What and Who

Who and What 

"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. 1 Peter 2:9 

If you are a Christian, you are a priest, chosen by God. As a member of the royal priesthood you have constant access to the King. If there is ever a need in your life, you don’t have to find an intermediary or enlist another priest in order to gain a hearing from the King. Your position as a royal priest allows you direct access. This privilege describes your position as a priest. However, priests also have a function. It is the responsibility of a priest to work within a priesthood. Scripture does not promote the practice of individual priests, each with a separate ministry. Rather, priests function together (Lev. 9:1). An unbiblical sense of individualism can isolate you from functioning within God's royal priesthood as He intended. The priest represents God to the people, but he also takes the people's concerns to God. Is there someone around you who desperately needs the intercession of one of God's priests? Perhaps someone will only come to know God by seeing Him in your life. Our world hungers for an expression of Christ as He really is, living out His life through His people. It is dangerous to put our job above our calling by God. We are called to be priests first, and to hold a job second. When we get these out of order, everyone around us is denied access to the Father through us. God may have called you into a secular job as a vocation, but more importantly He has appointed you to be one of His royal priests." - Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day 

I read this, this morning, and I was drawn to the book of Zechariah, Chapter 3. "Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! Indeed, the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?” Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and standing before the angel. He spoke and said to those who were standing before him, saying, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” Again he said to him, “See, I have taken your iniquity away from you and will clothe you with festal robes.” Then I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments, while the angel of the Lord was standing by.

When we come to Christ, what happened to Joshua, happens to each of us before the Lord. 

We do a great disservice to our Lord and Savior when we falsely berate our position before Him.  

Again, Acts Chapter 10. Peter is commanded, it's not a suggestion, he's commanded that what God has cleansed is not to be considered unclean, that is, unholy. 

That goes for ourselves not just our view of others.  We read headlines and take them at face value.  But what did God say?  If indeed God has worked in a person's life, who are we to say otherwise?  Jesus said we will know people by their fruits, that is, their actions.  Some may say "Oh! That's judging! You shouldn't judge!"  My dear reader, you really need to talk to God about that.  Because you're not reading that passage correctly. 

What we are seen for before Christ and our Father in Heaven is Christ.  When the Father looks upon a believer all He sees is Jesus.  Our sins are washed away.  Our filthy rags are gone.  Just as it is shown in the case of Joshua.  

Likewise, Jesus is the great High Priest.  That makes each believer a Priest.  Just as Blackaby writes.  Do you realize that when we rip into people whom we refuse to see Christ in, who may have indeed been saved, we take on the same role as what Satan was doing towards Joshua?  

There's a reason why we should carefully choose our words.  Of why we should gaurd our minds in Christ Jesus.  The whispers in our ears are there to convince us to indeed enter into condemnation against someone else.  Which is NOT our position as a Priest of God. 

When rebuking Satan the Lord called upon the highest authority in Heaven, Himself, as the one to condemn Satan for his actions. 

Remembering who and what we are as believers is critical to living for Jesus.  Our enemy will expend incalculable amounts of time and resources to change the way we think.  To derail our lives. To make us ineffective.  Even within the scope of the Bible!  To convince us of supposed truths that are in error.  I learned many years ago that when I face conflicts in what people tell me about God or my Bible, to ask God about it.  Man can and will be fallible in their understanding of God and the Bible, the Author cannot be.  When any man tells me something contrary to what the Spirit has taught me, I take it to the Spirit to clarify their claim or to refute it.  

That's a part of what a Priest does.  

My most powerful and potent prayer that I think I ever asked of God isn't about worldly things, it's "Show me more!"

That request is certainly within the Will of God. 

Look at who and what you are before God.  Non-Christians are not priests of God.  They are not viewed as Joshua was in Zechariah. Their filthy rags remain.  Only by coming to Christ for salvation are those rags removed and cleansing takes place.

In Christ we are to be representatives of Christ.  Our thoughts of people should mirror His.  

Think today my dear reader of who you are before God.   If you haven't come to Christ, please, do not delay.  Time is running out. 

When Jesus returns and takes home those who are His, 7 years of the worst this world has ever seen is going to happen to it.  Judgement from God upon the earth. 

Come to Christ today and learn what living life is all about.