The Church is a Kingdom of Priests

Well, here we are in 2022. God is still on his throne and we are still his people. In 2022, Academy will be looking at being God’s people as his Kingdom of Priests, and we begin the journey by following the topic through Scripture.

We saw in the Exodus how God delivered his people Israel from slavery in Egypt to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.... (Exodus 19:5–6, ESV).

From among this kingdom of priests, God set apart Aaron and his sons to serve in the tabernacle to carry out sacrifices for sin and praise, to proclaim God before the people, and to carry the cares of the people before God (Exodus 28). But the priesthood of Aaron and his sons was not the final priesthood, for the Son, Jesus, has been made a priest forever.

The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek” (Psalm 110:4, ESV).

Jesus, our Great High Priest, offered himself once for all, ending the need for continual sacrifices that never could cleanse from sin.

And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified (Hebrews 10:11–14, ESV).

With Jesus as our high priest, God is now forming the church as his kingdom of priests.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9, ESV).

We who trust Christ are that priesthood of believers, and as we fix our eyes on Jesus, we carry out our mission.

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:14–16, ESV).

Indeed, those who trust Christ are a kingdom of priests forever.

And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:9-10).

Everyone who trusts Jesus is a priest of God. This much is clear. What might this look like at TFB? That will take some thinking and dreaming. We are excited about the journey.

Additional Passages: Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 7:1-3, 11-14, 26-28; 10:19-25; Revelation 20:6