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Basic Discipleship
Written by Dr. Lester Hutson

This material is copyrighted c2002 and may not be copied or reproduced without the express written permission of the Berean Baptist Church.

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PHASE 3             CHURCH ORIENTATION AND EDIFICATION

SESSION 16

THE PRIESTHOOD OF EVERY BELIEVER

Many of the great cathedrals in Europe were built over denial of this Bible truth.  The concept of a mortal, ecclesiastical professional priesthood through which, alone, men could approach God is the main basis for the false ideas of a purgatory, the sale of indulgences and the confessional booth.  Any person or system that convinces others that you can't get to God unless you pass through me truly wields the power.  Jesus took that position because He is God (John 14:6). No one else can legitimately do so.

Each believer is a priest to God; not an High Priest, but a priest who can come to God through the one and only High Priest who is Jesus Christ alone. This is a liberating truth, particularly to those who have been held in the bondage of some mortal priesthood.  No waiting to deal with sins!  No fear that the church or the priest will capitalize on the knowledge of my sin or my weakness!  No money to pay or embarrassment before piers! Each believer can immediately and quietly go directly to God at any moment and deal with the sins and needs of life.  Hallelujah!  Praise God for His goodness to His people!

This session is altogether multiple choice questions.  It should be fun, straight-forward and easy.  The scriptures speak for themselves and no voice speaks louder.  Your disciple will go through the exposure to God's word on this specific issue and that exposure should build and fortify him.  From the scriptures the answers will be self-evident.

Motivate your disciple to stay on track.  All of the great scriptures and paces through them are valueless to him if he fails to expose himself to them. Satan, being the wily rascal he is, will continue his efforts to sidetrack and derail your disciple.  As a true and faithful friend, your influence could very well make the difference in whether or not your disciple stays on the path to maturity.  Love manifested goes a long way with our baby brothers and sisters.

Sometime this week, be sure you contact your disciple.  See how he's doing.  Ask key questions.  Answer his questions.

Be sure to put the next study materials into his hands.  That will be the one on Our Blessed Hope.  That last session here in Phase 3 will take a brief look at our future as believers, including the glorious Second Coming of Christ.

Getting to God does not require another human.  You can go to Him personally!  Wow!  What a glorious truth that is!  Through the centuries a corrupt to the core religious racket full of abuses has flourished over the false concept that believers could not approach God except through some mortal intercessor or priest.  Nothing could be further from the teachings of the scriptures.

In this study, we are going to take a little trip through the scriptures and let them teach us the truth about intercession and how believers can come before God.  Always keep in mind what Romans 3:4 says, "Let God be true, but every man a liar."  Anytime anyone or any church is out of harmony with the scriptures, believers must side with the scriptures.

APPROACHING GOD

Imagine that any sinful mortal could ever approach the awesome, eternal, holy God of the universe under any conditions, yet we can.  Enjoy this multiple choice exercise to learn more about believers and their ability to come before the Lord.  The scripture reference at the beginning of each question will provide the correct answer.

1. Habakkuk 1:13.     God is absolutely holy (Isa. 6:3) and man is absolutely sinful (Ps. 51:5). In view of this reality, circle the correct answer.

A.    There is no way any person, under any circumstances, can ever approach God.

B.    God is unconcerned about sin and doesn't regard it in those who attempt to approach Him.

C.    The only way any person can approach God is through a proper mediator who adequately dealt with God's judgment against the sin of the sinner.

D.    A mortal priest is an adequate mediator between holy God and sinful man.

2. Job 9:2-21,28-33.    This passage deals with the problem of mortal man meeting with God. Job argued that such a meeting could only be accomplished through the work of a:

A.   Mediator or Daysman.

B.    Mortal ecclesiastical priest.

C.    Total change of behavior for the better on the part of sinners.

D.    Softening of God's attitude toward sin.

3. 1 Timothy 2:5-6.  When it comes to mediation between God and man:

A.    There are several options.

B.    Jesus Christ is the only option.

C.    Jesus is needed, but there must also be an earthly, mortal priest.

D.    One should forget about Jesus Christ; an earthly priest is all he needs.

4. Philippians 3:7-9.     The basis of Jesus' mediatorial work on behalf of  man is:

A.    The degree of goodness found in the man under consideration.

B.    The personal righteousness of Jesus Christ exclusive of any goodness found in the man under consideration.

C.    The ability of some mortal intercessor to forcefully argue the case of the man under consideration.

D.    The fact that the man under consideration was a member of some particular church.

5. Hebrews 4:16.  According to this verse, believers:

A.    Can come directly to God apart from any mortal intercessor.

B.    Cannot come directly to God apart from some mortal intercessor.

C.    Can never approach the great God of heaven.

D.    Can come before God only when they are living above sin.

6. Psalm 100:1-5.   One of these statements is false.  Which one is it?

A.   Believers are urged to come before the Lord in their hearts.

B.   Believers are to come before the Lord with singing.

C.   Men and women are strictly forbidden to come before the Lord.

D.   Believers are to come before God with thanksgiving and praise.

7. Matthew 6:6-15.  Although a believer can come in his heart before God during a song, a sermon, giving or the Lord's Supper, one of the primary ways believers come before God is in:

A.    Prayer.

B.    Hard work.

C.    Meditating on their problems.

D.    Talking about Him to others.

8. Matthew 23:8-10.  In teaching on the issue of intercession, Jesus specifically:

A.    Forbade believers to have any earthly priest.

B.    Taught all believers to have an earthly priest.

C.    Taught that intercession is impossible apart from an earthly priest who is a part of some particular church.

D.    Taught that having earthly, spiritual Rabbis and Fathers is a take it or leave it matter that is up to each individual believer.

9. Revelation 1:4-6.   According to the teaching of this passage:

A.    The only legitimate priests are those in the religion of Judaism.

B.    The only legitimate priests are those in the Roman Catholic church.

C.    The only legitimate priests are those who have been made priests by some church or ecclesiastical organization.

D.    Every believer has been personally made a priest by Jesus Christ.

10. Revelation 5:6-14.  One of these answers is false.  Please identify it.

A.    The main person of consideration in this passage is Jesus Christ.

B.    A main focus of this passage is the personal sacrifice of Jesus Christ on behalf of sinners.

C.    This passage speaks at length about the great role of mortal priests who intercede on behalf of their sinning contemporaries.

D.    This passage rejoices in the fact that Jesus Christ has made every believer a priest who can come to God upon the strength of Christ's redemptive work.

THE HIGH PRIESTLY INTERCESSORY WORK OF JESUS CHRIST 

Under the Levitical system of the Old Testament, there were many priests who offered sacrifices on behalf of the rest of the people.  During any era there was only one High Priest.  Leviticus 21:10-15 discusses the High Priest.  In discussing these priests and the high priest, Hebrews 9:6-7 explains, "Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people."  In the tabernacle which Moses built (and later in the temple) there was one room (the Holy of holies) where only the high priest could go.  On the annual Day of Atonement he offered the blood of a bullock on the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant, which was located in this holiest of all rooms.  It was the place where God dwelt between the cherubim that were on the mercy seat.  Read Leviticus 25:18-22.

The High Priest offering the blood of a sacrifice in the Holy of holies was a foreshadow of Jesus Christ interceding or mediating for sinners before God. No person can expect to meet with God apart from the mediatorial work
of Jesus Christ.  On the other hand, all who come through Him have direct access to God apart from the work of any mortal priest. As the Levitical priests met with God through the High Priest, even so believers who have been made priests meet with God through Jesus Christ who is the one and only eternal High Priest.

Complete this additional multiple choice exercise to focus your attention on the great intercessory work of Jesus Christ on your behalf.

1.     1 Timothy 2:5-6.  Read this passage again, then choose the correct answer.

        A.    Every believer needs a mortal priest to intercede with God for him.

        B.    Jesus Christ alone can intercede for believers.

        C.    Believers are to intercede with God for themselves.

        D.    The priesthood of every believer means he does not need the mediatorial work of Jesus Christ.

2.     Hebrews 3:1. We have access to God because:

        A.    Jesus Christ serves as our High Priest.

        B.    We, as priests, are capable of interceding for our own selves.

        C.    We go to confession and name our sins to a mortal priest.

        D.    We are good people.

3.     Hebrews 7:19-28.  In the Old Testament Levitical priesthood, there were many priests who served as intercessors with God on behalf of the common people who could not approach God on their own. Unlike those earthly Levitical priests who offered the blood of animals for worshippers:

        A.    Jesus Christ was never a priest.

        B.    Jesus Christ makes intercession for believers upon the strength of His great and wholesome earthly life.

        C.    Jesus Christ offered Himself for sinners only twice and that was forever enough for perpetual intercession.

        C.    Jesus Christ makes intercession for believers upon the strength of His own shed blood.

4.     Hebrews 10:1-14.  The High Priestly work of Jesus Christ differs from the priestly work of all other priests in that:

        A.    He used a better grade of sheep, goats and bullocks.

        B.    He came later and had the benefit of knowing what they did wrong.

        C.    His sacrifice of Himself was a one-time occurrence with perpetual validity.

        D.    He was able to conquer the sin problem after many futile intercessory efforts whereas they were never able to conquer it.

5.     Hebrews 4:14-16.  Our access to God is based solely upon the fact that:

        A.    We have Jesus Christ as our great High Priest.

        B.    We are members of the Catholic Church.

        C.    We are earnest and sincere.

        D.    God loves us more than He loves certain others.

6.     Hebrews 9:1-15.  One of the following statement is false. Identify that statement.

        A.    This passage describes the Old Testament Levitical system with its tabernacle, vail and priests.

        B.    This passage deals with how much greater the work of Christ is than that of the Levitical priesthood.

        C.    This passage is all about how impossible it is for anyone to approach God apart from a mortal priesthood with regular confession by believers to another mortal.

        D.    This passage teaches that Jesus Christ offered His own blood for sinners as a perfect sacrifice by which believers have "eternal redemption."

7.     Psalm 95:1-3.     This passage teaches:

        A.    The priesthood of every believer.

        B.    A professional religious priesthood and hierarchy within a church.

        C.    The impossibility of approaching God apart from a professional mortal priest as intercessor.

        D.    None of the above. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

        Meditate on these questions. They are designed to stretch your thinking and help you better assimilate the information you have considered in this study.

1.     What impact should the great truth of the priesthood of every believer have on me?

2.     In view of the priesthood of every believer when can I pray?

3.     Since I can take my needs, confessions and other prayer matters directly to God through Jesus Christ, how is the possibility of scandal, abuse and proliferation of my weaknesses diminished?

4.     Since no mortal knows whether or not I am confessing my sins and praying for other matters, it would be easy to neglect to do so at all. How can I guard against that possibility?

5.     What are the ramifications of this Bible truth to a professional ecclesiastical hierarchy within a church that teaches itself as the only means of approaching God?

"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"