Pastor Seyi Osanyinbi
A priest is said to be a person that mediates the relationship between a deity and man. In this meeting, we would be considering the person of Jesus as the new Testament model of Priesthood, and also the old covenant Aaronic priesthood and how all of these affects us today.
[biblegateway passage=”1 Peter 2: 5-9″ display=”1 Peter 2: 5-9″]; [biblegateway passage=”Revelation 1:6″ display=”Revelation 1:6″];
Scriptures refer to us believers as a peculiar people, why? This is because we are a people that have been separated to show forth the praises of Him who hath called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. This is the intention of God for saving us and separating us in the first place.
[biblegateway passage=”Revelation 5:1-10″ display=”Revelation 5:1-10″];
Jesus redeemed us so He could make us kings and priests to God and reign on the earth and if anyone tells us about any purpose or destiny other than something in line with this, such is working against the plans of God. Who is an Antichrist? It is one who intentionally walks against the principles of God and frustrates the programs of God. It is one who walks in rebellion against God’s purposes.
There are many pastors and ministers that are giving the church false hopes these days. The church has only one mandate. We only have one hope and one destiny: living as kings and priests unto God and reigning on earth. However, the word “reign” has been often misinterpreted wrongly by the carnal mind. To reign does not mean that we are going to be taking over Politics in Aso rock etc.
[biblegateway passage=”Ephesians 4:13″ display=”Ephesians 4:13″]
[biblegateway passage=”1 Peter 2: 5-9″ display=”1 Peter 2: 5-9″] describes us as lively stones that are being built up into a spiritual house. The question is “are we really being built up at all”? The clear mandate of the ministry gifts is to build up the church, and how do we know that we are getting there? It is when we are henceforth no longer tossed to and fro by the sleights of men and deceit of the Devil.
The single end for the church is that we be built up to Christ in all things. All things and not some, no compartment in our lives ought to be left behind in this building work.
The Apostles only had the old testament as reference when they wrote their epistles. So, when Peter wrote about us being Priests, he described it accurately with his knowledge of the old testament type. That is why he wrote that: new testament believers alike are supposed to also offer sacrifices that are acceptable to God. It suffices to note therefore from this that: some certain sacrifices are not acceptable.
[biblegateway passage=”Romans 12:1″ display=”Romans 12:1″]
In the Old, all sacrifices are meant to be dead, but the sacrifice mentioned here by Paul is called a living sacrifice. We are the sacrifice mentioned here; such that is laid down when we reckon ourselves to be dead and that we no longer have a life of our own. Once we are only about our sole ambition without God, it is no longer a living sacrifices. I am not trying to be against planning, but it is wrong for us to plan our lives apart from God. In fact, it is painful that the church no longer seeks the face of the Lord again for directions in little matters that concerns them again.
Lot did not get lost in one day, it was a process. It started when he made his first decision to leave Abraham and go to Sodom.
[biblegateway passage=”Romans 12:1″ display=”Romans 12:1″] also emphasized that: the sacrifice must not only be a living sacrifice, it must also be holy. In the Old, no matter the quantity of sacrifice brought, it must be salted to become acceptable. This talks about the work of sanctification of Christ.
[biblegateway passage=”Exodus 19:1-9″ display=”Exodus 19:1-9″]
Obedience is the bane of walking with the Lord. The original intention of God for the first church (Israel) was for them all to become priests, but in their disobedience they cut short that purpose. As such, only a certain few of the tribe of Levi were made priests.
God promised that Abraham would have a son and that he would become the Father of many nations. For years, Abraham endured the scorn and insult that came with the name, but he still had faith in God for the promise.
A similar promise that was made to the First church has also been made to us because we are now a separated and peculiar people to God. It is a reality to us in the Spirit, but if we do not walk into it, we would experience the same fate the first church fell into.
If you have issues obeying men, you would have issues obeying God. God watches the way we respond to people’s instructions around us. That determines the level of instructions we can receive from God.
We have been separated to show forth the praises of God, this is worship and it is not about singing praises and choruses. Worship takes place in our classroom, amongst our friends. Do we honor God there? People do not know God for who He is, we have been called to show God to people. This is the sacrifices we have been called to.
[biblegateway passage=”Hebrews 1:3″ display=”Hebrews 1:3″]
One of Satan’s claim is that Jesus could walk the earth as the express image of God because he was Divine, and he denies the possibility of mortal men and dust to become such. The question is this: “would we prove the devil right or wrong”?
When we say that we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, this is true, but, Christ is at work in us to build us up to become the express image of the Father and reveal the righteousness of God to man.
Priesthood goes beyond intercession. It talks about becoming the image of God.