The Priesthood of Believers — We Are All Ministers
One of the Scripture verses that are most encouraging to believers, giving a sense of divine identity, community, and purpose, is 1 Peter 2:9: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (NKJV). Closely related to this are the words of Christ: “You are the salt of the earth; . . . the light of the world” (see Matthew 5:13–16).
The description of the disciples of Christ as a “priesthood” indicates a joint service. Underlying this metaphor is the Old Testament Levitical order of priests who served in connection with the temple of God. The Levitical priests performed diverse services, including some seemingly ordinary ones and activities beyond the temple, all of which were described as ministry (e.g., Exodus 29:44; Nehemiah 12:44). None sat around as an audience, but they were all engaged in one kind of work or the other.
Scripture envisions the same for the members of the Church of Christ. As Peter notes just before his words quoted above, “You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:4–5). No stone used in the building of a house is redundant but contributes to actualizing the design and function of the structure.
Paul communicated the same thing using the metaphor of a human body: “But, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head — Christ — from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:15–16).
The apostle elaborates on the scheme more practically in his first epistle to the Corinthians: “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all” (1 Corinthians 12:4–7). He goes on to mention some of the diverse channels through which believers contribute to the wholesomeness of the body of Christ, the church (vv. 8–11, 28–31). More examples are found in Romans 12:6–8, Ephesians 4:11–13, and 1 Peter 4:10–11.
As Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen notes in his book An Introduction to Ecclesiology (ecclesiology means “study of the church”), there is no exhaustive list in the Bible of the diverse ministry channels in which believers serve in the church (pp. 226–230, Everand e-book). The various descriptions we have in Scripture are open-ended, and the practical possibilities are virtually limitless.
Everyone brings something to the table, whether by preaching from the pulpit, teaching in some other capacity, giving to the church, keeping the books, preparing bulletins, visiting and running errands, babysitting during meetings, planning and setting up for events, building maintenance, or some other activity. By virtue of the diverse contributions we make to the mission of the church, we are all ministers in God’s spiritual temple, members of his royal priesthood.
Although we attach a high status to those who preach and teach, they are only ministers of the Word. Their abilities are gifts, or charisms, and they do not necessarily make the beneficiaries more consecrated or devoted or more valued by God than those who minister in other ways. Christ challenged our sentiments about these things when he said, “Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant” (Matthew 20:26).
The Greek word diakonos translated as “servant” here is rendered “minister” in some Bible versions. It is the root of the English word “deacon” and generally refers to a person who serves according to the wishes of another person, which in this case is God in Christ through the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:4–7). The word and its variants are translated in the KJV Bible as “minister” twenty times, “servant” eight times, and “deacon” three times.
Hence, it is not so much the prestige attached to the task we perform in the present time but the sincerity, dedication, and distinction we bring to it. That is what will determine our reward and status in the time to come (1 Corinthians 3:8; 1 Timothy 4:8). As Christ warned, “But many who are first will be last, and the last first” (Matthew 19:30). This not only calls for humility but also appreciation of every opportunity to serve, irrespective of the task. It is noteworthy that Christ made this statement in his response to Peter’s question about what his disciples would have for their sacrifice to follow him (Matthew 19:27–30).
All this does not discount the need for formally appointed or paid church ministers. They ensure orderliness and efficiency, providing proper supervision and helping to avoid leaving critical tasks to volunteers, who may be held up by their own formal or other responsibilities. Most importantly, everything should be done with submission to the church elders and their guidelines (1 Timothy 3:1–7). As the apostle exhorts, “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you” (Hebrews 13:17).
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