ROYAL PRIESTHOOD QUALIFICATIONS: THE PURE IN HEART

(Message by Tanny Keng)

1. Royal Priesthood 

1 Peter 2:9-10 NKJV
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; {10} who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. 

2. The Qualifications and Blessings of Priesthood 

a)  We believe that what we call the beatitudes that Jesus gave at the Sermon on the Mount are the qualifications and blessings of priesthood in the Kingdom of God. Immediately following the beatitudes Jesus spoke that we are salt and light in reaching the lost world. Salt is for taste and light is to see, we believe that as we operate in the beatitudes as priest reaching the lost world people will taste and see that the Lord is good.

(Matthew 5:3-12 NKJV) 
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. {4} Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. {5} Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. {6} Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. {7} Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. {8} Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. {9} Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. {10} Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. {11} “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. {12} “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

3. Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.

a) A priest must have a clean heart to approach the presence of God and so that we can enlighten sinners with the Gospel. David prayed in... 

(Psalms 51:10-13 NKJV) 
Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. {11} Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. {12} Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit. {13} Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You.

b) A priest must have a clean heart to get revelations from God and about God. Holiness allows us to see God.  

(Hebrews 12:14 NIV) 
Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

c) Having a clean heart before God gives us confidence and faith to receive the promises of God from His Word.  

(1 John 3:21-23 NKJV) 
Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. {22} And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. {23} And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.


The End ...

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