Royal Priesthood: Holy Vocation

By the Rev. John T. Pless

Thought about the priesthood lately? No, I am not talking about the office of the ministry in the Roman Catholic Church. You have a calling to another priesthood. The New Testament calls it a "holy priesthood" (I Peter 2:5) and "a royal priesthood" (I Peter 2:9).

The Apostle Peter writes to those who have been "born again to a living hope" (I Peter 1:3), that is, to those who are baptized into Jesus' death. He describes us as "living stones" that are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, "to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (I Peter 2:5). This priesthood is holy, that is, it is cut off from the uncleanness of sin and set apart to live by faith in Jesus Christ. Notice that the New Testament does not speak of us as individual priests, each going his or her own way and doing the work of a priest for ourselves. Rather the New Testament speaks of our lives lived within a company of priests, a priesthood.

The priesthood offers spiritual sacrifices. These are not sacrifices that atone for sin. Jesus did that once and for all on the cross (see Hebrews 7:27). The sacrifices that we offer are spiritual sacrifices, the sacrifice of a broken heart and contrite spirit (see Psalm 51:17). This is the life of repentance, daily dying to sin and living in the newness of Christ¹s forgiveness. In other words, the whole life of the believer is one of sacrifice. This is the point that Paul makes in Romans 12:1 where he writes "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. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

Everyone in the ancient world knew that sacrifices were dead, not living. Jerusalem's temple resembled a slaughterhouse more than a church. The priest, smattered with blood, looked more like a butcher than a clergyman. Paul¹s words must have jarred his original readers, for he writes of a living sacrifice. We present our bodies as living sacrifices, for we have died to sin in baptism and now live in Christ¹s resurrection (see Romans 6:1-11).

This priestly life is our vocation, our calling. We live it out in our families and with our friends, in our schools and our work. The sacrificial work of the royal priesthood is at once both holy and ordinary. It is holy because we are holy and righteous through faith in Jesus Christ. You can¹t get any holier than you are when you are in Christ, clothed with His perfect righteousness. It is ordinary in the sense that it is done in the ordinary places we live and work­at home, in the congregation, and at school or on the job.

There are those who serve the royal priesthood. They are pastors, called to preach God's Word and administer His Sacraments. This office does not bestow a higher holiness nor does it convey a superior spirituality. Christ instituted the office of the holy ministry that His holy gift of the forgiveness of sins might be delivered into lives of broken sinners. In other words, the pastoral office serves the royal priesthood by preaching Christ's words, baptizing, and distributing the Lord's Supper. Pastors "oversee" (Acts 20:28; I Peter 5:2-3) the life of the royal priesthood, guarding the flock from all that would rob them of Christ¹s consolation.

If you are a high school or college student aspiring to the pastoral office, your present vocation includes careful study not only of God¹s Word but also of the other disciplines of learning that will support theological studies. Make the most of your present vocation as a student so that you might be well prepared as "a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth" (II Timothy 2:15).

The Rev. John T. Pless is an Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry and Missions at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana.