Priesthood of all believers

Introduction:     

The ministry of Jesus presupposes the royal priesthood to which all Christians are called as the redeemed of Jesus.  In other religions the priest is a person appointed to stand between God and men, to maintain satisfactory relations between them.  In the Hindu priesthood, for example, this intermediary action consists in keeping the traditions of the right way of approaching the deity, giving advice when he is offended, and doing what is needed to reconcile the offender.  In Christ, the one true High Priest, the fragments of truth here, as in the Jewish priestly and sacrificial system, are gathered together and fulfilled.  He offered, once and for all, the sacrifice, not of animals but of himself.  Jesus is the true representative of mankind before God.  His earthly ministry did not end on the cross but continued in his Body the Church to which he gives himself through the Holy Spirit. .  We will explore here the priesthood of all believers of Christ.

1          Priesthood of all believers:        Jesus’ earthly ministry did not end on the cross but continued in his Body the Church to which he gives himself through the Holy Spirit.  His real and abiding presence is the supreme means of grace, enabling the church to share his life and work.  In virtue of this the church has a priestly function derived from him.  In the NT, priestly language is used of the church as a whole (1 Pet.2:9).  It does its work in offering access to God through Jesus Christ, risen and ascended.  As members of the church all believers are priests, called to offer spiritual sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving.  This fact lies behind the phrase ‘the priesthood of all believers.’

2          Collective priestly function:        The phrase ‘the priesthood of all believers’ is often misunderstood.  Through their connection with Christ, all believers are partakers in the one true sacrifice for sin, and the way is opened between them and God.  All are self-sacrificing priests in virtue of their access to God and they have the responsibility to open to others the gate of faith through which they have passed.  There is a Christian priesthood.  It is of the Body of Christ, mediating the things of God to the world.  But the only priests under the Gospel are the members of the Church.  However, this does not mean that every service in the Church can be performed with the same fitness by any members.  To do this there is a principle of representative selection as we noticed below.

3          Representative selection for particular duties:  The corporate life of the Church requires special gifts and graces for the discharge of particular duties.  In practice, the Church has always recognized the principle of representative selection.  It exercises much of its collective function through men duly set apart, trained and appointed.

            However, it must be insisted that this does not establish a separate priestly caste with exclusive rights.  If the minister is a priest it is not in his own right but as sharing in the priestly office of the whole Church.  In so far as certain persons speak and act on behalf of the whole Church, they represent the Body in the discharge of its priestly responsibilities and privileges.  Their authority is derived from and through the Church.  The call of Christ does not create a special separation of the ministry from the believing Body of which he is a member.

Conclusion:       The whole Church is called to proclaim the Gospel; all Christians have a share in passing on the Good News.  To this end, God calls some in the Body to special functions and sets them apart, free from other work, to make the study and proclamation of his Word their main work.  The Church as a whole is the object of God’s saving work and the instrument of his saving purpose for the world.