Part 1 – Are there Priest of God On Earth Today?

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called A Kingdom of Priests.

Most Christians have heard the expression ‘the priesthood of the believer,’ which is assumed by them to refer to today’s Christian believers. But, is this true? Are we Christians “priests,” or is this just another vain religious tradition?

We want to study the Bible God’s way in order to reach a sound conclusion regarding this issue.

First, we want to examine and consider the Bible passages that people often use to promote the false idea that we Christians are “priests” of God today. It is often taken from 1 Peter 2 (below). Peter was sent by Jesus as one of Israel’s “Twelve” Apostles was sent only to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matt. 10:5-6) and later said to be “the minister of the circumcision (Israel)” (Gal. 2:8-9). Peter was incidentally used at the house when Cornelius (a Gentile) was saved to the Jews and Peter’s kingdom gospel, not Paul’s “gospel of the grace of God.”

Peter’s ministry and his epistles were specifically directed to Israel as are James and John’s letters, in accord with O.T. Promises. Compare here Exodus 19:6 with 1Peter 2.

{Jehovah said through Moses] ye [Israel] shall be unto me a Kingdom Of Priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.” (Exodus 19:6 (KJV)

5 Ye [Israel] also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an Holy Priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ…. 9 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: 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.” (1Pet 2:5, 9-10 (KJV)

Another verse used to falsely teach the so-called ‘priesthood of the believer’ doctrine is:

“And [Jesus Christ] hath made us Kings And Priests Unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” Rev. 1:6 KJV; and Revelation 5:10 KJV: “And [the Lamb, Jesus Christ] hast made us unto our God Kings And Priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”

Certainly, the Bible does call some believers “priests,” but there is one thing we need to clarify—which believers? Who is the “ye and the “us” in the above passages? We must recognize the context of the statements in these verses so that we can “righty divide the word of truth,” noting to whom they apply.

Oftentimes, it is wrongly assumed that everything in the so-called “New Testament” (Matthew through Revelation) all applies to us members of “the Church the Body of Christ.” This is error and why there is abounding confusion in Christendom. Understand that much of the New Testament is written to and about Israel, not to “the body of Christ” today. We need to exercise caution before we follow verses in the New Testament, lest we claim something that God promised Israel and not to us.

If we return to the Bible passages 1 Peter 2:5,9-10 and Rev. 1:6; 5:10, it is apparent from the context that these verses do not apply to us members of the Church the Body of Christ.” For instance, the people spoken of in 1 Peter 2:9 are called “a royal priesthood,” but they are also called “an holy nation.” Are we as “the Church the Body of Christ” a “holy nation?” Certainly not!

We are members of “His body,” the “body of Christ.” therefore this verse is not talking about us Christians during this today’s “dispensation of the Grace of God.”  Revelation 1:6; 5:10 not only say that believers are “priests,” but also “kings.” Are we “kings?” Again, the answer is NO! But there is more Scriptural evidence that indicates these passages do not apply to us.

In order to understand any Bible topic, we must apply ‘dispensational Bible study.’ The Apostle Paul writes in 2 Timothy 2:15: Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” The only verse in the Bible that tells you to “study” the Bible is also the solitary verse in the Bible that tells you ‘how to study’ the Bible: by rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Right division means we are recognizing divisions that God has placed in His Word. All of the Bible is for us (for our learning), but not all of the Bible is to us or about us. Not everything in the Bible is directed to us, and we know that because we cannot follow every instruction given in the Bible In fact, some Bible verses (for others; i.e., Israel) teach doctrines opposite to what other Bible verses teach us. So, how do we solve all these so-called “contradictions” in the Bible? The key is to use the context of the Bible verse/passage to determine the people to whom God is speaking. Is God speaking to us, or is He speaking to someone else?

Undoubtedly, 1 Peter 2:5, 9-10, Revelation 1:6, 5:10 all say that believers are “priests,” but dispensational Bible study demands that we ask these two questions: (1) “Who wrote these passages?” and (2) To whom were these passages written?”

Answer to Question #1: Obviously, the Apostle Peter wrote 1 Peter (1:1) and the Apostle John wrote the book of the Revelation (1:1).

Answer to Question #2: Galatians 2:9 says that Peter and John are Apostles of Israel (Matt. 10:5-6). Thus, Peter and John are not writing to us Gentiles; they are writing to Jewish believers, the believing “little flock” remnant of Israel! The Bible verses of 1Peter 2:5, 9-10, Rev. 1:6; 5:10 are written to Jewish believers. We are Gentiles, not Jews; therefore, these passages do apply to us.

Lest someone charge us with not providing enough Biblical support for this conclusion, we will offer additional verses for consideration.

God’s message to us as members of “the Church the Body of Christ” is found in Paul’s 13 epistles of Romans through Philemon. Our doctrine, duty, walk, and destiny as members of “the Body of Christ” are found in Paul’s epistles alone. The remainder of the Bible focuses on God’s purpose and program for the nation Israel.

Christendom refuses to recognize the distinction between Israel’s prophetic program (Acts 3:21) and our Mystery program (Romans 16:25); hence there is abounding confusion about the Bible in Christendom.

Let us again look at the Old Testament parallel passage for

1Peter 2:5,9: Ye [Israel] also…a spiritual house, an holy priesthood… a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people.”

Exodus 19:5-6 KJV: “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye [obviously Israel] shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: and ye [Israel] shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt Speak Unto The Children Of Israel.”

Peter’s words were clearly spoken to Israel. Peter simply repeated to Israel what God told them through Moses many centuries before. Notice how the word “nation” appears in Exodus 19 and 1 Peter 2. Again, is “the Church the Body of Christ a nation”? No! Israel is that Nation! The Bible makes perfect sense if we use it God’s way of comparing Scripture with Scripture. The “Church, the body of Christ” is not a “nation,” but a composite of Gentiles, those representing all ethnicities.

From the time of Abraham to the time of Christ’s earthly ministry of the four Gospels, Israel was God’s chosen people on earth. But, when Israel killed her Messiah (Jesus Christ) and refused to repent of this in the early Acts period, as seen by their stoning of Stephen and blaspheming against the Holy Ghost in Acts 7. With that God then Changed the Program with the call of Paul as “the Apostle to the Gentiles” (Rom. 11:13).