Purpose + Priority

by John Phelps | Sep 10, 2021 | Uncategorized

PURPOSE & PRIORITY: Is spelled out for us in one word PRIESTHOOD!

Israel missed it and messed it up. We as Gentile Christ followers miss it and mess it up. To personalize this, I miss it and mess it up!!A priest is more than a mediator between God and man! Priest were consecrated to God as ones devoted to worship! They are worshippers. They are consecrated, holy, committed to being in the presence of God and being obedient to God. We miss the point if we reduce priesthood to a mediatorial role.

The church is a spiritual house, a holy nation, a chosen people, a royal priesthood. Gentiles are to be consecrated, committed, holy, worshippers of Jesus who live and walk in the presence of God representing God in this world.

This is our PURPOSE & PRIORITY in life. NOTICE THE FOLLOWING KEY WORDS IN Exodus 19:5-6, 1 Peter 2:5, 1 Peter 2:9-10:

1. You – who is the “you” in 1 Peter?

It is not Israel.

2. Kingdom of priests

3. Holy nation

4. Spiritual house

5. Holy priesthood

6. Royal priesthood

7. People of God “Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.” ”‭‭Exodus‬ ‭19:5-6‬ ‭NASB“ you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”‭‭ 1 Peter‬ ‭2:5‬ ‭NASB “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2:9-10‬ ‭NASB

Context Matters

by John Phelps | Sep 10, 2021 | Uncategorized

The plain, simple, surface reading of the text, the overly literalistic reading of a Bible verse might be the WRONG reading without the appropriate, context. Context matters especially the ancient cultural context. Any of John Walton’s work on the Old Testament is helpful. I am a big fan.

Genesis 2:2 is so often taught wrong and misapplied. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy because on it he RESTED from all the work of creating that he had done. Rest does NOT mean NAP, RECHARGE, BINGE NETFLIX.

An ancient audience would have seen Genesis 1 – 2:3 as a cosmic construction story of God’s temple. We are programmed to think of temples in religious terms, not ruling terms, but ancient temples are different from churches today. Don’t think worship. Think White House. Don’t think home. Think headquarters.

Walton notes, “A temple is built in the ancient world so that deity can have a center for his rule. The temple is the residence and palace of the gods. Like the American White House, it is the hub of authority and control. It is where the work of running the country takes place.”

So right away in Genesis 1-2:3, we have an account of a king building a palace from which he will rule. (p. 71,74)

READ 2 TIMOTHY 2:15 to see what is required to read the Bible correctlyIt’s not enough to quote a verse. We need to interpret it and show how exactly it applies.