Why do we need priests?

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Pearl

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Why do we need priests?

I was pondering this question in my mind yesterday. I can understand why the unsaved or unbelievers might need priests to act as intermediaries between them and God but I can’t understand why those of us who are born again in Christ need priests as the bible calls us a Royal Priesthood. We have direct access to the Father’s throne so we do not need anybody else to access him for us.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16

We do however, need people to be there with us and for us; to hold up our arms, to wipe our tears and to share our joy. We do need a support network of other Christians; people who will pray with us and for us, encourage, inspire and help us. We need teachers and preachers and we definitely need wise counsellors and inspirational leaders with passion, vision and enthusiasm.

But we do not need priests.
 

Pearl

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It is quite explicit throughout the Bible that we do not need some man who calls himself "Priest."
People needed the priests of old as they were the only ones permitted into the Holy of Holies, but Jesus's death split the temple curtain and made it possible for us to approach God directly as our Father.
 

Philip James

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I can’t understand why those of us who are born again in Christ need priests as the bible calls us a Royal Priesthood. We have direct access to the Father’s throne so we do not need anybody else to access him for us.

"Enough from you! The whole community, all of them, are holy; the LORD is in their midst. Why then should you set yourselves over the LORD'S congregation?"
 
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Stranger

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Why do we need priests?

I was pondering this question in my mind yesterday. I can understand why the unsaved or unbelievers might need priests to act as intermediaries between them and God but I can’t understand why those of us who are born again in Christ need priests as the bible calls us a Royal Priesthood. We have direct access to the Father’s throne so we do not need anybody else to access him for us.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16

We do however, need people to be there with us and for us; to hold up our arms, to wipe our tears and to share our joy. We do need a support network of other Christians; people who will pray with us and for us, encourage, inspire and help us. We need teachers and preachers and we definitely need wise counsellors and inspirational leaders with passion, vision and enthusiasm.

But we do not need priests.

Yes, every believer is a priest after the same order of priesthood that Jesus Christ is in. The order of Melchisedec. (Ps. 110:4) (Heb. 7:21)

And every believer exercises his priesthood within the Body of Christ through the various gifts of the Spirit given him/her. We represent God/Christ to each other. To the unsaved we exercise our priesthood in pointing them to the true and only God found through Jesus Christ.

I agree with you.

Stranger
 

Jane_Doe22

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This is an answer that will vary wildly from denomination to denomination.

For an extremely general answer: we do need older siblings in the faith to help guide and support us. A Christian sheep was never meant to be alone by themselves.
 
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Pearl

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But it does.
How a church is lead (and how money is used) are the biggest thing which historically has caused splits in denominations.
But that has nothing to do with the priesthood of believers. That is more about administration. Whatever denomination or none that we belong to if we are born again in Christ we don't need designated priests but we do need decent, enthusiastic Spirit filled men of vision as our leaders.
 

Philip James

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But that has nothing to do with the priesthood of believers

Hello Pearl,

Jude warns of the rebellion of Korah,

Woe to them! They followed the way of Cain, abandoned themselves to Balaam's error for the sake of gain, and perished in the rebellion of Korah

You will find the story of this rebellion in Numbers 16 part of which I quoted in my post above.

I suggest you give it a prayerful reading.

Peace be with you!
 
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Enoch111

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Why do we need priests?
You should ask that to the Catholics and the Orthodox. All other Christians are already within a Royal Priesthood.

But the priesthoods in those denominations are in fact A VIOLATION of Gospel Truth. Indeed the Catholic priesthood is an abomination since an unauthorized priest literally re-sacrifices Christ at the Mass. Plus he is given the power to absolve sins and hear the confession of sins. Powers which belong to God and Christ alone.

The Levitical priesthood was abolished the day Christ died on the cross and declared "IT IS FINISHED". On that day the veil in the temple was supernaturally torn from top to bottom, signifying that the only Holy of Holies was now in Heaven. And the only offices in the apostolic churches were elders (Gk presbuteros also called episkopos) (a plurality) and deacons (Gk diakonos) (also a plurality), and women were excluded from both offices.

But men were not satisfied with following the New Testament pattern, and instead made a mishmash of the OT and NT with some bizarre theology.
 

Philip James

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. Indeed the Catholic priesthood is an abomination since an unauthorized priest literally re-sacrifices Christ at the Mass.

And no matter how many times we tell you this is incorrect, you continue to spew this drivel.

If you wish to disagree with us, that is fine, but at least disagree with what we
Actually believe and teach.

1330 The memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection.

The Holy Sacrifice, because it makes present the one sacrifice of Christ the Savior and includes the Church's offering. The terms holy sacrifice of the Mass, "sacrifice of praise," spiritual sacrifice, pure and holy sacrifice are also used, since it completes and surpasses all the sacrifices of the Old Covenant.



In short it is the pure offering foretold in Malachi 1:11

You too! Are welcome to come to the wedding feast of the Lamb of God!

Peace be with you
 
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Enoch111

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And no matter how many times we tell you this is incorrect, you continue to spew this drivel.
You omitted the rest of the teaching on the re-sacrifice of Christ (which I have already posted). So for an honest response you should quote the whole teaching.
 
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Philip James

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You omitted the rest of the teaching on the re-sacrifice of Christ (which I have already posted). So for an honest response you should quote the whole teaching.

Again you are mistaken.

1104 Christian liturgy not only recalls the events that saved us but actualizes them, makes them present. the Paschal mystery of Christ is celebrated, not repeated. It is the celebrations that are repeated, and in each celebration there is an outpouring of the Holy Spirit that makes the unique mystery present.

Peace!
 
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Waiting on him

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People needed the priests of old as they were the only ones permitted into the Holy of Holies, but Jesus's death split the temple curtain and made it possible for us to approach God directly as our Father.
That vail is his flesh.
 

Pearl

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That vail is his flesh.

Matthew 27:51
At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split

Mark 15:38
The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

Luke 23:45
for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.

Hebrews 10:19-21
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God,

The curtain of the temple was the actual curtain that separated the Holy Place from the main area. The blood of Jesus tore away the symbolic curtain that separated us from the Holy Place. And that is why we no longer need a priest in order to receive forgiveness from God; we can approach Him directly because of Jesus.
 

Enoch111

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Again you are mistaken.
No. I am not mistaken. It is you who has been dishonest about your own church's beliefs.

THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
1333 At the heart of the Eucharistic celebration are the bread and wine that, by the words of Christ and the invocation of the Holy Spirit, become Christ's Body and Blood.... [to be understood literally]

1350 The presentation of the offerings (the Offertory). Then, sometimes in procession, the bread and wine are brought to the altar; they will be offered by the priest in the name of Christ in the Eucharistic sacrifice in which they will become his body and blood...

1357 We carry out this command of the Lord by celebrating the memorial of his sacrifice. In so doing, we offer to the Father what he has himself given us: the gifts of his creation, bread and wine which, by the power of the Holy Spirit and by the words of Christ, have become the body and blood of Christ. Christ is thus really and mysteriously made present...

1365 Because it is the memorial of Christ's Passover, the Eucharist is also a sacrifice. the sacrificial character of the Eucharist is manifested in the very words of institution: "This is my body which is given for you" and "This cup which is poured out for you is the New Covenant in my blood." In the Eucharist Christ gives us the very body which he gave up for us on the cross, the very blood which he "poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."...

1366 The Eucharist is thus a sacrifice because it re-presents (makes present) the sacrifice of the cross, because it is its memorial and because it applies its fruit:...
[THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I HAVE SAID]

1367 The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice: "The victim is one and the same: the same now offers through the ministry of priests, who then offered himself on the cross; only the manner of offering is different." "In this divine sacrifice which is celebrated in the Mass, the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross is contained and is offered in an unbloody manner."


1375 It is by the conversion of the bread and wine into Christ's body and blood that Christ becomes present in this sacrament. the Church Fathers strongly affirmed the faith of the Church in the efficacy of the Word of Christ and of the action of the Holy Spirit to bring about this conversion...

1376 The Council of Trent summarizes the Catholic faith by declaring: "Because Christ our Redeemer said that it was truly his body that he was offering under the species of bread, it has always been the conviction of the Church of God, and this holy Council now declares again, that by the consecration of the bread and wine there takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood. This change the holy Catholic Church has fittingly and properly called transubstantiation...
 
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GodsGrace

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No. I am not mistaken. It is you has been dishonest about your own church's beliefs.

THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
1333 At the heart of the Eucharistic celebration are the bread and wine that, by the words of Christ and the invocation of the Holy Spirit, become Christ's Body and Blood.... [to be understood literally]

1350 The presentation of the offerings (the Offertory). Then, sometimes in procession, the bread and wine are brought to the altar; they will be offered by the priest in the name of Christ in the Eucharistic sacrifice in which they will become his body and blood...

1357 We carry out this command of the Lord by celebrating the memorial of his sacrifice. In so doing, we offer to the Father what he has himself given us: the gifts of his creation, bread and wine which, by the power of the Holy Spirit and by the words of Christ, have become the body and blood of Christ. Christ is thus really and mysteriously made present...

1365 Because it is the memorial of Christ's Passover, the Eucharist is also a sacrifice. the sacrificial character of the Eucharist is manifested in the very words of institution: "This is my body which is given for you" and "This cup which is poured out for you is the New Covenant in my blood." In the Eucharist Christ gives us the very body which he gave up for us on the cross, the very blood which he "poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."...

1366 The Eucharist is thus a sacrifice because it re-presents (makes present) the sacrifice of the cross, because it is its memorial and because it applies its fruit:...
[THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I HAVE SAID]

1367 The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice: "The victim is one and the same: the same now offers through the ministry of priests, who then offered himself on the cross; only the manner of offering is different." "In this divine sacrifice which is celebrated in the Mass, the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross is contained and is offered in an unbloody manner."


1375 It is by the conversion of the bread and wine into Christ's body and blood that Christ becomes present in this sacrament. the Church Fathers strongly affirmed the faith of the Church in the efficacy of the Word of Christ and of the action of the Holy Spirit to bring about this conversion...

1376 The Council of Trent summarizes the Catholic faith by declaring: "Because Christ our Redeemer said that it was truly his body that he was offering under the species of bread, it has always been the conviction of the Church of God, and this holy Council now declares again, that by the consecration of the bread and wine there takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood. This change the holy Catholic Church has fittingly and properly called transubstantiation...
@Philip James is right E...and I've been through this with you myself.

You can believe what you want to, but a knowledgeable Catholic knows more about his faith than you can....

The sacrifice of the Mass does NOT RESACRIFICE JESUS.
It's a memorial...it brings us to the foot of the cross.

Who knows more? Me, you, or a few PRIESTS that actually celebrate the Mass?

The CCC, BTW, is one of the most confusing teaching tools ever.
Some of it is easy to understand, and some is very vague and misleading.
 
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