What’s wrong with the Priesthood Now?
If believers are taught to shine our lights and our religious leaders help us to do that, why are things so dark so often? Are we shining our lights in truth? Have we rejected the clergy for doing their jobs? What does it even mean to “let your light shine?” Are our religious institutions’ practices, too often, hindrances to true worship? Let’s get back to basics!
What are we doing?
Part of the problem with the priesthood now is that the Father is so good to us that, it seems, we’ve forgotten our dependency on him. We sometimes forget that it’s really not us doing anything, but the Father working in us. In this way, we’ve created so many veils to actually doing the Father’s will and we’ve done our own will or the will of our various institutions. We need humility!
Truth is not Democratic
In Matthew 6:10-12, Christ called those who would be reviled and persecuted for righteousness’ sake blessed. However, the contempt and reproach borne by true servants of the Lord is tough. In many ways, the clergy has adopted more of an entertainment approach than an ecclesiastical one due to the reproach, partially for money. But part of the job entails revealing the sin, crookedness, and iniquity, to use a scriptural word, of the people! Consider this admonition of the Lord:
“Your seers prophesied to you delusion and folly. They did not expose your iniquity so as to restore your fortunes but prophesied to you oracles of delusion and deception.”
Lamentations 2: 14
Lost in Translation
Because our scripture has been compiled over a long time through many dialects and languages, much of the symbolism and cultural nuance has been missing. Western eyes have been blinded by hubris and ignorance and have missed the mark. Often, the use of natural and agricultural metaphors and analogies have caused us to take some descriptions literally that shouldn’t be causing great confusion.
One size fits all???
The pattern of priesthood established by Moses included several different jobs that all had the title priest. Today, especially in the Christian church, there is a prevalence of the same structure of priest or minister all doing the exact same thing! In some cities in America, there is a church on practically every other corner! There is a lot undone because the Father’s people aren’t shining in enough places.
Service is Paramount!
Throughout scripture it is recorded that the priest’s job included service to the fatherless, the widow, the stranger, the blind, etc. The priests were supposed to care for the least of the people. The priesthood was to be the foremost provider of service to the community, not by membership like a club, but by duty to the Father.