Church as God’s Kingdom of Priests

Key Passages: Exodus 19:5-6; 1 Peter 2:9-10; Revelation 5:9-10
Additional Passages: Hebrews 4:14-16; 9:11-12; 12:1-2

Key Idea: Our identity is from Jesus, our great and sympathetic High Priest, and in him, we are all called to ministry as priests of God.

Where does your identity lie? Is it in parenting, having a career, or serving in a position in church ministry or leadership? As believers, our identity is found in Christ alone, and he calls us priests.


Jesus is our high priest and the way into the eternal Holy of Holies. He is the one and only author and finisher of our faith and has made us and will make us his kingdom of priests. Indeed, the people of God are a kingdom of priests that began with Israel (Exodus 19:5-6) and continues to the church (1 Peter 2:9-10) and into eternity (Revelation 5:9-10).

The people of God are a kingdom of priests that began with Israel (Exodus 19:5-6). God commanded his people Israel to remember all he had done for them and the way his gracious works shaped their identity. Out of all the nations, all of which belong to God, Israel had the privilege of being God’s personal, loved people, a kingdom made up of priests, and a nation separate and distinct from all other nations. These privileges brought the responsibilities of obeying God’s commands, being his priests, and remaining distinct.

The people of God are a kingdom of priests that continues into the church (1 Peter 2:9-10). In his first letter, Peter applies Exodus 19:5-6 to the church. Christians are a people group selected by God and made up of persons from all nations and races. We are a royal priesthood and a distinct nation whose shared center is Christ. We are those brought into the marvelous light of God’s presence by God himself. He has brought together this ragtag group of strangers and made us a people, and he calls us to live as his priests and proclaim before all the world the excellence of his character.

The people of God are a kingdom of priests that continues into eternity (Revelation 5:9-10). In John’s vision, he saw Jesus standing in the place of triumph and adoration at the throne of God. The believers around the throne praised Jesus as the Lamb who brought about our costly release from slavery to sin and death and made us one people, taken from every race, culture, and language, having Jesus as our only King and High Priest, who redeemed us and made us a kingdom of priests.

Identity in Christ is the source of what we do as Christians. As those in Christ, God commands us to hold fast to the truth, to boldly approach his holy of holies, to stir one another toward good works, and gather as a community. As priests of God in Christ, God calls us to carry out three primary ministries: intercession, offering sacrifices of praise, and proclaiming Jesus. These three primary ministries are the responsibility of every Christian and are carried out through the specific ministry assignments given to each by the Spirit. Whether we are gathered as the one body or dispersed into the world in the mission field of daily life, we are priests of God in Christ: a high calling indeed!