Over 475 years ago Martin Luther came to the realization that the Holy Ghost inspired pattern of Christianity had been established at Pentecost. He recognized that the church he served in had drifted, was in deep weeds and needed changing. I think if he were here today he would set us straight. We have drifted again.
The problem in Luther’s time was the priesthood and all the ministry offices were professional positions that could only be held and operated by those who had jumped thru the proper ecclesial hoops. They took advantage of the people. The Priests were held nearly above God.
That’s not what God had intended. He wanted to speak directly to each and every person individually and not thru a spokesman. He wanted every man to hear his voice. Look at what he says in Exodus 19:5-6 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be mine own possession from among all peoples: for all the earth is mine: and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.
But because of Sin, because of fear, because of the noise and thunder and trumpets they trembled. So in Exodus 20: 18-19. And all the people perceived the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the voice of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they trembled, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
God honored their request. that was the last time He spoke to them directly, to the people as a whole. From then on he used Priests and Prophets as mediators between them and Him.
Looking at those two sections of Scripture, it is clear that in the beginning it was God’s clear intention to have every believer a kingdom of priests with direct access to God’s voice.
That all changed after Pentecost. The confusion set at the tower of Babel was resolved thru the gift of tongues. The silence of God’s voice to his people was restored thru the gifts of the Spirit. That was his intent. But the Church of today has said, "We don't want to hear from God directly" "You tell us what he says" is the cry of people in congregations. They are unwilling to hear from God directly. Or if they do they reject the voice of God. Even when a pure word is given they deny the gift blaspheming the giver which is the Holy Spirit.
All this despite the fact that the word of God is clear on this:
1 Peter 2: 5, 9 We are a kingdom of Priests, a holy people, a royal priesthood. (Yes even a Prophet)
Rev 1:5-6 Jesus has made us to be Kings and Priests Also in Rev 5:10
We are now priests because the veil has been removed and can come boldly to the Throne of Grace Heb 4:16. We no longer need a priest to intercede for us because we have ONE mediator, Jesus 1 Timothy 2:5.
Even the Prophet Jeremiah saw this day: Jeremiah 31:31-34. His law in our minds and hearts in a new covenant. We won’t need to have others tell us, we will know from least to greatest. We will all know him .
Martin Luther Taught the Doctrine of the Priesthood of all Believers and the Doctrine of Private Judgment.
This didn’t make Luther popular with those who tried to show that they had special ecclisiastical priveledge. It led to the showdown at the diet of Worms. It became messy. Uncontrolled. Denominational Splits. Even War.
The fundamental and evangelical world embraces the priesthood of believers as long as it doesn’t involve that "priesthood hearing from God" stuff. The bad news for much of the modern church is that a Priest is a Prophet and a Prophet is a Priest in the Pentecostal age. These Latter Days prophesied by Joel.
The Catholic Church gets this one right. They stayed with scripture and proclaim that as we become like Jesus we become Prophet, Priest and King. This is something more evangelical groups have lost focus of.
They love that fact that Luther took the structured and ritualistic world that was Catholicism of that day and turned it upside down. It almost got Luther killed.
Today’s church has restored much of the evil Luther spoke against. Even in the Churches that bear his name, structure and ritual misled by empowered professionals is a corrupting influence on the Church of Jesus and is a stench in His nostrils.
Luther was right. What he fought for needs to be restored. Priesthood of ALL believers.
Tomorrow: You were meant for Full Priesthood, anyone can do it, It’s not Rocket Science, BUT You must be willing to pay the price.
The problem in Luther’s time was the priesthood and all the ministry offices were professional positions that could only be held and operated by those who had jumped thru the proper ecclesial hoops. They took advantage of the people. The Priests were held nearly above God.
That’s not what God had intended. He wanted to speak directly to each and every person individually and not thru a spokesman. He wanted every man to hear his voice. Look at what he says in Exodus 19:5-6 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be mine own possession from among all peoples: for all the earth is mine: and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.
But because of Sin, because of fear, because of the noise and thunder and trumpets they trembled. So in Exodus 20: 18-19. And all the people perceived the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the voice of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they trembled, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
God honored their request. that was the last time He spoke to them directly, to the people as a whole. From then on he used Priests and Prophets as mediators between them and Him.
Looking at those two sections of Scripture, it is clear that in the beginning it was God’s clear intention to have every believer a kingdom of priests with direct access to God’s voice.
That all changed after Pentecost. The confusion set at the tower of Babel was resolved thru the gift of tongues. The silence of God’s voice to his people was restored thru the gifts of the Spirit. That was his intent. But the Church of today has said, "We don't want to hear from God directly" "You tell us what he says" is the cry of people in congregations. They are unwilling to hear from God directly. Or if they do they reject the voice of God. Even when a pure word is given they deny the gift blaspheming the giver which is the Holy Spirit.
All this despite the fact that the word of God is clear on this:
1 Peter 2: 5, 9 We are a kingdom of Priests, a holy people, a royal priesthood. (Yes even a Prophet)
Rev 1:5-6 Jesus has made us to be Kings and Priests Also in Rev 5:10
We are now priests because the veil has been removed and can come boldly to the Throne of Grace Heb 4:16. We no longer need a priest to intercede for us because we have ONE mediator, Jesus 1 Timothy 2:5.
Even the Prophet Jeremiah saw this day: Jeremiah 31:31-34. His law in our minds and hearts in a new covenant. We won’t need to have others tell us, we will know from least to greatest. We will all know him .
Martin Luther Taught the Doctrine of the Priesthood of all Believers and the Doctrine of Private Judgment.
This didn’t make Luther popular with those who tried to show that they had special ecclisiastical priveledge. It led to the showdown at the diet of Worms. It became messy. Uncontrolled. Denominational Splits. Even War.
The fundamental and evangelical world embraces the priesthood of believers as long as it doesn’t involve that "priesthood hearing from God" stuff. The bad news for much of the modern church is that a Priest is a Prophet and a Prophet is a Priest in the Pentecostal age. These Latter Days prophesied by Joel.
The Catholic Church gets this one right. They stayed with scripture and proclaim that as we become like Jesus we become Prophet, Priest and King. This is something more evangelical groups have lost focus of.
They love that fact that Luther took the structured and ritualistic world that was Catholicism of that day and turned it upside down. It almost got Luther killed.
Today’s church has restored much of the evil Luther spoke against. Even in the Churches that bear his name, structure and ritual misled by empowered professionals is a corrupting influence on the Church of Jesus and is a stench in His nostrils.
Luther was right. What he fought for needs to be restored. Priesthood of ALL believers.
Tomorrow: You were meant for Full Priesthood, anyone can do it, It’s not Rocket Science, BUT You must be willing to pay the price.
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