TBC Doctrinal Class - The Priesthood Of All Believers (Part 13)

TBC DOCTRINAL STATEMENT 14 The Priesthood of All Believers STATEMENT 14 We believe In the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:9). QUIZ A bit of church history In Martin Luther’s day, there was a huge gap between the laity (non-ordained people) and the clergy (ordained for ministry) in the Roman Catholic Church. Photo: Ajznponar By the late Middle Ages in most places in Europe, only clergy could . . . • preach • lead corporate prayers • read the scripture • administer the sacraments (and only in Latin) • sing • take the cup and the bread in communion Laypeople (the laity) must . . . • attend church • tithe 10% of income • support the local priest with food • work for free on church lands at various times • listen as the monks sing and priest gives sermon • confess their sins to the priest Laypeople (the laity) could . . . • attend multiple services per day (including weekdays) • take communion once per year (but only the bread) • pay for prayers for the dead • go on pilgrimages • venerate relics (for healing/ miracles) The effect of the clergy/laypeople divide . . . • created artificial distance between God and people • created false distinctions between laypeople and clergy • diminished biblical unity • erased the priesthood of all believers The result = sacerdotalism : religious belief emphasizing the powers of priests as essential mediators between God and humankind https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sacerdotalism. accessed 12 August 2025 What drove the sacerdotalism of Luther’s day? Their view of how God communicated to and related to His people. Jesus Mary Saints & Archangels Angels Pope Cardinals Archbishops Bishops Priests Laypeople Luther came along and said . . . 1. The clergy and the laity share the same essence or status before God. However, 2. The clergy and the laity have different roles/ functions within the Church. But, 3. Being a priest is not one of those differences. 4. In fact, we are all priests. Martin Luther on the difference between status and function “There is no true, basic difference between laymen and priests, princes and bishops, between religious and secular, except for the sake of office and work, but not for the sake of status.” (bolding mine;Martin Luther, Works, 44:130) Martin Luther on the difference between status and function “They are all of the spiritual estate, all are truly priests, bishops, and popes. But they do not all have the same work to do.” (bolding mine; Martin Luther, Works, 44:130) Do pastors and laypeople share the same status in Christ? Colossians 3:10–11 (ESV) and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its Creator. 11Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. Do pastors and laypeople share the same status in Christ? Galatians 3:26–29 (ESV) for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. Was Luther right that we are “all of the spiritual estate, all are truly priests”? God’s plan for a kingdom of priests Exodus 19:5–6 (ESV) Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.” God’s plan for a kingdom of priests Isaiah 61:6 (ESV) but you shall be called the priests of the LORD; they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God; you shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory you shall boast. God’s plan for a kingdom of priests 1 Peter 2:5 (ESV) you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. God’s plan for a kingdom of priests 1 Peter 2:9 (ESV) But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. God’s plan for a kingdom of priests Revelation 1:5–6 (ESV) and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. God’s plan for a kingdom of priests Revelation 5:9–10 (ESV) And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, 10and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” God’s plan for a kingdom of priests Revelation 20:6 (ESV) Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. Is the priesthood of the believers about me individually or about all of us corporately? 1. Grammatically, the focus is always on a plurality of priests becoming a singular entity (e.g., nation, priesthood, house, etc.). 1 Peter 2:5 (ESV) you yourselves [plural] like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood [singular], to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:9 (ESV) But you [plural] are a chosen race, a royal priesthood [singular], a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you [plural] may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you [plural] out of darkness into his marvelous light. Is the priesthood of the believers about me individually or about all of us corporately? 1. Grammatically, the focus is always on a plurality of priests becoming a singular entity (e.g., nation, priesthood, house, etc.). Exodus 19:6 (ESV) and you [plural] shall be to me a kingdom [singular] of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.” Is the priesthood of the believers about me individually or about all of us corporately? 1. Grammatically, the focus is always on a plurality of priests becoming a singular entity (e.g., nation, priesthood, house, etc.). Revelation 1:6 (ESV) and made us [plural] a kingdom [singular], priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Revelation 5:10 (ESV) and you have made them [plural] a kingdom [singular] and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” Is the priesthood of the believers about me individually or about all of us corporately? 2. Historically, the OT priesthood was always highly structured and organised. 2 Chronicles 8:14 (ESV) According to the ruling of David his father, he [Solomon] appointed the divisions of the priests for their service, and the Levites for their offices of praise and ministry before the priests as the duty of each day required, and the gatekeepers in their divisions at each gate, for so David the man of God had commanded. Is the priesthood of the believers about me individually or about all of us corporately? 2. Historically, priesthoods are always structured. Priests were never meant to be rogue agents doing their own thing and/or making it up as they go. Luke 1:5, 8-9 (ESV) In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. . . . . 8Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. The structure of the OT priesthood meant . . . •health requirements •marriage standards •some priests were “on duty” while others were “off duty” •mandatory retirement age •only 1 high priest •not everybody got the privilege of doing everything •some priests were noted for their teaching ability (e.g., Ezra) Abuse #1: obliteration of offices “‘Primitive Christianity” — a so-called return to New Testament Christianity where any person could be a preacher and any gathering a church. No longer were there biblical distinctions of office or role. The priesthood of all believers was transmogrified into the priesthood of the believer.” — Ryan Griffith bolding mine; italics in original“Priesthood of All Believers? How a Vital Truth Goes Awry” 2 July 2023 https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/priesthood-of-all-believers Correction: the priesthood equalises status, not roles “It is pure invention that pope, bishop, priests, and monks are called the spiritual estate while princes, lords, artisans, and farmers are called the temporal estate. This is indeed a piece of deceit and hypocrisy. Yet no one need be intimidated by it, and for this reason: all Christians are truly of the spiritual estate, and there is no difference among them except that of office. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12 that we are all one body, yet every member has its own work by which it serves the others.” (bolding mine; Martin Luther, Works, 44:127) Does our being priests mean that all of us have the same role or function in the church? Romans 12:3–6a (ESV) For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.6Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; Does our being priests mean that all of us have the same role or function in the church? The very same book that tells us that we are priests also tells us that we have gifts that divide into speaking and serving gifts. 1 Peter 4:10–11 (ESV)As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:11whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Does the priesthood of all believers eliminate elders and other church offices? Several N.T. books that speak to the priesthood of all believers also explicitly mentions formal leadership offices. 1 Peter 5:5 (ESV) Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Hebrews 13:17a (ESV) Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Revelation 5:5 (ESV)And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” Abuse #2: Private judgement “In my own tradition, Baptist leaders like Francis Wayland (1796–1865) and even E.Y. Mullins (1860–1928) argued that each individual person was independently competent to determine matters of religious importance. This logic inevitably led to the idea that every believer has the absolute right to private judgment about biblical doctrine and the liberty to interpret Scripture with complete autonomy.” —Ryan Griffith bolding mine; “Priesthood of All Believers? How a Vital Truth Goes Awry” 2 July 2023 https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/priesthood-of-all-believers Abuse #2: Private judgement “The practical effect, as historian Winthrop Hudson famously said, was “to make every man’s hat his own church” (Baptists in Transition, 142).” Ryan Griffith bolding mine; italics in original“Priesthood of All Believers? How a Vital Truth Goes Awry” 2 July 2023 https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/priesthood-of-all-believers Correction view The “priesthood of believers does not mean, ‘I am a priest. I can believe anything I want to.’ It means rather, ‘As a priest in a covenanted community of believers, I must be alert to keep my congregation from departing from “the faith once and for all delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3).’” —Timothy George https://www.monergism.com/priesthood-all-believers-and-quest-theologicalintegrity. accessed 17 August 2025 As priests, do we have the right to interpret the Bible however we want to? Peter, the biblical author who emphasises the priesthood of all believers, speaks directly to this question. NO!! Because the ultimate source of scripture is the Divine author, humans must submit to the Divine author’s intentions. 2 Peter 1:20–21 (ESV) knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. Ignorant and unstable people twist Paul’s words and “the other Scriptures.” 2 Peter 3:15–16 (ESV)And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. Can priests grow in knowledge of the author of scripture and their handling of scripture? YES!!! 2 Peter 3:18 (ESV) But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. Ezra: A priest who studied before teaching Ezra 7:10–11 (ESV) For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel. 11This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, a man learned in matters of the commandments of the Lord and his statutes for Israel: In what way are we priests? 1. We offer sacrifices. Note: Our sacrifices do not atone for sin or replace Christ’s atoning sacrifice for us. Hebrews 9:12 (ESV) he [Christ] entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. What sacrifices do Christians offer? 1. Our bodies Romans 12:1 (ESV) I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. What sacrifices do Christians offer? 2. Spiritual sacrifices 1 Peter 2:5 (ESV) you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. What sacrifices do Christians offer? 3. Praise Hebrews 13:15 (ESV) Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Q: What if I don’t feel like singing and offering a sacrifice of praise to God? A: Christ died to sanctify you out of your “not feeling like offering a sacrifice of praise.” Hebrews 13:12, 15 (ESV) So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. . . . 15Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Reminder 1 The point of being a priest in any religion is to offer sacrifices to God or the god(s). Hebrews 8:3 (ESV) For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. Reminder 2 Your feeling of being unworthy to offer sacrifices to God is well-founded. Hebrews 5:1-3 (ESV) For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness.3Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. Q: How are we worthy to offer a sacrifice of praise? A: All believers are priests who are qualified to publicly praise God by virtue of their sanctifying union with Christ. Hebrews 13:12, 15 (ESV) So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. . . . 15Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. 15Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. “There is a profane opinion and practice in the papal church about offering our sacrifices of prayer and praise to God by others; as by saints and angels, especially the blessed Virgin. But are they our altar? Did they sanctify us by their blood? Did they suffer for us without the gate? Are they the high priests of the church? Have they made us priests unto God; or prepared a new and living way for our entrance unto the throne of grace?” —John Owen bolding mine; An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews, ed. W. H. Goold, vol. 24, Works of John Owen (Edinburgh: Johnstone and Hunter, 1854), 453–454. What kind of praise does the NT prioritise? Congregational singing! Hebrews 13:15 (ESV) Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Music Ministry Applications 1. While instruments are not forbidden in the NT, they are also not the focus of the music ministry. The voices of saints are the focus. 2. While choirs are not forbidden in the N.T., the whole body of the church singing together is the focus of N.T. worship. 3. Singing is priestly ministry both to God and to humans. Isn’t my singing meant only for God? Ephesians 5:19 (ESV) addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, What sacrifices do Christians offer? 4. Good works Hebrews 13:16 (ESV) Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. Martin Luther on good works “God doesn’t need our good works, but our neighbour does.” Luther’s definition of the Priesthood of All Believers “The essence of his [Luther’s] doctrine can be put in one sentence: Every Christian is someone else’s priest, and we are all priests to one another.” bolding mine; Timothy George, Theology of the Reformers, 96. What are good works? “Regarding the monastics who insisted that they were saved, at least in part, by their good works—the prayers, devotions, and acts of piety they do in the cloister—Luther asked, in what sense are these even good works? Who are they helping?” Gene Veith https://www.letterstotheexiles.com/working-neighbor-martin-luther-purposevocation accessed 16 August 2025 Good works help your neighbour “Luther criticized monasticism not only for separating from the world, but, in the cases of the hermits and the anchorites, for separating from their neighbors. For Luther, good works must not be directed to God; rather, they must be directed to the neighbor.” Gene Veith https://www.letterstotheexiles.com/working-neighbor-martin-luther-purposevocation accessed 16 August 2025 Are financial offerings sacrifices? Hebrews 13:16 (ESV) Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. Philippians 4:18 (ESV) I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. In what way are we priests? 2. Missions 1 Peter 2:9 (ESV) But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Missions for all All believers are priests who are called to be witnesses. One need not have the gifting or hold the office of evangelist to share the Gospel. 1 Peter 2:9 (ESV) But you [plural] are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you [plural] may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you [plural] out of darkness into his marvelous light. Good works and missions 1 Peter 2:12 (ESV) Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. IN WHAT WAY ARE WE PRIESTS? 3. Intercession 1 Thessalonians 5:25 Brothers, pray for us. James 5:16 (ESV) Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 1 John 5:16 (ESV)If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life —to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. Luther on Intercession “The fact that we are all priests and kings means that each of us Christians may go before God and intercede for the other. If I notice that you have no faith or a weak faith, I can ask God to give you a strong faith.” WA 10/3, pp. 308-9. You should recognise that you are engaging in the priesthood of all believers when you . . . 1. Sing in church 2. Witness by word and deed 3. Engage in good works 4. Pray for others 5. Financially support Christ’s work