Q1. Priesthood

[Eilen]

A priest’s mindset towards God is being a channel for God’s grace, forgiveness, love and mercy.  He is God's servant, he serves the Lord.  He has to live for God’s glory and not for that of the world in which he lives. His task is to carry on God’s discipleship on earth, spreading His word to all, praying for the sick and suffering, spreading the gospel to all.

This mindset inspires me to listen to the word of God, try to keep his commandments and live a spiritual life.

[Adeola]

On 14/02/2004 at 2:19 AM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q1. (2.5) Christians often look at their relation to God as consumers, delighting in what God does for them. What is the mindset of a priest towards God? What actions does this mindset inspire in you?

The mindset of a Priest towards God is one who stands in the gap for a people petitioning heaven on their behalf. The priest boldly approaches the throne room of God to make petition and also to hear what is on Gods heart to pray about. This inspires me to freely approach God seeking His heart and listening out for prayer burdens/leading by Him. Also , it inspires me to pray for the Kingdom of God to come and I never cease to pray for  others and salvation of souls . I just love to spend time in God's presence and making Him and his works known amongst men. Sharing testimonies of His goodness and love

[Debra Grant]

Q1. (2.5) Christians often look at their relation to God as consumers, delighting in what God does for them. What is the mindset of a priest towards God? What actions does this mindset inspire in you?

 1. We are God’s chosen people.  We must remember we are precious to him and we are "of great value" to God.  We are a a spiritual temple made up of living stones.  We are like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (2:5)  We are to offer up to God our worship. We should obey him all the time.

2. It makes me feel good to know that I can be a living stone that is precious, acceptable, and am able to offer sacrifices from my heart. I know that I can always trust him. It motivates me to be a witness and example to the world.

[lighthouse2014]

On 2/13/2004 at 8:19 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q1. (2.5) Christians often look at their relation to God as consumers, delighting in what God does for them. What is the mindset of a priest towards God? What actions does this mindset inspire in you?

The mindset of the priest is to offer sacrifices and prayers for the people to God.

This mindset inspires me to offer up prayers for others, brothers, sisters and non believers that they may come to know Christ. 

[PeteD]

I think it means that we honor and glorify God with everything and every way we can muster. This of course means worship and praise and doing obediently what he would have us to do. In ourselves we completely fail, but thank God we have the Holy Spirit within us and the Son of God interceding for us at the right hand of the Father. 

PeterD

 

[WinstonY]

Q1. (2.5) Christians often look at their relation to God as consumers, delighting in what God does for them. What is the mindset of a priest towards God? What actions does this mindset inspire in you?

A priest is 1 who intercedes for the people before God. In the Old Testament only one tribe, the Levites, were able to be priests and offer sacrifices to the people. This difficult verse seems to be suggesting but all Christians are Levites - they are priests of God and are able to offer spiritual sacrifices to God. If our sacrifices to God are to be spiritual then animal sacrifices are no longer necessary and acceptable. God is a spirit and everyone who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth. It would therefore follow that if we are to offer our sacrifices to God and he is spiritual then our sacrifices must be spiritual. We all as Believers have direct access to God by virtue of the Cross and the resurrection of Jesus Christ ( Thomas Schreiner,106). Are Spiritual sacrifices would be prayers and the praising of God's name as we worship Him in spirit and in truth. Further spiritual sacrifices that we could offer God are our obedience to him and to his word, proclaiming the gospel and praise.

 

[Zilka]

Q1. (2.5) Christians often look at their relation to God as consumers, delighting in what God does for them. What is the mindset of a priest towards God? What actions does this mindset inspire in you?

We have good relationship with our God and we can use our God of Glory to communikate to prepare us as a priest.

I believe Holy Spirit works in our life as Christian, now we share our experiences to be ready as servant and bring many People to Gods way.

[Mechelle]

Servents of God, living holy and guided by the spirit. Offering up my spiritual sacrifices.

 

To get on my knees, down and thank Him.

[charisbarak]

The mindset of a priest towards God is fear, respect, intercession for the people, giving God sacrifices for the people too.

To be praying for others, obeying God and looking to serve Him each day.

[Commissioned]

Q1. (2.5) Christians often look at their relation to God as consumers, delighting in what God does for them. What is the mindset of a priest towards God? What actions does this mindset inspire in you?

A priest mindset towards God is that of a servant, offering sacrifice to Him.  Servant-hood should also be our mindset, in all we do we should present ourselves to be acceptable to God.

[Krissi]

I'm not sure what a priest did at the time this letter was written. I don't know what Peter was imagining when he thought of a priest. 

When Luther/Paul/Peter said that we are all priests, this radical statement meant that whatever special role or function that the priestly class used to perform would now be performed by all Christians. 

But what is a priest in the NT? What did it mean to be a priest? Since I really didn't know, I did a brief Internet search and found this rather dry but thorough article: https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/encyclopedia-of-the-bible/Priest-New-Testament

The author/s of the article point out that when Paul (not Peter) was writing, the office of the priest was compromised and not very spiritual -- essentially, a priest was a government official, a bureaucrat in robes. Closeness to political power attracted men to be priests, not spiritual depth. Though Jesus was the "high priest," He didn't just have "a mindset" toward God, but was God Himself! He was executed by priests acting as a jury. It was an earthly high priest who eventually had Paul executed -- obviously, he was not a godly men. I assume Peter was executed by priests as well.

As I read through this article, I had a difficult time imagining any positive connotations Paul could have had regarding priests. The ideas we have of priests as being humble and devoted followers of God may not have been in Paul's mind at that time.

Jesus may not have thought highly of priests, either -- the authors of the article claim Jesus never used "sacerdotal" language. 

We tend to take the most favorable, spiritualized images of priests from the OT and impose them on the NT, and perhaps this is right -- Paul and Peter could have idealized priests, thinking of what they should have been, not what they really were.

Interestingly, the article ends with observing that in the NT, there is "no hint of a priesthood" in the early Christian church. Also, they note that  "in the language of the NT itself there would seem to be little to support either a priesthood among the ministry or a general priesthood of believers. Rather, the whole Church has been brought to God through the high priestly ministry of Christ; and the “royal priesthood” of the Church is the high privilege of mediating Christ to the world."