The Priesthood of Believers and Body Ministry

1 Corinthians 14v26

26¶How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

The Chosen Stone and His Chosen People

(Ps. 118:22; Is. 28:16 )

4¶Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious,

5you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a HOLY PRIESTHOOD, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Does it mention anything of denominationalism or separation and division?

No the true ekklesia is joined not divided.

The LIVING STONES are being BUILT TOGETHER for the purpose of raising up a spiritual ediface, house, temple whatever you want to call it but it is a building made without hands i.e. Built by God.

Do you know when God took the rib bone out of Adam to make Eve the Hebrew word for "made" means "built".

Adam is a type of Christ - Jesus is called the Last Adam in 1 Corinthians 15 - and Eve is a type of the bride of Christ, the ekklesia or church.

Jesus told us that HE would build HIS CHURCH. Man doesn't nor can he build the true church. He can build a building and call it church but that's not the same thing.

Those same living stones are also a ROYAL PRIESTHOOD but it's not segregated or divided into a clergy and laity. We are all PRIESTS. The scripture calls us a KINGDOM OF PRIESTS.

Isn't that wonderful.

And as HOLY KINGDOM OF PRIESTS we have a PRIESTLY MINISTRY.

That ministry is 2 fold:

• First as A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD we minister to God under the HEADSHIP of our GREAT HIGH PRIEST JESUS CHRIST

We offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ

Our bodies, our praise and worship.

• Secondly we minister to those without, as the priests ministered to the people in the Old Covenant

9¶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;

The KJV says we show forth the praises of Him. We proclaim and demonstrate the glories of Christ to those who are still in darkness.

But we do so from a position of union with Christ and one another as part of this wonderful spiritual house or temple God is building and not man and as a PRIESTHOOD OF BELIEVERS who are a kingdom of priests with differing ministries and giftings that

1. COMPLEMENT ONE ANOTHER AND DON'T COMPETE WITH ONE ANOTHER

   
   

2. THAT EDIFY AND UNITE AND DON'T TEAR DOWN AND DIVIDE

   
   

3. That most definitely are not divided into a paid priestly class (clergy) and laity.

Friends we need to return to God's heavenly pattern so that his heavenly purpose may be fulfilled in these last days.

Be encouraged. You were never meant to just sit in the pew and be entertained or preached at. You were called to be a PRIEST with a God given talent and purpose, as a PARTICIPATOR AND and not a NON PARTICIPATING SPECTATOR.

True Christianity is not a SPECTATOR PASTIME it's an all in PARTICIPATOR ACTIVITY.

We are described as soldiers, living stones, a living, breathing fully functioning Body, a Bride, a temple that is inhabited by the Spirit of God.

Lets step out of the boat of religious acceptability and conformity and embrace our true calling as a ROYAL KINGDOM OF PRIESTS.

2 Chronicles 5v14

The priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.