Kingdom of Priests

This reflection is adapted from a message preached by Rev Dr A. R. Bernard in City Harvest Church on 21 September 2013.

In Revelation 1:5b – 6 (NKJV) we read,  “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.” Also, we read from 1 Peter 2:9 (NKJV), “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;”.

As we have seen in the aforesaid verses, the Word of God tells us in no uncertain terms that the Christian believers are all priests and priestesses. (I will stick with priest or priests in this writing to refer to both male and female believers.) Truth be told, the moment we are born again, we become part of the royal priesthood of Jesus Christ.

Dr Bernard asserted that every New Testament believers is a priest and our greatest privilege is to have direct access to God Himself, with great thanks to what Jesus Christ has accomplished for us through His death and resurrection. We may not feel like a priest or even royalty, for that matter. Yet, the heart of the matter is that the Word of God is the final authority. When God says it and we believe in His Word, that settles it.

This will require a paradigm shift as many believers have abdicated their priesthood to the church. Thus, many sincere believers were trained over the years to get from the church rather than take up their responsibility as a priest unto God, with Jesus Christ as the High Priest.

Following from this, we could well imagine throngs of downtrodden believers coming to church for repair and maintenance. I once liken believers coming as cars to the garage of a cell group meeting for refueling, fixing-up and washing-up.

But, we were meant to be givers as the priesthood is based on sacrifices. We come not to seek the blessing but the One who gives the blessing.

Dr Bernard highlighted that as priests we are to offer the following sacrifices to God:

1)   Our bodies as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1);

2)   Fruit of our lips as a sacrifice of praise (Hebrew s 13:15);

3)   Our substance in our tithes and offerings (2 Corinthian 9:7); and

4)   Our service heartily unto God (Colossians 3:23).

When we know and become the priests according to the order of Melchizedek, doing church or playing church will longer be our weekly agenda.

We can, with diligence and discipline by the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit and in the fellowship of healthy believers, become a minister of God 24/7 and seven days a week. All Glory be to God! Amen and amen.

It is my prayer and aspiration that this gentle reminder from Dr Bernard of our priesthood and the disciplines entailed thereof will help to move more and more believers to “reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:17)