DAY 34- 4/3/17- DAY 34- THE PRIESTHOOD OF
ALL BELIEVERS
“Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office. But because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” (Hebrews 7:23-25)
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 2:5)
The idea of the priesthood of all believers rests on the idea that Jesus is our permanent high priest. A priest was called to mediate between God and humans: representing God to us and representing us to God. The priest made sacrifices for forgiveness. We do not need to make those sacrifices any more. As Hebrews says (7:27) “He sacrificed once for all when he offered himself.” As pointed out earlier, we do not sacrifice Christ each time we celebrate the Lord’s Supper. Christ also intercedes for us- praying for us- and opening up access to God the Father. So when we pray, we pray in Jesus’ name and for His sake (not ours alone). Our prayers go through Jesus- not through a priest and then through Jesus. It appeared that the medieval church seemed to teach that we should be afraid to pray the wrong thing and in the wrong way. So prayers were written out for each Sunday and for every occasion. While these can be an aid, it can be a bit like walking with a cane when we could walk without one- we become dependent and lose our ability (to speak freely from our heart).
“Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office. But because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” (Hebrews 7:23-25)
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 2:5)
The idea of the priesthood of all believers rests on the idea that Jesus is our permanent high priest. A priest was called to mediate between God and humans: representing God to us and representing us to God. The priest made sacrifices for forgiveness. We do not need to make those sacrifices any more. As Hebrews says (7:27) “He sacrificed once for all when he offered himself.” As pointed out earlier, we do not sacrifice Christ each time we celebrate the Lord’s Supper. Christ also intercedes for us- praying for us- and opening up access to God the Father. So when we pray, we pray in Jesus’ name and for His sake (not ours alone). Our prayers go through Jesus- not through a priest and then through Jesus. It appeared that the medieval church seemed to teach that we should be afraid to pray the wrong thing and in the wrong way. So prayers were written out for each Sunday and for every occasion. While these can be an aid, it can be a bit like walking with a cane when we could walk without one- we become dependent and lose our ability (to speak freely from our heart).
Prayer: Lord, thank ou that you are the
mediator between God and man. Help me to
trust in the way you have made.
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