Introduction
The priesthood of all believers is an essential truth for every believer in Christ. It gives guidelines for our function, privileges, powers and responsibilities in the congregation and the world. Jesus ushered in the new order of priesthood. There is much to be learned from the Old Testament priestly order as there are similarities that serve as shadows of the fulfillment that took place in Christ. Some time will be spent on the explaining of Old Testament passages that also foresee the continuation and multiplication of the priesthood in the last days. This will give clarity when we use Old Testament passages. The aim of this article is to make the congregation and the leaders of the church aware of their priestly functions in the church and the world. The faithful are deprived of many spiritual privileges, if their priesthood is not exploited.
The need for all believers in Christ to be functional in the House of God and the world.
Too many churches function as a “one man band” where the believers are mere spectators and denied the privilege to express their unique gifts and ministries, graciously granted to each and every believer by the Holy Spirit through our Lord Jesus Christ. If Christians do not function as priests and are denied the freedom in their churches to express this divine commission, the whole structure of the community of believers or church where they belong will be paralyzed and dysfunctional.
If all believers are priests of Christ our High Priest, as Peter stated in 1 Peter 2:9, it implies that all are serving in the House of God and all have function. The priesthood ushered in by Christ engages all believers and is not aimed at a special elite or class of dignitaries in the church. For too long, so-called ordinary believers were denied the privilege to give expression to this divine calling to the detriment of the church itself. The New Testament priesthood of Christ includes all believers in Christ.
The New Testament priesthood does not function as mediators between God and humans since there is only one mediator between God and humans, the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:5). Nor do the New Testament priesthood offer lambs as sacrifices for atonement, We proclaim the once-and-for-all atoning sacrifice of Jesus, the Lamb of God, on the cross as the only way and the only One who can forgive sins and reconcile humanity to God.. The New Testament sees their good deeds of service as spiritual sacrifices.
Continuous Education
It goes without saying that all believers must dedicate themselves to be educated continuously, to grow in their capabilities and to be worthy of their calling. Even new converts should be involved in basic functions. The Bible is very clear on the task of the leaders in the church to spend time educating the congregation.
Ephesians 4:11-12: “And he himself gave some as apostles and some as prophets and some as evangelists and some as pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ.“
Christ also gave a direct command to “Go make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days until the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20).
This teaching of the congregation is not just for self enrichment, but equipment for service in the congregation and the world.
All believers in Christ are the House of God – The use of metaphors
To understand our priestly functions, it is necessary to position the priesthood within its context, namely the temple or tabernacle model, pattern, or metaphor of the church or community of believers. This is one of many metaphors or symbolic representations that the New Testament writers used to convey spiritual truths and make it more comprehensible for us. They constantly remind us that we are collectively and individually the tabernacle, temple or House of the Lord. In this House of God metaphor, Christ serves as the High Priest and his followers as priests in the House (Temple) of God. This metaphor has been taken from the Old Testament to enrich our understanding of our priestly service in the congregation.
There are also other metaphors that the authors of the Bible used. Paul compares the believers in Christ with the body of Christ, which we can call the anatomical model, or the metaphor of the human body. He uses this example to explain the fact that as all body parts or members of a body have function, so all members of the congregation have function as well. There is no dormant body part in a healthy body. All are of importance, it doesn’t matter how tiny it is. In this model, Christ is the Head of the body giving life and coordination to the body to move properly and Christ is the highest authority as Head of the church. In the marriage model or contractual model, Christ is the Bridegroom and we the bride waiting in anticipation for His second coming. We are to be ready and busy serving when He arrives. It also depicts the intimate relationship between bride and bridegroom. In other posts we will expand these truths.
The perspective we are using in this series can be called the Architectural metaphor or model. As Paul and Peter, we compare the believers in Christ individually and collectively as the House of God. This perspective about the priesthood of all believers enlightens a crucial relationship that all believers were brought into with Christ namely Christ our High Priest. This heavenly ministry or office of Christ has been neglected, and consequently, the meaning of certain spiritual truths – such as atonement, reconciliation, the vicarious sacrifice of Christ on our behalf, and spiritual concepts like ransom – has also been overlooked in sermons and Bible studies. In Hebrews, Christ as High Priest is pictured as The High Priest and Head of God’s House. Consequently, His followers will be His priesthood, His co-workers in the House of God.
All believers in Christ are a priesthood
The Scriptures confirm that all believers in the present are a priesthood through the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy people, a people acquired as a possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:4-5 “Come to Him, the living Stone who was indeed rejected by men, but is chosen and precious by God; and let yourselves also be built up like living stones, into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
The Old Testament also foresees a time where God’s people will engage in priestly service.
Some other scriptures also testifies to this truth. To mention some:
Isaiah 61:6. “But you will be called priests of the LORD; it will be said to you: Servants of our God! You will eat the wealth of the nations and glory in their glory.”
Revelation 1:6-7 “…and of Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the Ruler over the kings of the earth! To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His blood and made us kings and priests to his God and Father, to Him be the glory and the power forever! Amen.”
Revelation 5:10 “…and made us kings and priests to our God, and we will rule as kings on earth.”
Revelation 20:6 “Blessed and holy is he who takes part in the first resurrection; over them the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him as kings for a thousand years.”
In the above mentioned scriptures, reference is made to our current role as priests and also our eschatological (the last days or end times) role as priests during the millennial reign of peace. Our focus for this post will be on our current role as priesthood.
The continuation and multiplication of the priesthood.
It is important to take note of some Old Testament prophecies preparing us that the Lord will, in the last days, multiply the priesthood. Scripture affirms that the priesthood will multiply like the sand of the sea in the last days. In Jeremiah 33, God speaks of a future where the Levites and priests will multiply like the sand of the sea.
Jeremiah 33:17-22 “For thus says the LORD: David will not lack a man who sits on the throne of the house of Israel; and the Levitical priests will never lack before me, a man, who always brings burnt offerings and sets food offerings on fire and prepares sacrifices. And the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying: Thus says the LORD: If you make my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night can break, that there is no day or night in their time, then also my covenant with David, my servant, will be broken, that there will be no son for him to reign on his throne, and with the Levites, the priests, my servants. As the host of heaven cannot be numbered and the sand of the sea cannot be measured, so I will multiply the descendants of my servant David, and the Levites who serve me.”
It is important to hover and ponder over these scriptures for a while in the light of the New Testament. It is not unusual for God in the Old Testament to express promises to be fulfilled under the gospel by expressions proper to the Old Testament. The Kingly Rule (Christ as Son of David) and the royal priesthood will abide in the church to the end of the world. Jeremiah 33:14-18 contains the promise of the restoration of the monarchy and the priesthood. Jeremiah 33:19-26 foresees the eternal continuance of these institutions, the monarchy and the priesthood. All true believers are a holy priesthood, a royal priesthood, they offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God; themselves, in the first place, as living sacrifices. It may be applied unto all believers now, who are priests unto God, and offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Christ.
Christ’s priesthood is mentioned in the following scriptures:
(Hebrew 2:17-18, Hebrew 3:1, Hebrew 4:14, Hebrew 7:17, Hebrew 7:21, Hebrew 7:24-28), and His followers’ spiritual priesthood and sacrifices (Jeremiah 33:11; Romans 12:1; Romans 15:16; 1 Peter 2:5, 1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:6), shall never cease, according to the covenant with Levi, broken by the priests, but fulfilled by Christ (Numbers 25:12, Numbers 25:13; Malachi 2:4, Malachi 2:5, Malachi 2:8)
According to Peter, the Old Testament prophecies were not only for that time but relevant for us in the New Testament.
1 Peter 1:10-12 “Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.”
Paul also testifies to the same:
Romans 15:4 “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”
2 Timothy 3:15 “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
2 Timothy 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”
In 1 Corinthians 9:10 and 10:11 Paul states that even what was written in the law of Moses was written for our sakes in the New Testament times. He also states that all these things that happened to the Israelites during the wilderness wanderings, happened as examples for our admonition, us living in the end times.
The Bible for all generations
Although Old Testament writers and prophets express spiritual truths within their own frame of reference using symbols of their own time, New Testament believers in Christ are intelligent enough through the Holy Spirit to interpret these truths in the light of the New Testament. For example; when they refer to the continuation and multiplication of priesthood and sacrifices, we understand that these are fulfilled in Christ, the Everlasting High Priest with his servants (all believers in Him) presenting spiritual sacrifices. We are co-workers doing our priestly duties, ministers of reconciliation and atonement. We work for Him, we are not mediators, we point people to Him, the mediator between God and sinful humans, through His atoning sacrifice on the cross. We live the message, we proclaim the message. We are beneficiaries of the message. We invite people to be reconciled to God through the Lord Jesus Christ. Our service to Christ and good deeds of love are considered spiritual sacrifices.
Conclusion
Since God foretold through Jeremiah and other prophets that He will see to it that there will be a continuation and multiplication of priesthood, it is the duty of leaders to assist in the equipment of the members of the church to fulfil their priestly duties. This is also supposed to awaken all believers to dedicate themselves to the task at hand and be willing to be educated in their ministries. The multiplication of priesthood in the last days is noticeable in the willingness of believers in Christ who make themselves available for service in the church. This is a movement inspired by the Holy Spirit. Leaders and members of the church should heed to this call. It is such a privilege for members of the congregation to work in the House of God. This is the place where He is present in a very special way. This is also a place where we have communion with Him and our fellow believers. His House is a place where we will be inspired and “… be built up like living stones, into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” a place where we will receive the inspiration and giftedness to be co-workers of Christ to build the indestructible spiritual House of God and to be equipped to proclaim the message of Christ, inviting people of the world to be reconciled with God. According to Hebrews 3:6, Christ is High Priest over God’s House and we are the House of God. This is what we proclaim: He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that, He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. (Hebrews 2:16-18) He raised from the dead, seated at the right hand of God continuing His ministry of reconciling people with Him, calling humans into a close relationship with God and Himself. Let us heed to Paul’s call: “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye be reconciled to God.“
In the following post we will focus on the origin of the priesthood in antiquity and how the priesthood is instrumental in the bridging of the alienation between humans and God. The priesthood also has the privilege of access to the throne of God. Christ Jesus as High Priest is also our example of how to do our service towards others in the congregation and the world.
To be Continued…