The Church is a gathering of people that have been called together as a royal priesthood through the reception of ordinance. The laity Sunday is commemorated to recognize His call, to work for His kingdom, to strengthen the weak and to care for the sick. Through Jesus Christ, God makes everybody kings and priests (Rev. 1: 6). So in New Testament ministry there are no segregations. That is how ministry of the laity becomes important in the Church because many of the important ministries are done by the lay people. Everybody should be part of the ministry of the Church of God (I Cor. 12). All are being called at all times to the vineyard (Matt. 20: 1-7). Nobody can stand apart claiming that there is no call from God. All lay people can testify God not just through preaching but through the actions of one’s day to day lives.
1. Priesthood for all Believers through Christ (1 Peter 2: 1- 10)
It was through Christ that priesthood was given as grace. A priest is an essential factor for the sustenance of a religion. A priest is the custodian of the religion. All religions have their own priests. But in Christ’s unification ministry what occurred is not a cancellation of priesthood but rather it was made a grace. Out of the 12, only one tribe can become priests and they are the Levites. The priestly garments also should be handed down to the next generation of that tribe. Therefore the law is that the priestly dress should not be torn off (Lev. 21: 10). But before Christ’s death on the cross Jesus’ answer-‘ Yes I am’, to the high priest’s question- ‘are you the son of God’, prompted the high priest to tear his clothes (Mark 14: 63). Therefore, it is said that, without even him knowing it the High priest put an end to this Old Testament Law. Thus through Christ’s death he gave priesthood to all and made it a grace. Everybody was made priests and kings (Rev 1: 6; 1 Peter 2: 9). Even today certain Indian religions work in the belief that non- Brahmins cannot become priests. But in the Vajrasoojikopanishath it is said that Brahmin in not a caste. Then who is a Brahmin? Is he life? A body?A Caste?Noble act?A priestly function? The answer to all these questions is given in this Upanishad. Brahmin is not a physical body. The bodies of all people from the lower caste persons are made of Panchabhootas. In everyone there is old age, death, good and bad. There are no rules to state that a Brahmin should be fair, the Kshetriya red, the Vyshya yellow and the Shudra black in colour. Brahmin is not a caste for even Maharshis were born from other castes. Vyasa was born from a fisherwoman. No one becomes a Brahmin through knowledge for people from other castes have also become visionaries. Then who is a Brahmin? A person who testifies to God the Spirit is a Brahmin. A Brahmin is anyone who has forsaken his sensual desires and has relinquished competition, desire, pride and the like. A person from any caste can be a Brahmin. This is the message of Shruthi, Puranas, Ithihas and the Upanishaths (VajraUpanishath 1 -9). Thus according to the Indian religions there is an exhortation for all to become priests.
Janmanajayatheshudra,
Karmanajayathaebrahmana
Brahmavedibrahmana
2. Christ’s Priestly Prayer for All (John 17: 1 -8)
The Church which is the body of Christ has been anointed a priestly kingdom. Peter points out two factors for this priesthood (1 Peter 2: 5-9). 1. Through Jesus Christ offer sacrifices that are acceptable to God. 2. Declare the good works of the one who called you from darkness to his glorious light. The concept of royal priesthood is made clear in the book of Revelation (Rev. 1: 6; 5: 10; 20: 6). In John 17 we see Jesus’ priestly prayer. God and man are made one through Christ. This is the priestly ministry- to become a restitution or ministry of union. We see in John 17: 11, 21, 23 Jesus praying for the oneness of His disciples. This is the powerful priestly prayer for the unity of all believers.
3. The Priesthood of all Believers (Isaiah 61: 1-11)
A priest is the anointed one of Jehovah. But in end times God poured out his spirit to all (Isaiah 2: 28; Acts 2: 17). The ones who received the spirit are channels of liberation. Isaiah 61 which begins thus- “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me…” contains the ministry that the anointed one should do. There should be freedom for the oppressed, prisoners and the blind. This is the ministry of Jesus (Luke 4: 18). Thus through this anointing the priesthood of all believers is affirmed. “As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit- just as it has taught you, remain in him. And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.” (1 John 2: 27, 28).