The Gospel in Ten Words (26 page)

Chapter
10: Royal

[68]
At the
time of Christ there was a two-tier priest system; an A-team consisting of the
scribes and Pharisees and a B-team consisting of regular Levites. That two-tier
system persists today in the clergy-laity distinction found within some
institutional churches. However, in the New Testament church, it is not
apparent that there was any such distinction. Every Christian is, by
definition, a royal priest serving under Jesus our high priest (see 1 Peter
2:9, 2 Corinthians 3:6).

[69]
H7287 (
ra
̂
da
̂
h
),
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance
.

[70]
The first time God ever said the word “king” was in this
promise made to Abraham (see Genesis 17:6), a promise he repeated to both Sarah
(Genesis 17:16) and Jacob (Genesis 35:11).

[71]
See Matthew 10:1, 8, 12:28, Mark 16:17
–
20, Luke 10:19, and John 14:12.

[72]
A bad report or the sight of a crippling disease can
inflame natural unbelief. At such times we have to “be zealous and exert
ourselves and strive diligently to enter that rest [
of God, to know and
experience it for ourselves
]” (Hebrews 4:11, AMP).

[73]
Job’s story is found
in Job 1:13–15, 20 and 2:8. David’s story is found in 1 Samuel 30:1–19.

The Test of Your
Gospel

[74]
I once heard a
well-known preacher say that “80 to 90 percent of Christians are unacquainted
with the gospel of grace.” Another notable teacher put that mark at closer to
95 percent. These are astonishing figures, yet I think they are sadly accurate.

[75]
See Galatians 4:15,
Job 8:21, and Psalms 126:2.