Quote:
Originally Posted by chette777
Israel are the priests that is their promised position and after their chastisement is complete in the tribulation they will be set up in the Kingdom and then for all eternity to be the priests of God. the letters of Peter and the book of Revelation are tribulational dispensation writings for the believers after the gathering of the Body of Christ.
it is important to ask who it is written to and for what purpose it is written to them, what dispensation would it fall into, so forth and etc... for the establishment of correct doctrine for today concerning the Body of Christ.
|
Well okay brother, I hear and respect what you're saying, but I don't think we can downplay the priesthood of the believers because of those perspectives, can we? Paul's words are not needed for the Bible clearly identifies living Christians as priests, a royal priesthood. Now, not later or in some other dispensation, right now. Read the verse:
I Peter 2:9, "But ye ARE a chosen generation, a royal priesthood..."
To my knowledge, this epistle was written by Peter to the dispersed Christians (parepidemos or pilgrims) around 62-64 A.D. to provide them with a doctrinal foundation. I always considered Peter's readers to this epistle to be predominantly believers of Gentile rather than Jewish background (1:1-2; 2:9-10; 4:3-4, 16). The priesthood of all believers is not only a "Jewish thing" or for another dispensation. I think for Baptists, it's simply a confirmation of the fact that Jesus cut out the middleman. We do not require priests, we ARE priests. We do not require ministers, we ARE ministers.
(at least that's the way I see it)
I think in this context, the term "PRIEST" is cohesive with "MINISTER" and Peter sums it up nicely here in chapter 4:
10 As every man hath received the gift, even so MINISTER the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man MINISTER, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Just my 2 cents...