The Priesthood Of All Believers

An understanding of the People of God as a priesthood of all believers derives from the New Testament. 

In 1 Peter 2.9-10 it says that C¹hurch is a 'chosen race' (ASV), 'a holy nation, a royal priesthood and a peculiar [a people who are his possession and therefore, a special] people'.²  In short, the Body¹ of Christ is a 'priesthood of believers' (see also Rev 1.6, 5.10, 20.6).

What Is The Nature Of This Priesthood?

Again in 1 Peter 2.9 we are told something of the implications of being part of this priesthood.

But ye³ are a chosen generation [race], a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people [a people of his possession]; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light (KJV).

The phrase, 'that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light': gives us an indication of what the substance of this calling might be. 

Other translations of the word 'praises' in the phrase 'praises of him' are: 'virtues of the One' (Literal Trans. of the Holy Bible); 'excellencies' (Revised Version); 'excellences' (Young's Literal Trans.); 'excellent virtues of Him' (English Majority Text Version); 'wonderful deeds of the One' (International Standard Version); 'goodness of God' (New Living Trans.); 'goodness' (Twentieth Century New Testament); and 'demonstrate the goodness' (Phillips, paraphrase).

How Can We Fulfil This Calling? 

We are individually and corporately as the Church to erect signposts all over human life that direct 'travellers' (as it were), to the goodness and excellent virtues of God.

Jesus drew attention to the focal reason for his coming which was to do the Father's will (Jn 4.34, 5.30, 6.38; Heb 10.7-9). And in Acts 10.38, it records that Jesus 'went around doing good and healing all that were oppressed by the devil for God was with Him'.

The call to follow Jesus' lead and 'do good' is mentioned a number of times in the NT of which these are a sample (Matt 5.16; 2 Cor 9.8; Eph 2.8-10; Col 1.10; 2 Tim 3.17; Titus 3.1; Heb 10.24; 1 Peter 2.12).

Doing Good! What Is That?

Good works are to be done by those in Christ within the length and breadth of the created life in which God has placed us.

All legitimate occupations that are done from Sunday to Saturday are good works because they serve our neighbour⁴ in some way. When Christians act as husbands and wives, fulfilling these callings as unto the Lord, they are involved in good works. No less important are the callings of mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, and siblings who each contribute in their ways to the nurturing climate of families.

Christian households are especially important. So also is the workplace because most Christians spend most of their time, thought and energy at work. If you work as a teacher, your good work should be your teaching; if you work as a tradesman, then your good work is to be your workmanship within your trade; if as a labourer, then your labouring is to be your good work.

Usually, Christians are good workers but the question is, do we see our daily work as part of God's plan for loving (serving) our neighbours through our work? Do we understand all our work to be of the Spirit rather than 'just secular'.

No Christian's work should ever be 'secular' (i.e., working as if God does not exist) unless s/he has no vision of a unified life lived under the Lordship of Christ.

People Of The Way

The point I am making is further supported by the notion when we became Christians (Christ's followers) we entered into a new way of living life 24/7. Significantly, early Christ-followers were described as people of the 'Way' (Acts 9.2; 19.9, 23; 22.4; 24.14, 22). This 'Way' terminology referred to their manner-of-life or the-way-they-lived.

Our following of Christ is a 24/7 matter and 'whatever we do or say, we are to do it as unto the Lord' (Col 3.23), we are to do it 'in the name of the Lord' (Col 3.17).

Martin Luther tore up the Roman church's claim to be in a supernatural, 'spiritual realm' and therefore, not subject to civil government at all. Luther declared that the Scriptures made it abundantly clear that no occupation, no station in created life was inherently superior in spiritual terms than any other. In his words,

To call popes, bishops, priests, monks, and nuns, the religious class, but princes, lords, artizans [sic], and farm-workers the secular class, is a specious⁵ device invented by certain time-servers; . . . For all Christians whatsoever really and truly belong to the religious class, and there is no difference among them except insofar as they do different work . . . . The fact is that our baptism consecrates us all without exception, and makes us all priests. As St. Peter says, “You are a royal priesthood and a realm of priests,” [1 Pet. 2.9] and Revelation, “Thou hast made us priests and kings by Thy blood. [Rev. 5:9.] (Martin Luther, “An Appeal to the Ruling Class,” Martin Luther: Selections from His Writings, 407-408) [words in italics mine]. 

1. This uppercase C is to draw attention to the distinction between the CHURCH, the Body of Christ, the Universal Church of all ages; and the congregational-institutional Sunday structures we call churches. Of course, the latter have an important, central function: preaching the Word to an assembled congregation and administering the sacraments. The two estates are related but are by no means synonymous.
2. We should also note that these terms derive from the Old Testament being titles bestowed on Israel by its covenant God. See esp. Exod 19.5-6.
3. It is unfortunate that modern English no longer has different words to distinguish between the singular 'you' and the plural 'you' as is found in the KJV. 'Ye' in the KJV stands for the plural form of you.
4. The 'neighbour' is one who we meet in life's many situation and who needs our help. We are bidden by the second commandment to love the neighbour by an appropriate response to his/her need.
5. Luther's word (in translation) 'specious' means 'deceptively attractive but in fact wrong and incorrect. (Definition given is mine not Luther's.)