What does Tribe teach about priesthood of believers?
Drawn from the messages where it was actually addressed: the words said from the front, the passages taught, and where to hear the whole thing.
At Tribe, the teaching on the priesthood of believers is rooted in the long story of the tribe of Levi and what happened to that story when Jesus arrived. Justin traced that arc in week six of the Leviticus series, starting with Levi's troubled origins and following it all the way into the New Testament. The Levites were set apart after the golden calf episode as the ones who stood with God when everyone else turned away, and they became the people who carried the tabernacle, protected the priesthood, and brought the law to every tribe in Israel. That was always meant to be a bridge between God and his people, but by the time of Malachi the priests were corrupt, the offerings were compromised, and the system had broken down from the inside.
Malachi's promise was that God would send a messenger to prepare the way, and then the Lord himself would come to purify the sons of Levi like a refiner purifies silver. Justin described an image from an old devotional of a refiner knowing the work is done when he can see his own reflection in the metal. The point he drew from it was straightforward: the refining continues until Christ sees himself reflected in us. Justin put it plainly, saying, "As we behold Jesus, we become more like him." Jesus is not only the one doing the refining but the standard the refining is aimed at.
Hebrews and 1 Peter carry that forward into what it means for anyone who follows Jesus today. The Levitical priesthood pointed toward something it could not itself accomplish. Jesus is the great high priest who entered the most holy place not with animal blood but with his own, and through him every believer has direct access to God. First Peter 2 names followers of Jesus a royal priesthood, which means the calling the Levites carried, to bring people near to God and to speak his word among every tribe, now belongs to all who are in Christ. The scattering Jacob prophesied over Levi turned out to be a purpose, and Justin's argument was that the same is true now: the church scattered into the world is not a problem to be solved but the priesthood doing its work.
Taught from 1 Peter 2:4-5, 9 · Malachi 3:1-4 · Hebrews 9:11-14 · Hebrews 4:14-16 · 2 Corinthians 3:12-18
“As we behold Jesus, we become more like him.”
From Levi, Leviticus, and Us ｜ Justin
The passage taught · 1 Peter 2:4-5, 9
4 coming to him, a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, precious.
5 You also, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
World English Bible
Messages that go deeper
- March 24, 2025 Levi, Leviticus, and Us ｜ Justin A Wyoming church traces God's story from Levi through Moses to Jesus, showing how Christ fulfilled and replaced the Old Testament priesthood for all believers.
- March 23, 2025 Levi, Leviticus, Levite, and Us A guest speaker traces the tribe of Levi from Genesis to Jesus, showing how Christ fulfilled the priesthood and what it means for ordinary believers to live as priests today.