Priests

The usage of the word priest by the ecclesiastical elite is accurate except for a common but drastic error made by many Christians and their organizations. The mistake involves conveniently selecting things from the Old Testament to bolster a particular theological stance when it is not supported in the New Testament.

If you do not understand this problem or disagree with it being a problem, then pandora’s box is open for you to come up with just about any theology you want. The Old Testament is full of potholes, hills, and valleys that weave through very tumultuous and rebellious times. The truth has always been there, but to see that clear path is only something God could untangle and provide. And he did it with Jesus Christ, with John the Baptist providing the introduction.

3And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; 4As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; Luke 3:3-5

21No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse. 22And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles. Mark 2:21-22

The entire religious system was broken and drastically in need of a reformation. The Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes, religious lawyers, priests, etc. were all wandering around like the blind leading the blind.  Jesus was setting things straight and totally shook up the establishment. Those in preeminence felt their position threatened and took steps to eliminate the threat.

Those who follow Jesus Christ, cannot allow the establishment to dictate truth no matter the consequences. The deeper falsehood is established and anchored into the culture the more Jesus calls us to a reformation.

Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. I Peter 2:5

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: I Peter 2:9

And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Revelation 1:6

And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. Revelation 5:10

Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. Revelation 10:6

These are the only verses in the New Testament that apply the use of priest for New Testament believers. It is clearly of a spiritual nature, where all believers are positionally priests, and functionally after the return of Jesus Christ. None of these verses apply to an earthly ecclesiastical position of preeminence during the Church Age. Only by erroneously picking the usage from the Bible, where it primarily applies to Jewish priests, involved in temple activities, can anyone attempt to justify its usage today.

Clearly, the usage of priest is another example of assigning titles of a religious nature to those in preeminence. Man-made titles are used to suppress the equality of believers, their voice, and work that is to be solely directed by Jesus Christ.