Class Notes: 1/31/2010

Jesus Christ is the Royal High Priest, Believers are Royal Priests part 2

John 1:14 - And the Word (undiminished deity) became flesh (true humanity), and dwelt among us (the Incarnation), and we (James, Peter, and John) beheld His glory ( the visual manifestation of the Uniform of Glory), glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth (Bible Doctrine).

In our previous lessons we reviewed the doctrines that relate to TLJC in his first advent when he was incarnated via the virgin birth.

We started our study with a discussion of the doctrine of the virgin birth that was necessary for there to be no transmission of the OSN and then took up the doctrine of the hypostatic union that explains the mechanics of how undiminished deity and true humanity reside in the person of TLJC and then discussed the doctrine of the kenosis that defines God the Father's protocol for the deity and humanity of TLJC in hypostatic union.

In the context of these doctrines, we have been looking at some of the names and titles for our Lord Jesus Christ in order to see more clearly what God has done for us through him, so we can more completely understand who TLJC is and what he has done for us, and from our knowledge of him have our confidence established in him by being occupied with him. Heb 12:2;

We are now discussing TLJC as the Royal High Priest and believers as members of the Royal Priesthood.

Previously in our study we noted that TLJC our Messiah is also the Great High Priest Heb 4:14; and church age believers in union with Christ are believer priests 1Peter 2:5-9.

When we stopped last time, we were looking at the Greek verb "teleioo" that is translated "perfect" or "complete" as it relates to TLJC, our Great High Priest

Our Lord was brought to completion by the sufferings for blessing in the advance to spiritual maturity and by the sufferings on the Cross.

Heb 5:8-9; "Although being a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.

v9 And having been brought to completion, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation."

As God there is no need for Jesus Christ to be brought to completion, but as perfect humanity He had to learn doctrine under the filling of the Spirit and became "complete" or "mature" just as we must do. The objective is spiritual maturity in our unglorified humanity.

Heb 7:18-19; "For on the one hand there is a rescinding of the former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness

v19 (for the Law brought nothing to completion), but on the other hand a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God."

"The Law brought nothing to completion" means that observing the Mosaic Law cannot save anyone.

We are saved by faith alone and not by the works of the Law. The Law cannot provide the spiritual life after salvation, Gal 3:2-3,5.

The spiritual life of the Old Testament believers was the faith-rest drill, it was not the keeping the Law.

We can never complete the spiritual life without the four mechanics of the spiritual life (the filling of the Spirit, metabolized doctrine in the soul, the ten problem solving devices, and the execution of the protocol plan of God.

Drawing near to God is believing in the Lord Jesus Christ for personal salvation that is followed by the sanctification that occurs when the believer lives in the unique spiritual life of the church age.

Heb 7:28; "For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of His sacred oath, which came after the Law, (appointed) the Son, Who has been brought to completion forever."

The high priests of the Mosaic Law were weak because some were unbelievers or carnal believers. Our Lord was brought to completion by His perfect execution of the prototype spiritual life, by offering Himself once for all on the Cross, and by His resurrection, ascension, and session.

The result was His ascension and session at the right hand of the Father is that Jesus Christ as our high priest now offers completion to us in three stages:

Stage one completion, (justification) is salvation through faith alone in Christ alone.
Stage two completion, (sanctification) is the execution of the unique spiritual life of the Church Age resulting in maturity.
Stage three completion, (glorification) is resurrection.

Heb 10:1; "For the Law, having a shadow of coming good things but not the real image of those events, can never by the same sacrifices, which they kept on offering year by year, bring to completion those who draw near." The "coming good things" is the fantastic spiritual life given to us.

Jesus Christ brought to completion the greatest spiritual life in human history during the dispensation of the hypostatic union, and this spiritual life has been given to every church age believer.

The Law could not bring personal salvation to completion through the animal sacrifices, nor could it bring the spiritual life to completion through its ritual.

Heb 10:14, "For by one offering He brought to completion for all time those who are being sanctified." The offering of Jesus Christ on the Cross relates to the new covenant to the Church, 1Cor 11:24-25; not to the new covenant to Israel.

We, the Church, are the ones being sanctified. We are taken by God the Holy Spirit and entered into union with Christ forever. This is positional sanctification. We share the life, righteousness, heirship, destiny, election, and priesthood of Christ.

Experiential sanctification is the postsalvation experience of advancing from the point of spiritual birth (being born again) to maximum glorification of God.

Ultimate sanctification is the resurrection of the Church.

The application of sanctification is found in Heb 10:35-36, "Do not throw away as worthless your confidence, which keeps on having rich distribution of blessing; for you keep on having need of perseverance, so that when you have accomplished the will of God, you may receive the promise (escrow blessings)."

1Pet 1:2, "According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by Him blood."

Believers who fulfilling the unique spiritual life are being sanctified experientially.

Rom 15:16; "to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, that my offering of the Gentiles might become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit."

Heb 11:39-40; "And all of these, having become witnesses through faith, did not receive the promise (resurrection), because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they should not be brought to completion."

A better priesthood is based on virtue and values of perfect integrity. We have a better priesthood because we have a better spiritual life, and the church must be completed before God's plan can advance.

Our spiritual life is the highest form of virtue and values that has ever existed or will exist in human history. Our spiritual life is completely different under the ministry of God the Holy Spirit and Bible doctrine circulating in the stream of consciousness.

Our priesthood has greater escrow blessings for time and eternity.

Our impact as priests is better because it involves becoming invisible heroes.

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