(Romans 15:15-16, ESV) But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
(1 Peter 2:4-5) As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
(1 Peter 2:9) But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
(Hebrews 7:11) Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron?
We as born-again Christians are a priesthood of believers. Individually we are priests, and corporately we are a priesthood under the order of Melchizedek. Under the Levitical priesthood, only the sons of Aaron were priests. Under the Melchizedek priesthood, all disciples of Christ are priests. One of the roles of the priesthood is to teach the people the Word of God. The Apostle Paul in Romans 15 describes himself as doing 'the priestly service of the gospel of God.'
Another role of the priesthood was to teach the people how to properly bring and prepare sacrifices which are to be offered to God. The Apostle Paul in Romans 15 speaks of his priestly service in the gospel of God as having the result of making acceptable the offerings of the Gentiles. As a priesthood of believers, we are to train new disciples in how to be faithful priests, and together we are to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world. As a result, those who come to faith in Christ can offer up spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God.
(Romans 12:1) I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
(Philippians 4:18) I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.
(Hebrews 13:15) Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.
We are to offer our bodies as living sacrifices through the obedience of faith by living according to the Spirit and doing righteousness. Let us offer up our sacrifices of praise to God, and our fragrant offerings from our gifts of love to our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
We don't need priests in the church as found in Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodox, but we ourselves are priests of God and of Christ. We are a priesthood of believers. The priests found in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions have no special significance according to the scriptures, for scripture declares that all disciples of Christ are priests before God. Jesus Christ is the only High Priest.
(Hebrews 6:19-20) We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
Are you a faithful priest of the gospel of Jesus Christ? Are you teaching the gospel to all people and teaching them how to offer up spiritual sacrifices which are acceptable and pleasing to God? When Christ returns, may you be found a faithful priest in the eyes of God. Amen.
08 June 2009
02 January 2009
A Blood Sacrifice is Necessary for Forgiveness
Why is a blood sacrifice necessary for forgiveness? Why couldn't God just forgive someone who truly repents?
Let me begin by posting a parable from another source.
A grandfather found his young grandson jumping up and down in his playpen, crying at the top of his lungs. When little Johnnie saw him, he reached up his chubby hands and implored, "Out, Gramp, out!" The elderly gentleman stooped to lift the boy out of his predicament, but just then Johnnie's mother approached with the words, "No, Johnnie, you are being punished, so you must stay in."
The grandfather found himself torn between the simultaneously opposing forces of mercy and justice. Tears and hands reached into his heart, but he also respected the mother's wisdom in firmly correcting her son for misbehavior. Love found a way to resolve the dilemma: Since Gramp couldn't take Johnnie out of his pen, he crawled in with him! [Roy Gane, "NIV Application Commentary: Leviticus, Numbers"]
We see in the parable both justice and mercy taking place in a balanced way. Our God is a divine being of justice and mercy. God shows justice and mercy to all creatures, not just in this temporary aspect of this world, but in the ultimate aspect of eternity. Both the elect and the non-elect receive God's mercy and justice, for that is His character. Why can't God just forgive people who repent and believe without requiring sacrifice? I believe the answer to that question is that forgiveness is not justice. If God just forgives the elect for repenting, then there is no justice.
If a man murders another man and he stands before the judge in court and repents of his wrong, and if the judge says, "You are forgiven and may go home in peace," then the family of the victim is going to stand up and cry out injustice. Forgiveness is not justice. Both crime and forgiveness have a large cost. You can't just throw out forgiveness as if it doesn't cost you much, for that is saying that the wrongdoing is no big deal and doesn't cost much. "You killed my brother, but that is no big deal, I forgive you. You want to go out to eat with me this afternoon? We can go to that new restaurant that just opened." No! Sin is a big deal, and so is forgiveness. Justice must prevail. There can be justice without forgiveness, but there can't be forgiveness without justice.
Leviticus and other scriptures which cover the instructions and details of animal sacrifices, teach us that sin must be removed from a person before God will forgive them. That is the ultimate purpose of blood sacrifices. The sins of the person were transferred to the animal who was put to death on behalf of the person and God accepted it as a ransom for the life of the person. Now that the sins have been removed from the person, only then does God forgive the person of his or her sins. Sin defiles the land, and God would not dwell in the midst of Israel if they defiled the land. The people had to be ritually pure and ceremonially clean in order to approach and fellowship with God.
Thus we see that blood sacrifices meet the demands of justice, and thus enabling God to forgive us. God doesn't forgive us without justice. There are two forms of ultimate justice: your defilement gets removed and placed elsewhere, or your defilement remains with you and you get placed elsewhere. Elsewhere in both cases referring to being away from the presence of God.
The non-elect (unbelievers) receive mercy from God when God doesn't kill them right away because of their sins. They receive justice from God when He sends them to hell forever. The elect (believers) receive mercy from God when God doesn't kill them right away because of their sins. They receive justice from God when a blood sacrifice removes their sins from them. If God were to forgive the elect through repentence alone, then He would be ignoring His justice. Justice comes to all. God is not a divine being of justice for the non-elect only, while the elect just receive mercy. No! Both the elect and the non-elect receive both mercy and justice from God.
This is why a blood sacrifice is necessary for forgiveness. This is why Jesus Christ, whom is the ultimate and perfect sacrifice, came to earth to shed His blood on the cross for His people.
Let me begin by posting a parable from another source.
A grandfather found his young grandson jumping up and down in his playpen, crying at the top of his lungs. When little Johnnie saw him, he reached up his chubby hands and implored, "Out, Gramp, out!" The elderly gentleman stooped to lift the boy out of his predicament, but just then Johnnie's mother approached with the words, "No, Johnnie, you are being punished, so you must stay in."
The grandfather found himself torn between the simultaneously opposing forces of mercy and justice. Tears and hands reached into his heart, but he also respected the mother's wisdom in firmly correcting her son for misbehavior. Love found a way to resolve the dilemma: Since Gramp couldn't take Johnnie out of his pen, he crawled in with him! [Roy Gane, "NIV Application Commentary: Leviticus, Numbers"]
We see in the parable both justice and mercy taking place in a balanced way. Our God is a divine being of justice and mercy. God shows justice and mercy to all creatures, not just in this temporary aspect of this world, but in the ultimate aspect of eternity. Both the elect and the non-elect receive God's mercy and justice, for that is His character. Why can't God just forgive people who repent and believe without requiring sacrifice? I believe the answer to that question is that forgiveness is not justice. If God just forgives the elect for repenting, then there is no justice.
If a man murders another man and he stands before the judge in court and repents of his wrong, and if the judge says, "You are forgiven and may go home in peace," then the family of the victim is going to stand up and cry out injustice. Forgiveness is not justice. Both crime and forgiveness have a large cost. You can't just throw out forgiveness as if it doesn't cost you much, for that is saying that the wrongdoing is no big deal and doesn't cost much. "You killed my brother, but that is no big deal, I forgive you. You want to go out to eat with me this afternoon? We can go to that new restaurant that just opened." No! Sin is a big deal, and so is forgiveness. Justice must prevail. There can be justice without forgiveness, but there can't be forgiveness without justice.
Leviticus and other scriptures which cover the instructions and details of animal sacrifices, teach us that sin must be removed from a person before God will forgive them. That is the ultimate purpose of blood sacrifices. The sins of the person were transferred to the animal who was put to death on behalf of the person and God accepted it as a ransom for the life of the person. Now that the sins have been removed from the person, only then does God forgive the person of his or her sins. Sin defiles the land, and God would not dwell in the midst of Israel if they defiled the land. The people had to be ritually pure and ceremonially clean in order to approach and fellowship with God.
Thus we see that blood sacrifices meet the demands of justice, and thus enabling God to forgive us. God doesn't forgive us without justice. There are two forms of ultimate justice: your defilement gets removed and placed elsewhere, or your defilement remains with you and you get placed elsewhere. Elsewhere in both cases referring to being away from the presence of God.
The non-elect (unbelievers) receive mercy from God when God doesn't kill them right away because of their sins. They receive justice from God when He sends them to hell forever. The elect (believers) receive mercy from God when God doesn't kill them right away because of their sins. They receive justice from God when a blood sacrifice removes their sins from them. If God were to forgive the elect through repentence alone, then He would be ignoring His justice. Justice comes to all. God is not a divine being of justice for the non-elect only, while the elect just receive mercy. No! Both the elect and the non-elect receive both mercy and justice from God.
This is why a blood sacrifice is necessary for forgiveness. This is why Jesus Christ, whom is the ultimate and perfect sacrifice, came to earth to shed His blood on the cross for His people.
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