Baptists Believe in the Priesthood of the Believer: Part 1

First Peter chapter two We've looked at several things that baptist believe and hopefully Christians believe over the past several weeks. We believe in the creation of the world by the direct act of God. We believe in the word of God that it is indeed the very what? Word of God. Not simply the words of religious men but holy men of God spake or wrote as they were moved along by who?

By the Holy Spirit. So that what we have in our hands today is the very word of God. We believe in a trinity, triune God, father, son, and holy spirit. We believe in Jesus Christ. We first and foremost are not baptist.

We are what? We are Christians. We are Christians. Because our faith is not in a denomination, not in a doctrinal statement. Our faith is not in a formula.

Our faith is not in a list of laws and rules. Our faith is in a person and that person is who? Jesus Christ, who came and died on the cross for our sins and rose again and one day is coming back to take us home. Praise the Lord. We believe last week that every believer, every person has the responsibility to choose.

We must choose Jesus Christ. We call it individual soul liberty. The church cannot choose for you. Your family and your heritage does not choose for you. You must choose whether to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and savior, to forgive you of your sins.

Or to reject him and there is no middle ground. We are responsible We will be judged based upon what we do with who? What we do with Jesus. This morning, we're going to look at the priesthood of the believer. It kind of dovetails a little bit with individual soul liberty.

The priesthood of the believer and this does set us apart from some who call themselves Christians and maybe some who are, that do not understand completely what it means to be a priest in New Testa times Look if you would in first Peter two and verse five and then we'll look in first Peter two and verse nine First Peter two five, you also as lively or living, living stones, are built up a spiritual house and holy what? What's the next word? Priesthood. Priesthood. A holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Now, who is Peter talking to? He's writing Christians. He's writing believers. He's not writing a particular group of believers. He is writing believers in general and he says of them that they are living stones to build up a a spiritual house, a temple, and are a holy what?

Priesthood. Unto the Lord. Look if you would in verse nine, but you are, you are, you, believer, are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, and holy set apart nation, a peculiar people that you should show forth the praises of him who have called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Look if you went up on the screen at first Timothy two five and six. For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all to be retestified in due time.

We are our own priests. Answerable to and solely dependent upon one high priest, Jesus Christ. For all that pertains to salvation and eternal life. Let's pray. Dear Lord, thank you for your word today.

Thank you, Lord. For the knowledge of the way of salvation through faith in Christ and of our privilege and responsibility as priests to our God today and Lord, I pray that we would recognize the truth of this and be able to apply it to our own lives. That we may know you better, that we may serve you better, and bring glory to the one who has given us life in Jesus Christ, our Lord and savior. For it's in Jesus name, we do pray. Amen.

Now, those verses tell us that we as Christians, believers in New Testament times are a priesthood in ourselves unto our savior, Jesus Christ. Have to start this morning by asking the question and that is what is a priest? Many of those that were reading first Peter in the day that Peter wrote it were Jews who had come to know Christ as Lord savior and they were familiar with the priesthood. They were familiar with what Peter meant when he used the word priest or priesthood. In the Old Testament, under the Old Covenant, the under the Mosaic Covenant, there was a certain group of people that were identified as priests.

They were by law in Israel the descendants of Levi, the son of Jacob, and specifically the priest were the descendants of Aaron who was the first high priest and in order to be a priest in Israel, you had to be a male at least the age of 30 and you had to be able to trace your lineage back through Aaron and Levi. That is who the priests were but what was the purpose? What did they do? What what is a priest? A priest is one who served before the Lord.

A priest was one who served before the Lord and several different details. We won't go back and take time this morning for the sake of time to go back and look at all the Old Testament scriptures but just a few things that pertain to the priesthood that the priest did in the Old Testament under the Old Covenant. First of all, they received and offered sacrifices on behalf of the people. They received and offered sacrifices on behalf of the people and also themselves. To atone for the sins of the people, to express gratitude to the Lord, to demonstrate faith and full surrender to the Lord God of Israel.

When a person had sinned, when they were required to bring a sacrifice, they brought it to the doorway of the courtyard of the tabernacle or of the temple and they handed that sacrifice to who? They handed it to a priest who would then sacrifice it in their behalf upon the altar there. Some sacrifices were given clearly for the atonement of sin. Those were all blood sacrifices. Some were given an expression of gratitude for God for what he had provided.

Some were given as a demonstration of faith and full surrender to the Lord God of Israel, the burnt offering. The priest were involved in all of those in order to make the sacrifice you had to take it to a priest who would sacrifice it on your behalf. Also, a priest served before the Lord in the tabernacle. Inside the tabernacle in the holy place, there were three pieces of furniture. There was the golden lampstand.

There was the table of showbread and there was the altar of incense and it was the responsibility of the priest in rotating shifts. I think about a month at a time to serve in the Tabernacle to keep the golden lampstand lit to keep incense on the altar of incense and bread on the table of showbread. All of these indicative of the worship of the true and living God who is the light of the world, who is the bread of life, and who does hear and answer the prayers of his people and it was a responsibility of the priest to keep those things going, to take care of that service in their tabernacle to the Lord. No one else was allowed to do it, only who? Only the priest.

One of the kings of Israel, Uzziah, took it upon himself to enter into the holy place. And immediately, God struck him down with leprosy because he was not a what? He was not a priest. The priest also taught the people the law and were well educated in the scriptures. One of the responsibility of the priest and Levites was to teach the people the law.

Another thing, the priest responsible for was to exhibit the holiness of God before the people. We serve a holy God. He is separate from sin. He is completely pure. He is above all.

He is holy and they were to exhibit that before the people as expressed in their personal conduct. There were certain rules of conduct for priest particularly when they were in service. Not only in their conduct but in their precise fulfillment, in the precise fulfillment of their task. When they were in service as a priest, when it was their turn to serve, there was some very specific things they were to do in a very precise fashion. Two of Aaron's sons didn't follow the precise rules and God struck them dead immediately because they offered the wrong incense.

The rules, the precision was important. We serve a precise God. We serve a holy God. And even in their prescribed apparel in the Old Testament, they had specific apparel that they wore when they were in service to God. All of that was to exhibit the holiness of God before the people.

The people had to go through the priest to come before the Lord but the priest only through the high priest. The high priest who entered once a year through the veil to offer the blood upon the mercy seat for the sins of Israel. For all the sins of Israel. Beginning with himself. This was a token of the blood spilt by Jesus Christ, the lamb of God who takes away the sin, not just of Israel but the sin of the what?

The sin of the world. The high priest not of Israel, but the high priest of all mankind. All of those who choose by faith to trust in him. And his atoning sacrifice for their sins. Jesus Christ is Aaron was the high priest of Israel.

Jesus Christ is the high priest for all. And we through him can have our sins forgiven and received eternal life. Now, these verses that we read here declare that in New Testament times, who are the priests? We are. We are.

Now, by we, I don't mean we pastors, okay? By we, I don't mean we full time people in full time service. By we, I don't even mean we baptists, okay? What does the Bible say when it says, when I say we are royal priesthood, all of those who have been born again through faith in who? Jesus Christ as Lord, have become the children of God and are living stones in a new temple constructed not of of dead stones that are laid block upon block but is made of the children of God, of people redeemed and filled by the holy ghost.

To show the world who Jesus is and to serve him. We, the redeeming Christ Jesus, are all ourselves priests before God. Being made a holy temple by virtue of the holy spirit who lives within us, who hath quickened us, that means made us alive and consecrated, set us apart in service of Jesus Christ to bring spiritual sacrifices of praise and worship in the name of Jesus Christ, our savior. What know you not that your body is the what? The temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which you have of God and you are not your own.

Where's the temple today? Right here. Right there. Not this building. We don't call this Missouri Avenue Baptist Temple.

We would have to say baptist temples because when we meet here, many temples meet here because if you're a child of God, you are a temple of the holy ghost. The presence of God dwells within you. And you are a temple and you are a priest in the service of the king of kings and Lord of lords and a redeemer Jesus Christ. Hebrews thirteen fifteen, by him therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually. That is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

What sacrifice does God ask us who are his priest today to bring? Not sacrifices the blood of lambs and goats to atone for sin because Jesus Christ did that on Calvary's Cross already for you and me. But the sacrifices of praise and of service and of obedience to his name. Individually, when we're at home, corporately, or publicly when we are together in church. To bring praises to the name.

To serve him. In song, in message, in the preaching, and teaching of God's word to lift up the name of Jesus before others. The sacrifice of praise. Therefore, as being priests of God, all of us who know Christ as savior. We need not a priest to absolve us of our sins.

We need not a priest to atone for the sins, our sins by the sacrificing of a lamb. That we have one high priest and that's who? And that's Jesus Christ. Back to first Timothy two fifteen, there is one God and one what? Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.

He is our high, he is our high priest. Jesus Christ. It is he alone. Who has reconciled us to God through faith in him. It is he alone who intercedes before the father in heaven.

For you and for me. We need not a human intercessor. To intercede for us before the throne of God but the God man, Jesus Christ alone. Look, if you would turn over if you're in first Peter, turn over just a few pages to first John. First John, first John one nine.

Look, if you would at first John one nine. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we confess our sins, he is faith. Who is he? He is Jesus.

If you read the context of first John chapter one, it is very abundantly clear that he is Jesus. Who is it that we confess our sins to? Jesus. Who is it that can forgive us and cleanse us from all sin? Jesus.

Not a priest, not a pastor, not a pope, who? Jesus Christ alone. In chapter two verse one, it says, my little children, these things write unto you that you sin not and if any man sin, we have an advocate with the father. Who is that? That is Jesus Christ, the righteous.

He is the propitiation. The only way of salvation, forgiveness for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. Jesus Christ alone. He is the one to whom we come to be forgiven, redeemed, and given eternal life. It says of his blood in chapter one and verse seven, it says, if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ, his son, cleanses us from all sin.

In the Old Testament, the Jews had to bring a sacrifice to the priest who was an intermediary between them and God to make a sacrifice on their behalf but today, we don't have to do that. In baptist churches, we do not have priests. We have pastors and teachers because we are the priests and we have one high priest who is Jesus Christ, our savior and therefore we don't have priests Look, if you would in Hebrews chapter seven, turn back just a few pages not far, just a few pages, other side of first Peter, you come to Hebrews chapter seven. Look, if you would in verse 24. Hebrews chapter seven and verse 24.

But this man, now, this man again is Jesus but this man, Jesus, because he continue with ever, that is he lives forever. He is risen again from the dead and lives forever but this man because he continue with ever hath an unchangeable or an unchanging priesthood. Wherefore, he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever live it to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens. Who needeth not daily as those high priest under the old covenant to offer up sacrifice first for his own sins and for the peoples for this he did once when he offered up himself.

Jesus Christ is the one mediator between God and man. You don't have to go through a priest. You don't have to go through a saint. You don't have to go through a pope. You only have to go through whom?

Jesus. He said, I am the way, the truth, the life, no man comes to the father but by me. There is only one name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved and that is the name of Jesus. We no longer have priests. We no longer bring sacrifices.

Priest, a saint, pastor, to intercede for us. We are commanded, we are invited to come boldly ourselves before God's what? God's throne. When Jesus Christ died on the cross, the veil in the temple that separated the holy place from the Holy of Holies was rent what? In two from the top to the bottom and God opened the way for all who come by faith in Jesus Christ to come boldly before the throne of grace that we may receive help in time of need.

Therefore, let us therefore come boldly into the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. That's what God says. You no longer have to go through a priest. You can come boldly yourself because you are the priest. Yourself.

You are in service to the king. You are invited by God himself to come boldly before his throne. In assurance that you are accepted and that he receives and hears and answers your prayers. And when we come before him in the name of Jesus, he hears those prayers. For it is Jesus alone.

It is on his merit alone. That we can stand before our heavenly father. And we can bring our prayers. And request before him. You do not have to have a priest or a pastor to pray for you.

You can go to God just the same as I can. Sometimes, people come to me and ask me to pray for them and I am glad to do so. We are we are told to pray for one another but you do not have to come to me to get to God. You can go directly to him today because you are a priest yourself. And you can come boldly before the what?

The throne of grace and prayer. You do not have to go to a priest to have your sins absolved or forgiven. There is one that you go to and that is Jesus Christ alone. That's what it means to be part of this royal priesthood that we have been made a part of. We are privileged to come boldly ourselves in faith by God's grace to his throne of mercy and to serve him.

Today. We need not a priest to interpret scripture for us. God has given us something better He has given us his word and he has given us his what? He has given us his spirit. He has given us his spirit.

In the Old Testament times, the people counted on the priest and the Levites to to teach them, to explain the word of God. Today, as priests, as part of this royal priesthood in Jesus Christ, we have been given God's holy spirit. Who enables us as individual priests before God to rightly understand and apply God's word. First first John two twenty seven, but the anointing which you have received of him abideth in you and you need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lie and even as it hath taught you, you shall abide in him. What is this anointing?

This anointing is the Holy Spirit. How be it when he, the spirit of truth has come, he will guide you into all truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak and he will show you things to come. John who is the one the the ever I have said unto you. Now, are those words only good? Is that instruction only meant for the apostles or do you think those instructions are meant for all who come to God through faith in Christ?

All the redeemed in Christ Jesus because all the redeemed in Christ Jesus receive who? The Holy Spirit when we're saved. And that same Holy Spirit helps to guide us in understanding and applying the word of God to our lives. It is not only our privilege to be able to do so. It is our responsibility to do so.

We cannot put all of our faith in a man, in a teacher, in a pastor. We must look to the Holy Spirit and the word of God to guide us. When Paul brought the message of the gospel to the synagogue in Berea. He said, these were more noble than those in Thessalonica and why did he say they were more noble? Because he said they searched the scriptures themselves to see if what he was saying was true.

They took the responsibility given to them by God and the opportunity to search the scriptures themselves to compare what Paul said with the Bible. So that they would know whether it was true or whether it was not. There are many false teachers out there today. Turn your radio on, turn your TV on, and you're likely to see one of them. And there are many many others preaching in pulpits today.

There are many others having seminars. There are many others teaching classes. It is our responsibility as Christians to study the word of God for ourselves as we have been given the Holy Spirit and he gives us discernment and understanding into God's word. Many are taught today in other denominations that you have to entrust that responsibility to a priest or to the church to tell you what you believe. I will do my best as your pastor to rightly divide, to rightly interpret, and share the message of God's word with you.

But it is your individual responsibility. To discern with the help of the Holy Spirit. The word of God for yourself and to apply it to your lives. God has given pastors and teachers to assist in that but he has given us the Holy Spirit so that we can discern and choose for ourselves. In first Corinthians two, we're reminded that the natural man receiveth not the things of their spirit for their foolishness unto him.

But we who are Christians have the what? We have the spirit and so it is not foolishness unto us. We need not a priest or a prophet to tell us the will of God because we have it where? We have it right here in the word of God. The prophets sent by God wrote down the words of God so that today you might be able to read with your own eyes and hear with your own ears and decide with your own heart to follow God's will.

And he has given us his holy spirit to enable us in understanding that what the will of God is and then to empower us that we may be able to do it by his grace and strength. Wherefore, be you not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is. Paul writing to the Ephesian, it is your responsibility to know what God's will is and do it. Where do we find it? We find it in the word of God for all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for instruction, righteousness that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all God has given us his word that we as priests before him today may serve him in doing his will.

That we may become boldly before the throne grace with our prayers and that we may depend solely upon the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our risen Lord and in his advocacy before our before the throne of God in heaven for our eternal salvation. That is part one of what it means. When we talk about the priesthood of the believer. You're going to have to wait till next Sunday morning to get to part two because I'm not done yet. So, I do ask this question today and that is this, are you sure?

Are you sure as you sit here today? That you know Jesus Christ as Lord and savior? Because if not, you are not a priesthood. You are not a priest to God. You are a lost sinner who will be cast out into a place called the lake of fire for all eternity.

But God has made a way through Jesus Christ, his son, to change all of that for you today and we plead with you if you're here and do not know him. That as we sing this hymn of invitation this morning that you would come. For you too can become a child of God. You too can be saved from all your sin. You too can become a servant, subject, and a priest in service to the king of kings and Lord of lords.

Let's pray. Dearly father, we thank you Lord for this day, for the opportunity to look into your word, to appreciate more, and maybe get a better understanding, Lord, of why it is that we don't have priests. In the Baptist Church because we are already all priests who know you as Lord and savior. We are all saints who have been set apart and called holy by the holy God that we have come to know and serve through Jesus Christ, his son. Lord, we thank you for the Holy Spirit that you've given us and I pray that we would rely more upon him and upon your word that we would search it out ourselves, that we would not leave it to others to do all the teaching and all the interpreting for us.

But as we are privileged to do so, that we would take that responsibility to ourselves also. That we might be able to teach others also and help them. Lord, we thank you and we pray if there's one here today that doesn't know Christ as savior. We pray as we sing this hymn of invitation that they may come today. And be saved.

In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.