christ. "The Spirit (the Holy Spirit) Himself beareth witness with our spirit (our character: our personality), that we are the children of God (by creation and by regeneration): And If children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs (equal heirs) with Christ." Romans 8:16-17 This means that in our Heavenly Home all Divine Persons will be equal in power, rule and authority.

F. We in being a New Testament Christian will become equal with those three Heavenly Persons who equally are called God and Christ in being our Creator and our Redeemer because in our Heavenly Home we will equally possess Their Heavenly Immortality of life in matters of our own individual nature of life. "Which in his times he shall shew who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords: Who only hath immortality (the Lord in all of His Power and Glory only has immortality, but the Lord has promised to give unto us those same Spiritual Blessings of Immortality), dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen." 1 Timothy 6:15-16 "To them (the Christians) who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life." 1 Romans 2:7 This means that we will be a deathless Person in our Heavenly Home because a Heavenly Person can not die in a physical or in a Spiritual Way.

1). We in being a New Testament Christian can become all that God will ever be because we can become the fullness of God in our Heavenly Home. Paul prayed that, "Ye (Christians) might be filled with all the fulness (the completeness) of God." Ephesians 3:19

2).We in being a New Testament Christian will become all that God is in the way of Personage, Powers, Nature and Attributes of life because God must become all and in all. Paul said that we will be presented to God in heaven so that "God (the Spiritual Nature of God) may be all (to each Person who has been saved) and in all" (of each Person that is saved). 1 Corinthians 15:28

"Of whom (God) the whole family in heaven and earth is named." Ephesians 3:15

Please get others to read this article so that they can learn more about the Divine Blessings of their own immortality of life because their life is precious.

May the Lord bless you and give you wisdom so that you can learn more about the Spiritual Blessings of your own divine nature of life because your life is priceless.

Charles Burke: Minister