In our study of the uniqueness of the Church Age, last time we concluded with the idea that in addition to the assets of election and predestination every Church Age believer has the unique royal commissions of priesthood and ambassadorship. Our priesthood is where we as members of the universal royal priesthood where we represent ourselves before God.

The universal priesthood of the believer for the Church Age is taught in 1 Pet 2:5,9; Rev 1:6; and Rev 5:10.

Your priesthood is the basis for the privacy that is necessary to live your own life as unto the Lord. It is the basis for effective prayer and the capacity for the cognition of Bible Doctrine and becomes the basis for our reciprocation of love to God. 1John 4:19; 1John 5:3;

Everything that makes your life significant is related to the fact that as a priest you represent yourself before God. This is a Royal priesthood because our Lord Jesus Christ is a Royal Priest. Heb 5:10; He is not from the Levitical priesthood of the dispensation of Israel.

During the Church Age every believer is also a royal ambassador who represent the Lord Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world, 2Cor 5:20; Eph 6:10, Philemon 9.

Ambassadors are not self-appointed. As part of our election to "the riches of His glory" Eph 1:18; God the Father appointed us in eternity past.

Ambassadors do not support themselves and neither do we. God supports us with logistical grace. This is a reason why even believers who choose not to advance receive logistical grace blessings from God.

Ambassadors have their policy and instructions in written form. Our written instructions are found in the Mystery Doctrine that is recorded in the New Testament scriptures.

An ambassador does not belong to the country in which he serves. We belong to God and have a message from outside of this world. Phil 3:20-21;

An ambassador does not live in a foreign country for his own personal interest and advancement. We are to be more concerned about the interests of our Lord than our own interests. Col 3:1-2;

When Bible Doctrine becomes our highest priority our attitude and interests about what is most important in this life is changed. 1Cor 4:1-2;

An ambassador does not consider insults to be personal. This is analogous to the function of the problem- solving device of impersonal love for all mankind. 1Cor 4:3-4;

The recall of the ambassador always precedes a declaration of war. When we are recalled by the exit resurrection or rapture, 1Thes 4:17; the Tribulation that will be the greatest time of warfare in human history will begin. 2Thes 2:3;