The chosen race of people,a royal priesthood, a holy nation.
Born Again
Temple
Holy Nation with a new law, and mission, and kingdom.
— One becomes a member of this people not by a physical birth, but by being “born anew,” a birth “of water and the Spirit,” that is, by faith in Christ, and Baptism.
— This People has for its Head Jesus the Christ (the anointed, the Messiah). Because the same anointing, the Holy Spirit, flows from the head into the body, this is “the messianic people.”
— “The status of this people is that of the dignity and freedom of the sons of God, in whose hearts the Holy Spirit dwells as in a temple.”
— “Its law is the new commandment to love as Christ loved us.” This is the “new” law of the Holy Spirit.
— Its mission is to be salt of the earth and light of the world. To spread the word of this new life in Christ.
— Its destiny, finally, “is the Kingdom of God which has been begun by God himself on earth and which must be further extended until it has been brought to perfection by him at the end of time.
Jesus Christ is the one whom the Father anointed with the Holy Spirit and established as priest, prophet, and king. The whole People of God participates in these three offices of Christ and bears the responsibilities for mission and service that flow from them.
Priest
Prophet
King
Priest:
Priestly service is to dedicate a pure conscience to the Lord and to offer the spotless offerings of devotion on the altar of the heart.
Prophet:
unfailingly adheres to the faith … once for all delivered to the saints,” and becomes Christ’s witness in the midst of this world.
King:
What is royal is for a soul as to govern the body in obedience to God.
