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The Corporate Christ - Our Great High Priest

The Corporate Christ; The Lampstand Church

The Corporate Christ; The Priesthood After Melchizedek

The Corporate Christ; The Kingdom of Priests

The Corporate Christ; The Body of The High Priest

 

March 10, 2015

In the last study we showed how the Lampstand Church was made of Pure Gold of hammered work. There was no wood in the Lampstand so the Lampstand was NOT made up of human or fallen beings of the species of first Adam. The wood in the Table and the Altar of Incense speak to us of created things but not which is corrupted. The Lampstand is made up of CHRIST, not humans and not created things. Christ is Pure Gold! Therefore, the Lampstand IS THE CORPORATE CHRIST.

1Cor 12:12 For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.

It is very important that we review the facts about “the Eternal Christ”; The Living and Abiding Word of God; and the Man Christ Jesus. The Christ, “Khristos”, the Anointed One.

Christos khris-tos' From G5548; anointed, that is, the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus: - Christ.

The Christ; the Spirit of Christ; The Living Word of God is eternal but was made available to us following Calvary! It is important that we understand that CHRIST, the Living and Abiding Word of God is ETERNAL. The Spirit of Christ, the Living and Abiding Word of God, become the Spora, the Sperma, the Semen of God, the Divine Seed, by which we were Born of God and became the children of God. It was THIS Semen of God that impregnated Mary so that Jesus, the Christ, Messiah, Khristos, was born. Jesus was conceived by the Word of God and that is exactly the way we must be born of God. Why? That is because we must be the exact same species as Jesus. Adam is NOT and neither can be Christian! Why? The first Adam and all his progeny is of the wrong species. Jesus is one of us and we are of the same species as Jesus. EVERY Christian must, therefore, be born of the Semen of God to be the children of God. To imply that we can say certain words or believe a certain doctrine and that is the same as “receiving the semen of God” is rather strange.

1Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony borne at the proper time.

One of US, the Man, Christ Jesus, is seated at the Right Hand of God and has become the ONE mediator between God and mankind. This “MAN” was not born by the will of man or by the will of the flesh; not of perishable Sperma but by the imperishable Semen of God. All Children of God MUST be born the same way, through the imperishable Semen of God. It really is “CHRIST” in you that is your hope of Glory! Why? That is because “CHRIST is our LIFE.” To be perfectly clear, it is essential that we make a distinction between the Man, Christ Jesus, and the Eternal Christ; the Spirit of Christ. Jesus was born of Mary but He was conceived by God. The Spirit of Christ, the Semen of the Father, The Living and Abiding Word of God, was required for Him to be born as the Son of God. He grew up into CHRIST so His name now is the Word of God! It is for that very reason that every Christian MUST be Born Again, or Born of God. Unless we have received the Spirit of Christ we have no Life that is eternal.

Col 3:1 If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

Col 1:26 that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations; but has now been manifested to His saints, 27 to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 And we proclaim Him, [Christ] admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may present every man complete in Christ.

It is “CHRIST” in you and not “JESUS” in you. The Man, Christ Jesus, is seated at the right hand of God. He is one of us, who were born by God, and He, Jesus, is NOT in us, it is CHRIST in us. Christ Jesus, the man, grew up in all things into CHRIST and now He is called the Word of God. He is Jesus, the Christ of God.

The purpose of this study is to define the Corporate Christ as those who were BORN by the Living and Abiding Word of God, by the Divine Semen, by the Spirit of Christ!

1Cor 12:12 For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.

From this understanding of the ONE BODY “which is Christ” we derive the term “the Corporate Christ.”

1Cor 12:27 Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it.

It is from this simple understanding that we derive our perception that God is raising up “members” of the Body of our High Priest. It is these MEMBERS along with the HEAD (Christ Jesus) that we derive the term “THE CORPORATE CHRIST.” The “HEAD” along with the Body of our High Priest is the Corporate Christ. Why? Every member of this Body was born by the Divine Semen, “Christ,” the Living and Abiding Word of God.

Romans 8:9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

Rom 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.

1Peter 1:22 Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, 23 for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God.

SEED spora spor-ah' From G4687; a sowing, that is, (by implication) parentage: - seed. Total KJV occurrences: 1

Gal 3:16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, "And to seeds," as referring to many, but rather to one, "And to your seed," [Sperma] that is, Christ.

Abraham’s “seed” [sperma] refers to his semen. (the male sperm);

sperma sper'-mah From G4687; somethng sown, that is, seed (including the male sperm); by implication offspring; specifically a remnant (figuratively as if kept over for planting): - issue, seed.

Our purpose in this study is to focus upon the “Corporate Christ.” Why? That is because the Lampstand is the Corporate Christ! It is Pure Gold! The Lampstand is the Church [Full Grown and Glorious]. This is the one Church He is Building! The Glorious Church is the Corporate Christ, made up of many members but in ONE ENTITY. Our High Priest is Corporate in that same way. One High Priest but with many members!

The Corporate Christ – Our Great High Priest

The Head is obviously Christ Jesus. The many members of His body is also Christ, the mature saints, who are “clothed with Christ.” Jesus is not only our Savior but NOW, He is the Great High Priest, the King, the Priest after the Order of Melchizedek. We, also, have been called to that same Priesthood! In fact, that is the ONLY Priesthood that exists today. That is the ONLY priesthood (ministry) that can bring the saints ( the believers) to perfection.

Heb 7:11 Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron? 12 For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also.

The question we are investigating is this; “does our High Priest have many members in His body?”

We are assuming that the Kingdom of Priests are all members of one body.

1Cor 12:12 For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.

We are not implying that Jesus Christ is NOT our exclusive High Priest. What we are implying is that Jesus Christ is the Head and the “members” are His Body. If that is true then the Head PLUS the members make up the Corporate Christ. As the “Corporate Christ” we may sit with Him on His Throne and Rule with Him.

The question remains; ARE WE IN CHRIST or not? Is His Body also Christ as we see in 1 Corinthians 12? If the Garments are Christ then the members of His body are IN CHRIST! If we are clothed with Christ then we are in the Garments which are Christ.

In that same way, the Lampstand Church is one Lampstand but is made up of many members and this combination is the Corporate Christ, so also the High Priest is one Priesthood but made up of many members. The Priesthood after the Order of Melchizedek is one but made up of many members. The Priesthood is the Corporate Christ.

John 17:21 that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me. 22 "And the glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just as We are one; 23 I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, and didst love them, even as Thou didst love Me. 24 "Father, I desire that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am, in order that they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me; for Thou didst love Me before the foundation of the world.

Some verses, about being one with Him, and Him being one with us, are very difficult to explain. We all being in, of, and one with the Father is nearly impossible to explain. If we could reconcile these verses with the Corporate Christ rather than with the Man, Christ Jesus, it might be easier to comprehend. If we can accept that the Living and Abiding Word of God, the Spirit of Christ, make up our eternal being, the new inner man, all these mysteries may be rather simple to understand. If we could accept that our new inner man, the Christian, is not of the species of the first Adam made up of flesh and blood, but is of that eternal substance that is Christ, we could understand how we could be IN HIM and He could be IN US.

The Eternal Christ is one and He is distributed to believers as the SPIRIT OF CHRIST. Why? That is because God is Spirit, the Father is Spirit, the Word is Spirit and the Holy Spirit is Spirit. The Living Word of God, the Spirit of Christ, is Spirit. The “Spirit of Christ” is also Holy. The Spirit of Christ is NOT the Holy Spirit. We are ‘born again” by the Spirit of Christ but we are Baptized or immersed into the Holy Spirit at our personal Pentecost. Those who have been baptized in the Holy Spirit make up a Corporate Group. Why? They have ALL been baptized {immersed} by one Spirit into one body. To speak about the “body of Christ” among those who have not been “baptized into one body” by ONE SPIRIT seems rather strange.

1Cor 12:12 For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many.

απτίζω baptizō Thayer Definition: 1) to dip repeatedly, to immerse, to submerge (of vessels sunk) 2) to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water, to wash one’s self, bathe 3) to overwhelm

Our theme is still the Corporate Priesthood!

1Peter 2:4 And coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected by men, but choice and precious in the sight of God, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For this is contained in Scripture: "BEHOLD I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED." 7 This precious value, then, is for you who believe. But for those who disbelieve, "THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER stone," 8 and, "A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE"; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed. 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 excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

The FIRST STONE to be laid in this “ spiritual house” was Our Lord Jesus Christ. There are still many living stones yet to be laid as one piece with this “house.” This “Spiritual House” is being built up for a Holy Priesthood. This is a “corporate house” for a “corporate Priesthood.” It requires more than one stone to build up a corporate house.

The “First Stone” was laid in Zion and He (singular) became the “Precious Corner Stone.” Now these “living Stones” (plural) are laid in conjunction with the Corner Stone to make up this “one spiritual house.” ONE HOUSE; Many Living Stones, make up one corporate house!

It should be obvious that these “living stones” must also be laid in Zion. Why? That is where the corner stone was laid! These living stones are being laid in Zion for a Holy Priesthood. It should be obvious that this Priesthood is a Corporate Group that functions “out of Zion.” Why? That is because if the First Stone of this “spiritual house” is laid in Zion then all corresponding “living stones” must also be laid in Zion. One “spiritual house” cannot have two locations. The location of this “Holy Priesthood” is Zion!

This removes this Priesthood from the ordinary and casual and establishes this Royal Priesthood as a functioning group that are built together ( as a Spiritual House) on Zion, the Most Holy Place, the Throne of God!

Rev 3:19 'Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 'Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me. 21 'He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 22 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"

The fact that HIS THRONE is on Zion should not be controversial. Nor should the “ROYAL” Priesthood dwelling on Zion seem strange! If this can be accepted, it should not be difficult to make an application to link the Royal Priesthood to OVERCOMING.

royal >adjective 1 relating to or having the status of a king or queen or a member of their family. 2 of a quality or size suitable for a king or queen; >noun, informal a member of the royal family.

The “royal Priesthood” is part of the Corporate Royal Family. Our Theme is still the functioning Body of our High Priest. Our hypothesis was that this is a Corporate Body, with ONE HEAD, but made up of many members. Each “member” being a priest after the Order of Melchizedek. This Corporate Priesthood, the Corporate High Priest, stands on Mount Zion.

Rev 14:1 And I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps. 3 And they *sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth. 4 These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they have kept themselves chaste. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb.

I am not certain that we can make an accurate application between the Royal Priesthood and the 144,000 standing on Mont Zion. Still, the fact that all these MUST be of the new creation and those perfected within the New Covenant, we can at last give a partial explanation to these verses. Other translations say that these were REDEEMED for among men.

Rev 14:4 These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they have kept themselves chaste. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb.

Only the New Inner man (that which has been redeemed) can qualify to stand on Zion. The New Inner man is not of the First Adam species. He is not Jew or Gentile or even male or female. Why? He is not of that human species. For that reason the New Inner Man is not defiled with women through some sexual perversion. They can have these higher names of the Father and the Son written upon them and they can sing a new and different kind of song. They are part of the First Fruit Harvest and they are blameless and according to Ephesians 5:26 they are glorious.

Eph 5:25----- just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her; 26 that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless.

Even though we are not certain about that explanation, of Revelation 14, it does support our theory about the Corporate High Priest and where He stands. Revelation 14 also supports our theory that even AFTER the First Fruits are on Zion that there are still other harvests to be reaped from the earth before the final end of the age!

Rev 14:15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying out with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Put in your sickle and reap, because the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe." 16 And He who sat on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth; and the earth was reaped. 17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel, the one who has power over fire, came out from the altar; and he called with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, "Put in your sharp sickle, and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, because her grapes are ripe."

While there were several different harvests of the earth by different angels, it was for one corporate purpose.

The New Jerusalem is ONE CITY but it is made up of the corporate bride of Christ, a many member group. The Bride is not one person but a corporate group of perfected saints joined together as one Corporate Bride which is revealed as one Corporate and Glorious City.

For the Church, the perfected saints, to be ONE as He and the Father are ONE surely supports the concept of a Corporate High Priest, a Corporate Bride, a Corporate Mount Zion, and a Corporate City. When He returns in Revelation 19, He comes with an ARMY, a corporate group.

We might even add a corporate hell and a corporate burning bottomless pit. We might even point to a “corporate” false prophet. We might be able to make an application to a “corporate” harlot. Islam or some other group might be seen as a “corporate” beast. Israel (Jacob) was one man but now Israel is a “Corporate” nation.

Psalm 2:6 "But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain." 7 "I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, 'Thou art My Son, Today I have begotten Thee. 8 'Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Thine inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Thy possession. 9 'Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, Thou shalt shatter them like earthenware.'"

As we can see from the artist renderings of the High Priest and His Garments, that the members of His body must function within His Garments. While each priest had to have on the white garments, and breeches which were linen, only the High Priest was clothed like the picture in this document. ONLY the High Priest had access to the Most Holy Place and that ONLY once a year. Now WE have access but with which garments?

While all of Exodus 28 is required to define Aaron’s Garments, the description of the son’s garments require only a few verses. This defines the White Garments that were required to minister in the Holy Place. The absence of these garments resulted in death.

Exodus 28:40 "And for Aaron's sons you shall make tunics; you shall also make sashes for them, and you shall make caps for them, for glory and for beauty. 41 "And you shall put them on Aaron your brother and on his sons with him; and you shall anoint them and ordain them and consecrate them, that they may serve Me as priests. 42 "And you shall make for them linen breeches to cover their bare flesh; they shall reach from the loins even to the thighs. 43 "And they shall be on Aaron and on his sons when they enter the tent of meeting, or when they approach the altar to minister in the holy place, so that they do not incur guilt and die. It shall be a statute forever to him and to his descendants after him.

Exodus 39:27 And they made the tunics of finely woven linen for Aaron and his sons, 28 and the turban of fine linen, and the decorated caps of fine linen, and the linen breeches of fine twisted linen, 29 and the sash of fine twisted linen, and blue and purple and scarlet material, the work of the weaver, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

It may be a stretch but I think it is proper to link the Fine Linen of the Priests garments with the fine linen that describes the Brides Garments! Fine linen speaks of the “righteous acts of the saints.” It was HER garments that separated HER and identified HER as different from the multitudes in heaven. It was those clothed in FINE LINEN that returned with him on white horses in Revelation 19.

When Aaron went into the Most Holy Place he wore the Linen garments exactly as prescribed. (Not the Beautiful Garments)

Lev 16:3 "Aaron shall enter the holy place with this: with a bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. 4 "He shall put on the holy linen tunic, and the linen undergarments shall be next to his body, and he shall be girded with the linen sash, and attired with the linen turban (these are holy garments). Then he shall bathe his body in water and put them on.

If you follow the context you will see this is referring to entering the Most Holy Place because when he came out he made atonement for the Altar of Incense. The “Holy Place” here is referring to the Most Holy Place! Making “ATONEMENT” on the Altar of Incense was to cleanse it, and from the impurities of the sons of Israel and to consecrate it. This blood was used for sin offering on the Mercy Seat but the blood was used for CLEANSING from impurities on the Altar of Incense.

Lev 16:17 "When he goes in to make atonement in the holy place, no one shall be in the tent of meeting until he comes out, that he may make atonement for himself and for his household and for all the assembly of Israel. 18 "Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the blood of the bull and of the blood of the goat, and put it on the horns of the altar on all sides. 19 "And with his finger he shall sprinkle some of the blood on it seven times, and cleanse it, and from the impurities of the sons of Israel consecrate it.

The Garments of the High Priest was the plain linen garments, the linen breeches, the linen cap and the linen sash when He went into the Most Holy Place to sprinkle the blood on the Mercy Seat and to cleanse the Altar of Incense. This holds a great mystery that we should seek out. Why? That is because it was between Calvary, the resurrection and His return in John 20 that our High Priest entered into the Most Holy Place to sprinkle His Own Blood on the Mercy Seat. We certainly were not involved in that transaction because He alone was qualified to accomplish that level of Atonement!

In fact we were NOT included in anything “in Him” until after John 20: 22. What we are referring to, in this study, is what our High Priest is accomplishing in and with us today and in the Kingdom to come.

Our hypothesis is that while our Great High Priest is functioning today at the Right Hand of God, even so, there is ALSO a Royal Priesthood that is either being prepared or is being built into a Spiritual house, or is functioning as a “ministry” during the church age.

Our theory is that “the perfection of the saints”, “the maturity of the church”, will require a “fivefold ministry” (Priesthood) DURING this church age. Why? That is the way and function that God has ordained for the “perfection of the saints.”

For this “ministry” to become effective it is essential that “this corporate ministry” must originate in the Holy Place! Since this realm is only available to the “royal Priesthood” (after the Order of Melchizedek) our theory is that the “Five fold Ministry” MUST first make the transition into the Royal Priesthood to qualify.

If we are still frustrated that this “perfecting” ministry does not seem to be functioning today, it is important that SOMEBODY becomes the pioneer and grow up in all things into CHRIST, make the transition to the Holy Place Life AND the Priesthood Ministry. Why? These are the “Mature Ones” who will be qualified to bring the church to perfection. It is the lack of these “Mature Ones” that has permitted this pitiful condition in the visible church to endure from generation to generation.

But, brother, how do you know that is still valid today? If the Priesthood after the Order of Aaron was able to bring the church to perfection there would have been NO NEED to change the priesthood from the natural man, operating out of the intellect, to the Priesthood after the Order of Melchizedek. This “perfecting Priesthood” must begin to function in the fulness of the Holy Spirit. That “fulness” refers to the “Seven Spirits of God” (the seven flames of fire) that illuminate (reveal) everything in front of the Pure Gold Lampstand. It is the “Fulness of the Holy Spirit,” illuminating the “five fold ministry” (revealing the mysteries) that is essential to bring the church to the Perfection necessary for the Lampstand Church.

Why is that so critical today? That is because the “perfection of the Lampstand” is not our highest calling! If we can “OVERCOME” at the Lampstand level, under the discipline and watchful eye of the Lord, Christ Jesus, our High Priest, we can be then elevated to the next dimension of the Most Holy Place, the Bride, the New Jerusalem, the Mount Zion of God! That means to the Perfection necessary to participate at the Throne of God!

Since the visible church is so far from that reality, our purpose is NOT

to discourage but to encourage EVERY believer to begin to seek God and offer themselves to God as living sacrifices.