Day 19 – The Priesthood of All Believers

The Shepherd Calls Every Believer to Come to Christ

Over the past few days, we have been reminded of something foundational.

The Gospel has been entrusted to God’s people.

The Scriptures are our authority.

The early Church was devoted to the apostles’ teaching, prayer, fellowship, and worship.

Today, we come to another truth that has profound implications for the Church:

Every believer belongs to Christ and has a place in His people.

Peter calls God’s people:

“a holy priesthood.”

And later:

“a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession.”

This does not mean that every Christian becomes a priest in the Old Testament sense.

It means something even more beautiful:

Through Jesus Christ, every true believer has direct access to God and is called to serve Him.

Our relationship with God does not depend upon a special human mediator standing between us and Christ.

There is one Mediator between God and humanity: Jesus Christ.

Come to the Living Stone

Peter begins:

“As you come to Him, the living Stone…”

Who is the centre?

Jesus.

Not the priest.

Not the pastor.

Not the bishop.

Not the denomination.

Not the building.

Not religious tradition.

Christ is the Living Stone.

Everything begins with coming to Him.

Christianity does not begin with joining an institution.

It begins with Christ.

The Church does not create Christ.

Christ creates and sustains His Church.

The Gospel therefore continually brings us back to Jesus.

Christ Is the Foundation

Peter says Christ was:

“rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to Him.”

Jesus was rejected by many.

Yet God established Him as the cornerstone.

The Church does not build itself upon human wisdom.

The Church is built upon Christ.

This is essential.

If Christ is removed from the centre, we may still have religion.

We may still have buildings.

We may still have ceremonies.

We may still have institutions.

But we have lost the foundation.

A church can have activity without spiritual life.

It can have organisation without biblical faithfulness.

It can have religious appearance without genuine dependence upon Christ.

The answer is to return to the foundation.

Christ is the cornerstone.

We Are Living Stones

Peter continues:

“You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house.”

Notice the language.

You also.

Every believer who belongs to Christ is part of this spiritual house.

You are not merely a spectator.

You are not spiritually insignificant.

You are not simply someone who sits in a building while others do all the work.

If you belong to Christ, you are part of His people.

You are a living stone in His spiritual house.

A Holy Priesthood

Peter then says:

“to be a holy priesthood.”

This is a remarkable statement.

Under the Old Covenant, the priesthood had a special role in Israel.

But through Christ, believers are now described collectively as a holy priesthood.

Why?

Because Christ has brought us near to God.

We do not need to approach God through a succession of human mediators.

We come to God through Jesus Christ.

Christ Is the Only Mediator

Paul says clearly:

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.”

One God.

One Mediator.

Jesus Christ.

This is central to the Gospel.

We do not need another saviour.

We do not need another mediator to make Christ accessible.

We do not need another sacrifice to complete Christ’s work.

Christ is sufficient.

Because of Him, those who belong to Him can approach God.

This Does Not Mean Everyone Has the Same Role

The priesthood of all believers does not mean there is no leadership in the Church.

Scripture clearly teaches that God gives different gifts and responsibilities to His people.

There are pastors, teachers, evangelists, elders, and other forms of leadership and service.

But leadership does not create a separate class of Christians who alone have access to God.

Every believer belongs to Christ.

Every believer can pray.

Every believer can worship.

Every believer can read Scripture.

Every believer can serve.

Every believer can testify about Jesus.

Every believer is called to live for God’s glory.

Christianity Is Not Spectatorship

This truth changes how we see the Christian life.

You are not called merely to:

attend.

watch.

listen.

leave.

You are called to:

follow.

serve.

pray.

love.

worship.

give.

encourage.

proclaim Christ.

The Church is not an audience watching a few people perform ministry.

The Church is the people of God serving Christ together.

Spiritual Sacrifices

Peter says believers are to offer:

“spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

What does that mean?

Our lives become an offering to God.

Paul says:

“Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.”

Christian worship is not limited to what happens during a church service.

Worship continues when you:

forgive someone.

serve someone.

help someone in need.

pray for someone.

speak truth.

care for your family.

work honestly.

give generously.

share the Gospel.

obey Christ when nobody is watching.

Your whole life can become an offering to God.

We Are Called Out of Darkness

Peter later says:

“You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession.”

And why?

“that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.”

There is our mission.

We have been called out of darkness so that we can declare His praises.

God does not save His people so that they can keep the Gospel to themselves.

He saved us to become witnesses.

We have received light so that we can point others toward the One who is the Light.

Salvation Leads to Service

This is an important principle.

We are not saved because we serve.

We serve because we have been saved.

Our good works do not purchase salvation.

Christ has already accomplished salvation.

Grace comes first.

Faith receives Christ.

Then grateful obedience follows.

We don’t serve God to earn His love.

We serve because He has already loved us.

A Message for the People of the East

This truth has particular importance when Christianity has become heavily associated with religious hierarchy and outward roles.

We must be careful not to confuse:

biblical leadership

with

spiritual dependence upon human beings.

God gives leaders to His Church.

But leaders are not replacements for Christ.

A priest, pastor, bishop, elder, or teacher can serve God’s people.

But none of them can take the place of Jesus.

They cannot become your saviour.

They cannot become your mediator in the place of Christ.

They cannot replace God’s Word.

They can point you to Christ.

And faithful Christian leadership should always do exactly that.

The Church Belongs to Christ

This means no human leader can say:

“The Church belongs to me.”

It belongs to Christ.

No denomination owns the Gospel.

No individual owns the people of God.

No institution can claim authority above God’s Word.

Christ is the Head of the Church.

Paul says:

“Christ is the head of the church, His body, of which He is the Saviour.”

That gives us both humility and security.

The Church is not ours.

It is His.

Every Believer Has a Calling

You may think:

“I am only an ordinary Christian.”

But Scripture does not describe you as spiritually useless.

If you belong to Christ, you have been called to serve Him.

Maybe your ministry is:

raising children.

encouraging someone who is discouraged.

helping the poor.

teaching Scripture.

praying faithfully.

sharing your testimony.

serving your local church.

welcoming strangers.

working honestly.

supporting missionaries.

telling someone about Jesus.

Your calling does not need to be famous to be valuable.

God sees faithfulness.

There Is No Place for Spiritual Pride

The priesthood of all believers should not create pride.

It should create humility.

We are all dependent upon Christ.

We are all saved by grace.

We all stand before God because of Jesus.

No Christian can say:

“I am spiritually superior because of my position.”

Our righteousness comes from Christ.

Our salvation comes from Christ.

Our access to God comes through Christ.

Our gifts come from God.

Our strength comes from God.

Therefore:

all glory belongs to God.

The priesthood of all believers is not a declaration of human greatness.

It is a declaration of Christ’s grace.

What Does the Priesthood of All Believers Mean?

In simple terms:

You can come to God through Christ.

You do not need another mediator.

You can pray directly to God.

Because Christ has opened the way.

You can read God’s Word.

You are called to know the truth.

You can worship God.

Your worship is not restricted to a special class.

You can serve Christ.

You have a role in His Church.

You can proclaim the Gospel.

You can tell others what Christ has done.

You can offer your life to God.

Your everyday life can become worship.

This is not independence from the Church.

It is participation in the Church.

And it is all made possible through Jesus Christ.

The Invitation

Perhaps you have always thought of yourself as simply an attendee.

Or you have believed that serving God is mainly the responsibility of priests, pastors, bishops, teachers, or other leaders.

Maybe you have become dependent upon a human personality instead of learning to depend upon Christ.

Today, the Shepherd reminds you:

You belong to Christ.

You can come to God through Christ.

You can pray.

You can worship.

You can serve.

You can encourage.

You can read and study God’s Word.

You can proclaim Christ.

And if you belong to Him, you already have a place among His people.

Do not wait for someone to tell you that your life matters.

God has called you to Himself.

Do not wait for a position before you begin serving.

Look around you.

Someone needs to hear about Jesus.

Begin there.

Point people toward Christ.

You are a living stone.

You are part of His people.

You are called to serve.

And all glory belongs to God.