Hello
@Anthony D'Arienzo,
Thank you for your further responses,
With respect, I understand what you are saying and why you are saying it: but have you considered who Peter's epistle was written to? It was written to the believing remnant of Israel, who were among the nations (
the diaspora). These were the nucleus of redeemed Israel, and of believing gentiles who had been grafted into the Olive Tree of Israel.
This is not the same company of believers as those to whom Paul wrote in his later epistles (
Eph. Phil. Col. 1&2 Timothy and Titus) as Steward of the fellowship of the mystery (
Eph. 3:9): following the failure of Israel to believe and receive their Messiah and King, who were then laid aside (
temporarily) in blindness and unbelief as prophesied in
Isaiah 6:10, and warned of in
Acts 13:16-17, and fulfilled in Acts
28:26-27:-
'And He said, "Go, and tell this people,
Hear ye indeed, but understand not;
and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
Make the heart of this people fat,
and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes;
lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears,
and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.'
(
Isaiah 6:10)
The church being called out today is the Church which is His Body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all of Ephesians chapter one. They are a unique company, in Christ Jesus, which comprise of individuals from every nation under the sun, including Israel, which have no part in Israel as a nation, having a different hope and sphere of blessing.
The priesthood you refer to is the divinely appointed role of Israel as a nation, which they will fulfill in their appointed day, when they will repent and acknowledge their Messiah; this is not the role of the Church.
Thank you.
In Christ Jesus
Chris