Universal Priesthood of Believers

Recovery of Universal Priesthood of Believers

Any service short of the service of a nation of priests is wrong. As a nation for God, the Church has been chosen out of the world; therefore, there should not be any further choice made in the Church. If there be neither the instance of sin nor fall nor golden calf, then God does not permit further separation. As many as are the redeemed by the Blood, just so, these many are they who are to serve. In other words, the number of sons redeemed back to God equals the exact number of servants whom God expects: the number in God’s service is to be as broad as the number embraced by His salvation. Today there are only backsliders, for in God’s eyes every single one is a servant or a maid. Today there are only the rebellious, yet there is no one who is not called to serve God. All services performed are to constitute the service of the entire local church together. This is what we have been talking about with respect to the "body ministry." Today’s major problem lies precisely here. God is not satisfied with the service of ninety-nine percent of the Church. He wants everyone to serve. We do not believe in the majority serving, without the minority also serving. Nor do we believe in a few serving with the many not serving. Service is not the work of a few ministers. Why do we insist on body ministry? Because this ministry belongs to all the brothers and sisters.

The word of God tells us what we who know the mercy of God should do. But the current concept of Christianity is this: At the beginning I am saved through the grace of the Lord and by His blood. After a while, as I advance a little, I should forsake the world. Then sometime later, I should forsake all and serve God. Yet this is the teaching of fallen Christianity. According to God’s word, however, the moment I am saved I am to enter in through the narrow gate, from whence I am called by the Lord to take up the cross (Matt. 7.13-14,16.24). Nothing is required if one is not a disciple. But in being a disciple, one must be absolute. To every saved person the Lord clearly places before him in advance the cost of discipleship. On the very first day of his salvation the believer meets the tomb. On that very first day he needs to forsake the world. We should not make the gospel cheap, thus rendering it powerless. The Lord never uses religious sales gimmicks to attract customers. On the one hand the gospel is the cheapest commodity; but on the other hand its cost is the highest—even the cost of Jesus’ blood. We need to be soundly saved. Only those who pay a cost can truly rejoice.

When the rich young ruler returned home from his encounter with the Lord Jesus, he still had his money and his "great possessions" with him but he had sorrow also (Matt 19.22). Where the grip of money is, there is bound to be sorrow. When money and its grip is gone, however, joy comes. Such kind of salvation demands total abandonment. Today many brothers and sisters are sorrowful like that young ruler. In their hands they hold on to what they could not lay down. Their only difference from the young ruler is that they have not yet turned away since they are still here meeting with the saints. To be joyful requires total consecration.

Last year I once asked a college student, "How would you feel if somebody were to strike you on your right cheek?" Most likely, the more you would think about it the angrier you would become. Yet the most hilarious person before the Lord is he who, having had his right cheek smitten, has then turned his left cheek to be struck also.

He who has been twice struck on the cheeks will be joyous and full of praise. Let us understand that the way of the Lord is absolute. A relative person cannot sing praises. We do not invite people to come and serve, since all God’s people are to serve. We only let you know that you are a God-serving person if you are one of His. God calls you to serve.

What kind of service is truly serving? Only body ministry is. As we have seen earlier, by definition being a Christian is to be a servant. So in order to have body ministry, there is the need for coordination of all the servant-Christians. What is coordination? It is not simply our being thrown together. To place my hand in the body at the latter’s disposal is useful, but if it is left upstairs it is useless.

Upon anyone becoming a Christian, has he consulted the Lord about his occupation, dwelling place, and business? Is his occupation conducive to the gospel? Is the place he moves to helpful to his spiritual life? All brothers and sisters are fellow workers and must give their all for the gospel. All need to be coordinated in service. The Lord desires us to serve in this coordinated way.

We should therefore tell the younger brothers and sisters that whatever they shall do in the coming days—whether that be as physicians, teachers or other professionals—they must undertake them as avocations. This is because each one of us lives to serve God. They must also be encouraged to let go their wealth. And why do they need to offer up their wealth? Because with it, they cannot serve God. The Lord declares that no man can serve two masters. No one can serve together both God and mammon (wealth, riches, possessions) (Matt. 6.24). We all, like the colt, must be loosened for service (Matt. 21.2).We all need to be freed from what ties us down in order to be able to serve. (W.Nee, Revive thy Work, CFP). :shocked: