What is the principal duty of a priest? A priest exists to make fellowship possible between a holy God and a sinful people.1
Early History
Priesthood began in the Garden of Eden. God resumed and elevated priesthood with Aaron, Moses’ brother, at the outset of the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt.
Pastor David Schrock (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary), in an article titled 10 Things You Should Know about Priesthood in the Bible, published on February 13, 2022, provides an excellent treatise on the history of the priesthood.
The Contemporary Priesthood
The New Testament book of Hebrews, 13 short chapters, is a primer for Believers in Jesus Christ on restoring a holy and effective priesthood to our modern world.
Chapter 11, the faith chapter, is sometimes called the Faith Hall of Fame. It elevates faith over sight as the evidence of things not seen, as it is written in Hebrews 11:1: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Faith affirms many things, respecting which the senses are silent, but nothing that they deny. It is superior, but never opposed to their testimony. — Blaise Pascal
The topic of priesthood is a theme throughout the book of Hebrews, appearing 35 times.
Hebrews teaches us that the duties of priesthood depend on individual faith in God’s word and the birth, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ who is perfect forever.
Jesus is the High Priest. In an essay titled The Priesthood of All Believers by J. V. Fesko, learn your role as a disciple of Jesus Christ in the priesthood.
The doctrine of the priesthood of all believers states that all believers in Christ share in his priestly status; therefore, there is no special class of people who mediate the knowledge, presence, and forgiveness of Christ to the rest of believers, and all believers have the right and authority to read, interpret, and apply the teachings of Scripture.
In contrast to the beliefs of the medieval church, the Protestant doctrine of the priesthood of all believers holds that there is no longer a priestly class of people within God’s people, but that all believers share in Christ’s priestly status by virtue of their union with Christ.
Our Mission as Believers in Jesus Christ
What is our number one priority? Connect people with the Living God, our High Priest. That fact of a High Priest means we believers all have priestly duties. We don’t have to sacrifice animals. We don’t have to burn incense. We simply point people to the High Priest.
- We don’t condemn sinners
- We don’t condone sin
- We point to Jesus’ sacrifice that covers all sin
- We love. 1 John 4:8. I refer you to Bible Study: An Essay on Love
- We pray. James 5:16
John White
Rockwall, Texas
John N. White 