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From: farkas@eng.sun.com (Frank Farkas)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
Subject: Re: priesthood
Message-ID: <Jan.6.22.57.49.1991.22801@athos.rutgers.edu>
Date: 7 Jan 91 03:57:52 GMT
Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu
Lines: 49
Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu

David, before we would proceed with any exchanges regarding the priesthood,
we need to agree on some definations. Like, what is the priesthood?

Let me give you my understanding of it. The priesthood is simply the power
to act in behalf of God. Let me give you an example of this. When I go
to another company to negotiate, I do so because I am an agent of the 
company I work for. I have the power to negotiate, and to sign contracts to
the extent I am authorized to do so. 

It is the same way with the priesthood. There are two things which are
required:

	1. That I am authorized by one who has the power to give it.

	2. That I remain worthy to practise it (the actual power comes from
	   righteousness).

You said that the following:

>I don't disagree that our priesthood is the same as that of the apostles.  
>I do disagree when you say that our priesthood is the same as that of 
>Christ. Christ, in his priesthood, made the one sacrifice necessary to 
>redeem us from sin.  Not only is it not necessary for us to make a sacrifice
>for sin, but it would be impossible for us to do that.

>I think we are priests in the sense that we can directly approach God's
>throne of grace and ask for mercy.  The only intercession we need is 
>Christ's. But he is not only our high priest, he is also our brother, and 
>His Father is our adopted Father, whom we can call 'abba', idiomatically, 
>Papa, or Daddy.


First of all, I do agree that we don't need to atone for our own sins.
However, this doesn't mean that we can't hold the same priesthood as Jesus 
held. He had clearly a special role to play. However, not all of the
offices in the priesthood has the same responsibility. For example, Philip
had the authority to baptize, but had no authority for the laying on of the 
hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 8:12-17). There are many offices
in the priesthood. 

Some of the priesthood offices you can find listed in Ephesians 4:11. 

Let me ask the question, if I am a priesthood holder, whose priesthood
do I hold if it is not God's? Is there another power under which I can
operate, and yet it is not God's? If it is not God's, whoes is it then?

With brotherly love,

			Frank