![\"\"](\"\/Banner-MOG-60.gif\" "\\"Ministry")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
1 Peter 2:5<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.<\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n Truth to Learn<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n All true Christians are priests and we are to offer sacrifices.<\/p>\n Behind the Words<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n The expression \u201care being built up<\/span>\u201d is translated from oikodome\u014d<\/span><\/em>, meaning \u201cto build a house.\u201d It is expressed here as a present passive participle, indicating current continuous action that is being done to the subject. Hence, it could be paraphrased as \u201cyou are currently and continuously being built.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPriesthood<\/span>\u201d is translated from hierateuma<\/span><\/em>, which refers to a group of priests.<\/p>\n The word \u201choly<\/span>,\u201d which describes \u201cpriesthood<\/span>,\u201d is from the Greek word hagios<\/span><\/em>, meaning \u201cset apart for God\u2019s use.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAcceptable<\/span>\u201d is translated from the Greek word euprosdektos<\/span><\/em>, which is a compound of eu<\/span><\/em>, meaning \u201cgood\u201d or \u201cwell\u201d and a form of prosdekomai<\/span><\/em>, meaning \u201cto receive\u201d or \u201cto accept.\u201d Hence, it refers to something that is \u201cwell received.\u201d<\/p>\n Meaning Explained<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Peter is about to embark on a treatise regarding the temple and the priesthood and he is doing so for a good reason. Up until the time of the writing of this epistle (somewhere between AD 55 and AD 65), the focus of worship and sacrifice unto Jehovah God had been in Jerusalem. Unbeknownst to Peter, however, is the fact that the Roman army under the Emperor Titus (son of Vespasian) was about to destroy the temple (in AD 70). In the church age the only temple of God is the body of believers themselves. There is no need for a separate priesthood to offer sacrifices because our high priest, Jesus, has already offered the ultimate sacrifice to the saving of our souls.<\/p>\n Peter started this treatise in the previous verse when he referred to Christ as a living stone. He now tells us that we, also, are living stones by which a spiritual house is built. He also tells us that we are a holy priesthood, we have been set-apart for God\u2019s use, and our purpose is to offer up spiritual sacrifices. These sacrifices are not to atone for sins (as was done by Old Testament priests), and they are not to pay for our salvation, for that has already been done. We, as priests, are not to offer up physical sacrifices, rather sacrifices of a spiritual nature, which are to be acceptable, or approved, or well-pleasing to God. The reason they are well pleasing is because they are offered up from us by our High Priest, Jesus Christ himself.<\/p>\n A sacrifice is defined as the surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something or someone else. We, as part of God\u2019s holy priesthood, are to offer spiritual sacrifices to God. The first sacrifice we need to offer is ourselves:<\/p>\n I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God,<\/span> which is<\/span><\/em> your reasonable service.<\/span> <\/span>(Romans 12:1<\/span><\/strong>)<\/p>\n Application<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Are you fulfilling your priestly duty to God? Are you offering up spiritual sacrifices? Have you placed yourself on the altar? Have you relinquished control of your life and your future to God? \u2026 Is it time for prayer?<\/p>\n In God\u2019s service, for His glory,<\/strong><\/p>\n Copyright \u00a9 2008 Will Krause. All rights reserved.<\/span><\/p>\n – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –<\/p>\n <\/span>If this message or this link was forwarded to you by a friend and you wish to receive future verses directly to your inbox, you can call the church phone (618) 614-3070 and leave a message telling us your name and e-mail address or you can send an e-mail to:![\"signature\"](\"..\/..\/signature.gif\")
<\/p>\n![\"e-mail](\"..\/..\/Will_e-mail.gif\")
<\/p>\n