CHAPTER SEVEN

THE NEW TESTAMENT PRIESTS
OF THE GOSPEL

Scripture Reading: Matt. 3:1-6; Acts 9:32; 1 Tim. 1:16; Rom. 15:16; 12:1-2; Col. 1:28-29; Rev. 1:5b-6; 5:9-10; 1 Pet. 2:9, 5; Luke 10:1-6; John 15:16

OUTLINE

1. The turn from the Old Testament priests to the New Testament priests:
   1. The turn in John the Baptist:
      1. Though he can be considered the last priest of the Old Testament, he rejected that priesthood and turned away from being such a priest—Matt. 3:1-4.
      2. He turned to become the first priest of the gospel in the New Testament:
         1. He did not offer bulls and goats as offerings.
         2. Instead, he offered the repentant sinners gained through him as offerings—Matt. 3:5-6.
   2. Continuing through the apostles and every believer:
      1. With the apostles taking the lead to be the New Testament priests of the gospel, preaching the gospel extensively—Acts 9:32.
      2. With the Apostle Paul as a pattern—1 Tim. 1:16:
         1. He was a New Testament priest of the gospel, preaching the gospel to save people and offering them to God as offerings—Rom. 15:16.
         2. He led the believers under his care to offer up themselves as living sacrifices—Rom. 12:1-2.
         3. He presented the perfected saints, in all wisdom full-grown in Christ to God—Col. 1:28-29.
      3. With all believers as the components of God’s New Testament priesthood of the gospel—Rev. 1:5b-6; 5:9-10:
         1. It being a universal priesthood, and not a priesthood of a few people.
         2. It being for the preaching of the gospel, the telling out of the virtues of God’s salvation, saving people to offer them to God as spiritual sacrifices—1 Pet. 2:9, 5.
2. The way for the New Testament priests of the gospel to fulfill their duty:
   1. As a New Testament priest of the gospel, every believer must personally preach the gospel by visiting people through knocking on doors, saving sinners and offering them up to God as offerings—Luke 10:1-6.
   2. As branches of the vine, being sent forth to bear fruit; this being a work not to be replaced by others’ labor—John 15:16.
   3. This being the way ordained by God and revealed in the Bible:
      1. To be God’s New Testament priest of the gospel, one must personally save the sinners and offer them to God.
      2. To be a branch in the Lord, one must also personally bear fruit for God.

In this message we will consider “the New Testament priest of the gospel.” The term “priest of the gospel” has been in the Chinese Bible for over a hundred years; it was not noticed by the students of the Bible. I have personally read the Bible for over sixty years. I had not paid attention to this term before either. I have heard many people preaching and have read many spiritual books, but I never heard, nor did I notice this term. It was not until March of this year, while I fellowshipped with the elders in Taipei, that the Holy Spirit enlightened me to see what Paul said in Romans 15:16 concerning being a minister of Christ Jesus to the nations, ministering as a priest the gospel of God.