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Exodus 19:6 You will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”
AND
1Peter 2:5-9 You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone,” and, “A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for. ¶ But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Notice the occurences of the phrase "holy nation." Surely, this could not be accidental especially when written thousands of years apart.
Question: Are we any more or less a priest of God while in a church meeting than at home in our bathroom?
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Dear D, By your question, I am led to think that you are challanging the unholiness of maintstream christianity in the USA currently. Please correct me if I'm wrong. I agree with that appraisal, by the way.
Evidently the verses you quoted are NIV or one of the other translations like it. How do I know? Because in 1 Peter 2:5-9, the text refers to Jesus as the "Capstone" when in fact He is the "cornerstone". One is the foundation, the other is the last stone placed in construction, on top of the building. Big difference, and I have to tell you that I think the difference is by the design of the writer/publisher of these translations that carry "capstone" in the text. To me that alters the text and makes the entire content of the book suspect.
That said, I read a parallel bible, KJV on the left side of the page and Amplified on the right. Truthfully, I read the Amplifed almost all the time unless I'm looking for a verse in reference material, most of which is written for the KJV, or maybe because I am very familiar with lots of verses in the KJV.
Now, about the teaching of the passages themselves. Thirty minute messages on Sunday cannot compete with 20 hours of TV in between. The church has become so complacent with sin that it thinks "Family Guy" is fun to watch and portrays good family life. ACK!!!! NOT!!!!
Unless it's something really scandalous, sin is hardly noted in church anymore, and then only if it involves church leadership in some fashion. Church members having "problems" are ever looking for a new kind of "pill" to remedy the situation.
In answer to your question, it may be asked the other way around. Do we feel more like a priest while in church than we do at home. Well, yea? I think many can relate to that, because they spend hardly any time with God or His Word or in His service between church services.
I can't remember the last time I heard a message on holiness. Why? It empties churchs and offering baskets. So why go there? If you were able to observe family X, christian, and family Y, non-christian, on Monday or Friday, you would scarcly be able to tell them apart. They are engaged in virtually the same activities, have the same concerns for their current situation, dress the same, etc. So where oh where is this "holy nation", this people "set apart"?
I know there are those wonderful godly brothers and sisters in Christ out there who are doing a great job serving the Lord and His people and by His grace are empowered to seek holy living day by day. Their families are christian models for the most part. Thank God their there. My comments are not for them or about them. But, dear saint, I think you and I both know they are few and far between.
Most are like a track star tied to an army tank. They are creating so much dust in the air around them that they have completely lost track of where the finish line is. They can't even see that their life is not going anywhere. That, beloved, is tragic!
Yes, my heart grieves with your heart over this. I think that is because the Spirit of God Who tabernacles within is greived......
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Oh, so the Bible really has something to say about human behavior and ethics? That's interesting (and I believe true). The topic is too good not to explore in detail in a separate thread, my brother.
Today, can it be demonstrated from the above text that in the OT, a kingdom of priests existed along side the other official priests? Can it thus be inferred that a church today can have leaders which do not anull or violate the priesthood of the saints.
I sometimes hear the argument which states that having human leaders (not priests, of course) in a church undermines the priesthood of the others. Why so?
When my kids pray before the meals here, I see them as priests interceding through Christ on behalf of all the rest of us.
Now, can someone demonstrate how I am more of a "functioning priest" when assembled with Christians than with my family on vacation or with my co-workers on the job site? Or even alone on my back porch?
In other words, where in scripture is the "priesthood of all believers" limited to or even associated with meetings and where is it suggested that such priesthood is violated by the lack of one's verbal participation in those meetings?
Email this page to someone.
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