them unto us by His Spirit [light of the Lamp], for the Spirit
searcheth [revealeth] all things–yea, the deep [hidden] things of
God.” (1 Cor. 2:9)
The church nominal has always included both the justified and
sanctified classes–Levites and Priests. In Paul’s day certain parts
of his letters were addressed to the justified class (Levites), who
had not consecrated. Thus, after exhorting in Gal. 5, he winds up
by assuring them, that the things he complains of, are evidences
that they do not belong to the body of Christ (Priesthood); for, he
says, “They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the
affections and lusts.” Verse 24.
In the same way he addresses the Romans (Ch. 12: 1): “I
beseech you therefore, brethren [believers–justified by faith in
Christ–Levites], by the mercies of God [manifest through Christ in
our justification], that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice;
[that you consecrate wholly thus becoming priests] holy,
acceptable unto God.” Being justified freely by faith in Jesus, God
reckons you as sinless–holy–and has agreed to accept every such
sacrifice–”With such sacrifices he is ever well pleased.” By so
doing you become priests–members in particular of the High
Priest’s body.
The succeeding verse tells them what will result from so
consecrating–viz.: The transformation of their minds. Their wills
being renewed, they will be priests–new creatures, possessing the
spirit of Christ. The fact that at this time they have not the spirit of
sacrifice–glad obedience to God’s will, is an evidence that they are
not members of Christ, he is none of His.” (Rom. 8: 9) And it
seems evident to us, that by far the larger proportion of the early
churches (much more so of the modern worldly mixture-
confusion–Babylon, of the present day) were merely Levites, doing
the service of the Sanctuary, but not sacrificing.
Looking back at the type in the Law, we find that there were
17,160 Levites appointed in the shadowy service, while only five
Priests were appointed for the shadowy sacrificing. (Num. 4: 36,
40, 44, 48; Ex. 28:1) It may be that this, as much as the other
features of that shadow, was designed to illustrate the proportion of
justified believers to self-sacrificing consecrated ones. Though now
the nominal church numbers millions, yet when a fair allowance is
made for hypocrites, and one in every three thousand of the balance
supposed to be living sacrifices, (a correct proportion according to
the type,) it seems quite evident that the Lord did not make a
misstatement when He said, that they who would receive the