We Are Kings and Priests Unto Our God

Hebrews 12:6 says that the Lord chastens those He loves. I don’t know how He does that with other people, but sometimes when He wants to get my attention, He will sum up my attitude with words that come into my mind as if I’m the one speaking. Usually, that’s enough to horrify me into quick repentance. This week, He did exactly that. I saw my poor attitude and my wrong reasoning about my current situation, and He showed me something else. The Bible says that we are kings and priests of God. One day, we will reign with Him. The things we are going through in this life are not only preparing us to serve Him now, but they are training us for the life hereafter.

My Wrong Thinking

I woke up Sunday morning with a headache and a stomachache. I had been up in the night praying for relief, and I was aware that it was about time to get ready for church. Church isn’t an optional thing for me. Not only do I cherish the pastor’s message and time I get to worship with my brothers and sisters in Christ, but I also have responsibilities. I record the service to put on Facebook and then YouTube, and I have a ministry in which I pass out snacks with gospel messages to people at three places on the way to church. My baskets were already packed and ready to go. I had people who were waiting for me, counting on me to come through.

As I was thinking about how bad I felt and praying to feel better, I had the thought that I would give God “the benefit of the doubt” on healing me since He knew I needed to get to church. The pride of that statement absolutely floored me. I knew it was one of those times when He was putting my own attitude into words so I could see it clearly. Not good. I repented immediately, begging God for His grace never to think that way again. The Lord doesn’t owe me anything, health or otherwise. It is only His great grace that keeps me feeling good and serving Him.

Where Did That Come From?

Then I thought about how those feelings might have come about. The ministries that God has given me and the sacrifices He has required me to make lately have had me feeling like “I’m doing a lot.” By that I mean that until just recently, I was doing a lot less. The Lord just basically leveled me up. Suddenly, I had more requirements for my time and attention and a much narrower path to walk.

Of course, nothing I’m doing is indispensable to God. He can make the rocks cry out to praise Him. But the difference in “before” and “after” had really gotten to me. I tried hard not to compare myself to other Christians. After all, 2 Corinthians 10:12 says that it is foolish to do that. But I couldn’t help but notice that a lot of Christians seem, at least from what I can tell, to have a lot fewer requirements and responsibilities than I seemed to be having now.

The Bible’s Analogies

Then I thought about positions in the Kingdom. The Bible uses many analogies for Christians. We are compared to a body, each of us fulfilling different roles and using different skills to do that. Some need thick skin like the heel of the foot, some need to be tender like soft cheeks. Some watch for others like eyes, some hear what the Lord is saying like ears. Different parts of the body all have different purposes, but no one part is better than another. We need them all to function.

We are also likened to an army. Certainly not everyone in the army has the same job or goes through the same training. In fact, some seem to have a lot more stringent training than others. But all members get what they need to do the job they were assigned to do. Some people are built for tougher jobs, and some are just right to handle the delicate. Some are jacks of many trades, and some specialize. There are those out front and those behind the scenes. There are those who engage the enemy and those who bind up the wounded. Again, no one job is better than another. They are all just different, necessary for the functioning of the whole. 

We Were Created for a Purpose

“For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him:”

Colossians 1:16

Then just when I had processed through all of that, the Lord brought another idea to my mind. This world is passing away. Jesus is coming soon. The things we go through now are not just to prepare us to be vessels meet for the Master in this world, but the next world as well. 

The world’s idea of hanging out on clouds is not the biblical vision for the afterlife.  God created us with very specific purposes that don’t stop just because this life ends.  Click To Tweet

We were created to:

• Take Dominion Over God’s Creation: Genesis 1:26 “And God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.’”
  
• Bring God Glory: Isaiah 43:7 “Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.”
  
• Worship God: Isaiah 43:21 “This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.”
  
• Do Good Works: Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
  
• Bring God Pleasure: Revelation 4:11 “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
  

The Bible Says that We Will Both Serve and Reign

Keep in mind that there are differences of opinion here as to which groups of people will be doing what. My point isn’t to engage in a debate about the Rapture or Millennial Kingdom but to impress upon us that there will be opportunities for everyone even after this life is done.

We Will Serve God

• John 12:26 “If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.”
• Revelation 7:14-15 “And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in his temple: and He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.”
• Revelation 22:3 “And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him.”

We Will Reign as Kings and Priests Unto God

• 2 Timothy 2:12 “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us.”
• Revelation 1:6 “And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” 
• Revelation 2:26 “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.”
• Revelation 3:21 “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.”
• Revelation 5:10 “And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”
• Revelation 20:6 “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years.”

Points to Ponder

How will we serve God in the hereafter when we can see Him face-to-face? What exactly is the job description for a king and priest? What will it look like to “reign,” and what kind of skills will we need to do any of that effectively? Right now, we can only imagine what our lives will look like and how we will fulfill the purpose for which God specifically made us. But the Lord knows where we are and where we need to be. He also knows exactly how to get us there.

Some of us are going through sicknesses, trials, and misfortunes. Others of us are called to strict discipline and multiple ministries. There are even those who have some of all of that going on right now.(The Lord made this one loud and clear via a traveling missionary at church this week. My situation started to look pretty sweet next to no hot water and washing machine-eating rats!) In any case, none of us is better than the other because of our current situation. We are all different but important to the Kingdom of God. Right now, we are learning, training for our positions in service to our Lord. Some of those traits and skills will be used in this world, but others may not really be understood until we get to the next one. 

Chosen and Called

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light:”

1 Peter 2:9

The Lord called us out of darkness for a purpose. Some of us know our purpose in this life. For me, I know that the Lord has called me to be a teacher. When I’m teaching, whether in the classroom or in my blogs, there is no other feeling like it. It’s a spiritual gift and what I’m convinced that I was built for (both by design and experience). I love it! He has also given me two other ministries that are harder for me. These are things I would not have asked for. In fact, I have all but asked Him to take one of them away. But in His great sovereignty, He has also chosen these things for me. Maybe it’s that way for others too.

The great day of our Lord is fast approaching. When our eyes close in this life and open in the next, what will eternity be like? How will the things we are learning now position us to function then? Only God knows. But this week has given me a lot to think about, a lot to hope for. It makes me dig in a little deeper and hold on a little longer. I’m looking forward to what lies ahead.

If you like points to ponder, try Goldilocks and the Narrow Way. In it, we see that the narrow strip of options between extremes is where Christians should live. Or, try Not Many Mighty Are Called in which a situation in my classroom illustrated this biblical point. Please sign up to receive my blog in your email in-box. You can find that at the upper right of your screen (or at the bottom on a phone). Also, check out my YouTube Channel where I read the blogs out loud. I also have a playlist of hymns from my church.