by Bud Lambert
Levitical priests were powerful men. As mediators between God and men, they commanded great power and respect. But the scqptures record how wicked, unholy, and ungodly they became.
Isaiah describes their sinfulness: "Priests...stagger from beer and are befuddled with wine; they reel from beer, they stagger when seeing visions, they stumble when rendering decisions. All the tables are covered with vomit and there is not a spot without filth" ( Isaiah 28:7, 8). They became thieves and fornicators, even committing adultery on the steps of the house of worship ( 1 Samuel 2:12-16, 22).
Finnally, priests would pronounce Jesus a blashemer and hand him over to be killed ( John 18:35).
New Testament Christians are free from the corrupt system of the priesthood--or are we? Some members are choosing never to study the Bible on their own, turning preachers into priests who bear all responsibility for teaching, growth, and development. What's worse are those men and women who would like to make themselves priets, dictating their opinions on the church, denying individual Christians and autonomous congregations the freedoms Jesus died for ( Galatians 5:1).
Christians must stand up against this unholy priesthood! We must stress each Christian's own holy priesthood ( 1 Peter 2:5-9). We must remember that any earthly priests are just as imperfect as we are ( Hebrews 5:1-3; 1 John 1:8-1 0). We must emphasize Christ's high priesthood, keeping in mind that He is not only greater than angels ( Hebrews 1) and lawgivers like Moses ( Hebrews 3).
He is also greater than any human priest could ever be ( Hebrews 4:14-16). We must take an active part in learning and study ( 2 Timothy 2:15). And we must share the truth wIth others and urge them to study for themselves ( Matthew 28:19,20; 1 John 4; 1 Thessalonians 5:21).
Every Christian has the right to a personal relationship With God through Jesus Christ -- something far more valuable than the unholy priesthood, and something much better to share with a lost world.