Volume 51 Number 2 February 2009
We are told in several places including Revelation 1:6 and
1 Peter 2:9-10 that Christians are given a special place before their God. We are priests of the Most High God. And one of the glorious aspects of this priesthood is that this extends to all those in the Lord’s Kingdom—men and women, children and adults. This blessing extends to all Christians. Like the priests and Levites of the Old Law we handle the holy things of the Lord. And the Holy things of the Lord under Christ are even more precious than those under the Old Covenant.Usually we often think of our holy public worship to the Lord which includes prayers, praises, teaching and being taught God’s Word, sharing the communion of the saints and giving into a common collection of the saints as exhibited in our assemblies. But surely the holy things of the Lord goes beyond our assemblies, and we as God’s holy priests participate in these holy acts.
What of our holy hands that serve others? We are privileged to use our hands, feet, minds, all that we control in His service as we provide for those in need. This includes comforting those in sorrow, visiting those in sickness or other needs, performing acts of provision for those in our care. These are all holy acts performed as Christ’s priests.
What of the holy lips of praises to our God when a mother sings of Jesus’ love to her young child? What of the holy teaching of God’s Word from a brother as he privately instructs another of Christ’s sacrifice for him? What of the loving caress a brother or sister might give to one hurting from an affliction that attacks their body? These are all holy acts that only a priest is allowed to perform.
What of the private prayers of a saint as he or she wrestles in anguish for another’s needs—spiritual or physical? What of the loving and sometimes stern rebuke from a faithful saint to another who has strayed from their Master’s path? What of the glorious news when one has been turned to their God following rebellion and sin? Again, these are all holy acts that only a priest is allowed to perform.
What a divine privilege it is to perform this
“work of the ministry” this “edifying of the body of Christ” as described in Ephesians 4:12. The grace and mercy of God allows us and grants to us the privilege to perform these and many other holy acts as Christ’s priests.Like the Levites, our inheritance is not in earthly treasures or possessions. Our lives for the Lord must transcend these earthly things that certainly have a use, but their uses are limited to this earth. Yes, we live in this world and we need earthly things to live, and we are granted the ability of working jobs and purchasing needed physical possessions. But like the Levites (and even better than the Levites), our inheritance is in the Lord. Our inheritance is based upon spiritual treasures where moths nor rust nor thieves can take away. The Lord is indeed our inheritance!