The Accepted and Anointed Saints

In Christ Believers Are Kings and Priests

 

 

The Accepted and Anointed Saints

 

By Richard W. Ebler

"Our status as the accepted with God and the anointed by Him as kings and priests is our portion in Christ, who Himself was anointed by the Father and now sits at His right hand as the great High Priest over the house of God and King of the universe.”

The Acceptance of His Brethren in Christ

"In order to appreciate his acceptance in the Son, one must come to deeply realize how badly he needed to be accepted.” "That is where the problem lies with most people—they do not easily come to such deep awareness of their own sinfulness. When Adam sinned, he plunged the whole human race into sin, misery, and alienation from God. This fundamental fact is overlooked by those who imagine themselves to be naturally acceptable to God.

 

The destruction of the whole world by the flood and of Sodom and Gomorrah by fire are divine commentaries on the depth of man's corruption in Adam. God inflicted these destructions because man had become grossly corrupt and rebellious against Him. In view of this corruption, the great question, as Job recognized, obviously is, How can a man be just with God? (Job 9:2).

 

"Mount Sinai also demonstrated the sinfulness of the race. The law was given and broken before it was received. At the foot of the mountain, while the law was being delivered to Moses by God, idolatry and adultery were rampant among the people. All this is illustrative of how badly man needed to be accepted by God. A look at ourselves as to how we keep the law likewise reveals our need for divine acceptance. How do you keep the law? Perfectly? If you were to be accepted with God on the basis of the law, you would have to so keep it. This is because, as James tells us, (Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all' (Jas. 2:10-11)."

 

The Priesthood of the Believer in Jesus

The Gracious Provision of God. “But when the fulness of the time was come," however, God effectually intervened in man's behalf, to do for him in Christ "what the law could not do," the preacher observed (Rom. 8:34; Gal. 4:4-5). That is, "God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." The Scriptures apprise us of the forgiveness of sins through Christ and of justification before God by His blood, which was shed for the remission of sins. Passages like Acts 13:38-39 keynote this great truth: "Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by Him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." "That is the glorious gospel. It is also enunciated in Second Corinthians 5:18-19: 'All things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world "unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.' Similarly, in Colossians 1:20-23, we read, 'And, having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself."  We also read such great apostolic declarations as, 'Ye are complete in Him, which is the Head of all principality and power' (Col. 2:10), and that God 'hath made us accepted in the Beloved' (Eph. 1:6). Christ Himself is accepted at God's right hand, having been 'received up into glory’ (I Tim. 3:16), and we are accepted in Him. This is a fundamental representation of Scripture."

 

The Essentials of Priesthood. A good portrayal of the essentials of priesthood in the divine economy is provided in Numbers 16:5.  "Even whom He hath chosen will He cause to come near unto Him" was Moses' pronouncement for God in the case of Korah's rebellion. To "come near" to God for the sake of others is thus a principal function of the priesthood, it was concluded. As it is put in Hebrews, the priest is "ordained for men in things pertaining to God" (Heb. 5:1-4), and is to minister before God, or "about holy things" in that capacity (Acts 13:2; I Cor. 9:13-14).

 

"How do you become a priest?" the speaker asked. "You are to be born a priest. So was the requirement of the Levitical law. 'No man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron' (Heb. 5:4). God calls us in Christ to the spiritual priesthood when He calls us 'unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord' (I Cor. 1:9)."

 

The Demonstration under Law. The anointing for both the priesthood and kingship of the believer was demonstrated under the law. "Both the priest and the king were anointed with oil. Exodus 30:30-33 tells of the 'holy anointing oil' that was used in the consecration. First Kings 1:39 shows that the same oil was used to anoint kings. Of course, this anointing under the law was a type of the anointing of the Holy Spirit under Christ. This is apparent from First Samuel16:13, where it is recorded that 'the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward' when he was anointed by Samuel. Correspondingly, it is written that 'God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the Devil; for God was with Him' (Acts" 10:38).

 

"The anointing oil is an especially fitting type of the Spirit, since oil gives light when it burns. So, as we feel the burning of the Spirit in our hearts, we are enlightened as to God and His Word (Ps. 39:3; Lu. 24:32). It is significant that the high priest was anointed with oil at his right ear, his right thumb, and his right big toe (Exod. 29:20). Leviticus 14:14-17 shows that the oil was likewise placed upon the leper to be pronounced cleansed. Thus, it can be inferred that the anointing of the Spirit sanctities one's ears to hear the Word of God; his hand, to do His work; and his feet. to walk in His statutes and paths."

 

The Display by the High Priest. The Jewish high priest effectively showed the symbolism of both the priest and the implements of his office. Not only was the high priest and his regalia typical of Christ and His ministry within the veil, it was pointed out; he and it also set forth the office and function of the believer's priesthood under the new covenant. "The breastplate is the center of the picture. In nature, the highest faculty is the intellect; in grace, it is the Spirit-filled heart; and so that will be the glory of man in heaven. The picture shows how Christ loves His people; regarding us, it depicts the brethren's love for one another. The Urim and Thummim means light and perfection. So, in heaven we shall know as we are known and be like Christ—perfect The inscription 'Holiness to the Lord’, which appeared on the holy crown of the high priest (Exod. 28:36; 29:6), denotes the perfected holiness of the "heavenly life, and that into which we by grace are to aspire and unto which we are to be ever pressing in this life. The Priestly robe, woven without seam, portrays heavenly integrity—the heavenly color of blue. The linen breeches were to cover the priest's nakedness; so we are not to walk naked before God (Rev. 3:18; 16:15). The girdle depicts heavenly service; we shall 'serve Him' (Rev. 22:3). The bells and the pomegranates seem to suggest that the heavenly life will be a joyfully happy one of service—joy in service without burden or weariness. The bare feet denote that God desires immediate contact between the believer and Himself and His holy things. Thus, the representation in Revelation 22:1 of the 'pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb’.  As we drink from that river, there will be no taint of earth or earthly thought."

 

The Portrayal in Christ. Some of the typical aspects with reference to Christ of Aaron's anointing, as set forth in Psalm 133, are as follows: "The precious ointment," it was recalled, "ran down upon the beard" and "went down to the skirts of his garments." "A parallel is the anointing of Christ's head, hands, and feet with His own blood in His mockery and persecution preparatory to His entry through death and resurrection into the office of His heavenly Priesthood. Leviticus 21:17-22 sets forth the restriction of the priesthood; to be eligible, one had to be without blemish. The Lord Jesus fully met this condition as High Priest, being 'holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners' (Heb. 7:26). He offered His humanity upon the altar of His deity, and the altar sanctified the gift, making it acceptable to God (Heb. 9:14). He took His own blood into the Holy of Holies—into Heaven itself—and there offered it to the Father in expiation of the sins of man; and it was accepted for that purpose by God (Heb. 9:11-12, 24).

 

"In His entry into the heavens, Jesus is our Forerunner as priests and kings in Him; for we, too, enter into the same place by His blood (Heb. 10:19-22). Soon we shall be elevated to sit with Him in His throne (Rev. 3:21), where we shall exercise the functions of our office in a much fuller measure. It has been well said that 'God loved His Son so much that He purposed to fill Heaven with saints just like Him.' And, since God is God, that is the way it is going to be. The Levitical law is thus seen to be, as the Apostle declared, (a shadow of good things to come' (Heb. 10:1). The tabernacle provided 'patterns of things in the heavens' (Heb. 9:23). It is quite proper for us to think and speak of spiritual things in terms of the Levitical institution, therefore, seeing that institution set forth a picture of heavenly things. And this is a Festival of heavenly things."

 

The typical elements of Melchizedek's priesthood are necessary as a supplement to those of Aaron's in order to present a complete picture of the priesthood and kingship of Christ. "The latter, it might be said, set forth the pattern and the former, the order of the divine Priesthood. Hebrews 9 speaks of the pattern, and has to do with the Aaronic priesthood. When it comes to 'the order,' Scripture brings up Melchizedek as the illustration (Heb. 7:17; cf. Ps. 110:4; Gen. 14:17-20). He is presented as 'King of righteousness, 'King of peace', and as being typically eternal (Heb. 7:1-3). As God's Son and the Savior of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ possesses all these qualities. Through Him, we partake of them now in a preliminary sense; and shall more fully share in them in the life to come."

 

The Anointing for Kingship under Christ

"And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as My Father appointed unto Me," the Master declared to His disciples (Lu. 22:28-30). "The Apostle tells us that 'the saints shall judge the world' and that 'we shall judge angels' (I Cor. 6:1-3). This is one of the functions of a king—to judge—as Solomon did in the case of the disputed motherhood of the child. In time of war, the king led in battle; in peacetime, he was a judge and administrator of the kingdom. This gives an idea of our function in glory. Right now, we are kings, if we are in Christ. We are unrecognized by the world as such, it is true. But, whatever our earthly station may be, we are kings unto God, and can reign through Christ in the area assigned to us."

 

The Situation with David. "It will be remembered that it was some time after David was anointed to be king of Israel before he actually ascended the throne and began the fullness of his reign. So it is with us. David at times seemed to despair of ever being enthroned as king. 'I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul,' he said in his heart on one occasion (I Sam. 27:1). Again, 'There is but a step between me and death' (I Sam. 20:3). ‘And I am this day weak, though anointed king’ (II Sam. 3:39).  In these times of discouragement, he was as surely destined to be king as in his brighter moments, for God had purposed that he should reign over Israel. So it is with our appointment and anointing as kings unto God. 'The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning' (Ps. 49:14). Right now, they seem to be the head and we, the tail; but the day will come when the tables will be turned. 'If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him,' is the promise of God (II Tim. 2:12), and on that we can confidently rely."

 

The Prospect for Us. "In old times, kings ruled over cities, as the scriptural record makes clear. Thus, the Lord Jesus' assignment to the faithful, 'Have thou authority over ten cities' (Lu. 19:17). Whatever that denotes, it certainly represents rule in the world to come by the saints. What the saints enjoy of grace in this life is just a little foreshadowing of their eternal portion and reign in glory. We shall reign over our allotment from Christ—our task, our situation—whatever the Lord has assigned to us. The meek shall 'inherit the earth,' saith the Lord (Mt.. 5:5); so shall we reign over the earth (Heb. 2:5-9).

 

"Melchizedek, as you know, was a King-Priest. Christ is Such, too. And, in Him, we also have this dual office. We experience this ministry in the firstfruit sense right now. Kings reign with power, and so can we, as we cleave unto the Lord, our glorious Head.  We also exercise our priestly influence upon our fellow men as “we are ambassadors for Christ” (II Cor. 5:20).

 

“Whatever ministry God gives you, seek to reign in that sphere by His grace, as becomes your high calling in Christ. Since you are a king under Christ, make full proof of your kingship. As priests, you can fulfill your ministry through prayer—interceding for others— and by proclaiming the truth of God to them. You are a 'royal priesthood' right now, saith the Scripture (I Pet. 2:9). Let us proceed on that basis, to the glory of God." –Noted and Recorded by Fred O. Blakely