(Due to the tremendous focus on the Catholic Church and its priests, I have decided to write this article. DR)
It is written, "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." (1 Peter 2:5)
About 13 years ago, after being raised in the Catholic Church, I obeyed the pure Gospel of Christ. I do not remember ever being taught the scriptures. In fact, I do not remember ever seeing a Bible in our home, or taking one to church. We were instructed to accept the Priest's words, and not to question his authority or knowledge. He knew the Bible, and it was his job to tell us what it meant. He was a man of God.
Of all the priests I encountered, one remains in my memory. He was a young man, whose name was Hercek. Of course, not knowing the scriptures, we called him "Father Hercek." (cf. Matthew 23:9). I remember him because he was different from the other priests.
One Saturday afternoon, about ten of us boys were playing tackle football at the Catholic school where we attended. One of the boys got a nasty cut just below his eye, and blood was going everywhere! In a panic, we ran to the church, and there was Mr. Hercek. He quickly took the boy, and some others, and drove to a hospital, where the doctor stitched up the cut. (Hercek must have paid for this.) He drove us back and cautioned us about playing football without proper equipment. (He never did tell our parents!) As a kid, Mr. Hercek really impressed me because he was on my level; not like the older ones who seemed so far above us. One other thing I remember--his dedication. I find it very sad that some Catholic priests are more dedicated to the Catholic religion than many Christians are to the church for which Christ died. And that causes me to reflect about whether I am a true "priest" or a hypocrite.
It is written, "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates." (2 Corinthians 13:5) To begin an examination of what it means to be a priest, let us draw some applications from the Old Testament priesthood. We can gain much from a study of that past priesthood (cf. Hebrews 7:11-12); however, this lesson is limited to six points that I would have us consider.
1. Called of God: "For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: ...And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron." (Hebrews 5:1,4)
Without a calling from God, a man could not be a high priest. Even Jesus was "called" of His Father (cf. Hebrews 5:5-10). A man could not take this honor upon himself and be pleasing to God. Of course, our High Priest is Jesus (cf. Hebrews 4:14); but the application that I would like to make is that today, through the Gospel, God calls us all to become priests. "..., because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: whereunto He called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Thessalonians 2:13,14)
Without this calling, and without obeying the True Gospel, one cannot become a priest. "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth ... being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." (1 Peter 1:22,23)
2. Washed With Water: "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Thou shalt also make a laver of brass and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the alter, and thou shalt put water therein. For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat: when they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the alter to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the Lord: so they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not..." (Exodus 30:17-21)
To serve God acceptably, the priests had to be clean, in accordance with God's word and will. To be otherwise was punishable by death! People today cannot serve God acceptably until they are "washed" clean. "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." (Hebrews 10: 22) We, too, must be "washed," in accordance with God's word and will, or we will die in our sins. This "washing" is baptism. "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." (Romans 6: 3-4) "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)
By the blood of Jesus, we are redeemed (cf. 1 Peter 1:18-19); by the blood of Christ, we become priests in His royal priesthood (cf. 1 Peter 2:9); by the blood of God's Son, we are saved (cf. Romans 5:6-11). There is no other way to become a priest in the Kingdom of our Lord and Savior (John 3:5).
3. Holy Garments: "And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty ...And for Aaron's sons thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles, and bonnets shalt thou make for them, for glory and for beauty. And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minster unto Me in the priest's office." (Exodus 28:2, 40,41)
God specified the priests' clothing, and only in that clothing could they minister as priests. If they did otherwise, they would die (cf. Exodus 28:43). Today, the true priest of God must also be clothed in "holy garments;" but many who profess Christianity are not!
Concerning the "physical," Paul wrote, "In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, ..." (1 Timothy 2:9); and what is true for women is equally true for men. Concerning the "spiritual," Paul also wrote, "But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof."(Romans 13:14) "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long suffering; ...And above all these things put on charity (Love,) which is the bond of perfectness." (Colossians 3:12,14) These are the "holy garments" to be worn by God's priests.
4. Breastplate of Judgment: "And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually." (Exodus 28:29)
If I understand correctly, God, by means of the "Urim and the Thummim," made His judgments known to the people (cf. Exodus 28:30; Numbers 27:21; 1 Samuel. 28:6). Nevertheless, there is an application for us; and that is, as one part of his spiritual armor, the Christian wears a "breastplate," the breastplate of righteousness."(Ephesians 6:10-18).
It is a breastplate of faith and love (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:8), a breastplate to protect the heart of God's servant, a breastplate to enable proper judgments that are in keeping with God's righteousness. Sadly, many become entangled in worldly affairs and seek to establish their own righteousness (cf. 2 Timothy 2:4; Romans 10:1-3). By going to God's Word, from which this breastplate originates, the priest of God can discern between good and evil, and between right and wrong (cf. Hebrews 5:14).
5. Sanctified Food: "And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And they shall eat those things wherewith the atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them: but a stranger shall not eat thereof, because they are holy" (Exodus 29:32-33).
God provided for the priests' food to be taken from the sacrifices that were offered (Lev 10:12-14). God's word is the sanctified food for today's priests. "But He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." {Matthew 4:4} Jesus also promised that "those who hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled." (Matthew 5:6)
The Old Testament priest was fed so that he might feed the flock of God; he was nourished physically so that he, in turn, could provide God's people with spiritual nourishment. We are to be a priesthood that feeds on God's Word so that it can equip us to feed those who are dying of thirst and starvation, those who do not know God or the Gospel of His Son. But how many of today's priests, if asked, could give an answer for the hope they have? But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed." {1 Peter 3:15,16}
6. Sacrifices: "I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest's office." (Exodus 29:44) The priests offered sacrifices on behalf of the people. "For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices." (Hebrews 8:3) Christ is our High Priest, and it is through Him that we, as priests, offer up sacrifices. Thus, it is written, "By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His Name." (Hebrews 13:15) "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable (spiritual) service." (Romans 12:1)
Dear reader, are you a priest in our Lord's kingdom? If so, what kind of priest are you? The problems of the Catholic Church and some of its priests ought to serve as a warning. God will hold us, who claim to be Christians, accountable for how we carry out our priestly duties. Let us then heed His holy calling, having our consciences cleansed, putting on Christ and our spiritual armor, being filled with the righteousness of God. In this way, we can truly offer up spiritual sacrifices that our Father will find acceptable.
"And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." {Rev 1:5,6}
Brother Ross had done an excellent job of showing us, from God's word, that we, as God's priests, have special duties in His priesthood. We don't need collars, titles, or ordination to do this work--just determination to fulfill the commitments we made when we were baptized into His body. Are you ministering in this great work? (KMG)