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Priests That Can Help UsThe Watchtower—1974 | April 15
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Just as the ancient Hebrew priests had authority to eat certain portions of the sacrifices offered, so these “priests to our God” have authority to eat from the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the altar of God’s “will,” which right the Jewish Levitical priests did not have because they rejected Jesus as the Messiah or Christ.—Heb. 13:10-15; John 6:48-58.
IN THE “COURTYARD”
This means that, while yet on earth, they are in the condition pictured by the courtyard (of the tabernacle and temples approved by God in the past) in which the copper altar of sacrifice was located. This is the condition of being declared righteous by God on the basis of their faith in Jesus Christ’s sacrifice. The apostle wrote: “We have been declared righteous as a result of faith,” and “we have been declared righteous now by his blood.”—Rom. 5:1, 9.
These priests, while on earth, are still in the imperfect, sin-laden flesh, yet are counted as righteous because of the application of the merit of Christ’s sacrifice. They have a righteous, uncondemned standing. Paul exclaims: “Thanks to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So, then, with my mind [the renewed Christian mind] I myself am a slave to God’s law, but with my flesh to sin’s law. Therefore those in union with Christ Jesus have no condemnation. For the law of that spirit which gives life in union with Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.”—Rom. 7:25–8:2.
Since their righteousness is not in their own merit they cannot add anything to the merit of Christ’s sacrifice. It alone has power to atone for sins. But they can offer to God through Christ the ‘sacrifices of praise’ and the doing of Christian good.—Heb. 13:15, 16.
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Priests That Can Help UsThe Watchtower—1974 | April 15
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RESURRECTION TO HEAVEN
These spirit-anointed ones look forward to an actual entrance into heaven in due time. As one of their fellow priests expressed it: “This hope we have as an anchor for the soul, both sure and firm, and it enters in within the curtain, where a forerunner has entered in our behalf, Jesus, who has become a high priest according to the manner of Melchizedek forever.”—Heb. 6:19, 20.
Jesus died, giving up his flesh, as represented by the ancient high priest’s entering through the curtain into the Most Holy. “Therefore, brothers,” says the inspired writer at Hebrews 10:19-22, “since we have boldness for the way of entry into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, which he inaugurated for us as a new and living way through the curtain, that is, his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with true hearts in the full assurance of faith.”
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