In 1 Corinthians 3:16 and Ephesians 2:21, the Church is termed a “temple.” The imagery of God’s people as a holy temple in the Lord is closely associated with the image of the Church as a holy and royal priesthood (1 Pet. 2:5, 9).
This week our thoughts make the small step from temple to priesthood. The images compel us to think of believers in a collective sense. The idea of a priesthood implies a company of priests.
From its roots in the Old Testament we might ask ourselves, “What were the basic functions of that priesthood?” We might answer first by saying that the priests represented the people before God.
The most obvious way they did this was to offer to God the sacrifices the people brought to the altar. Symbolically, this representation was seen in the breastplate worn by the high priest when He entered God’s presence. That breastplate had precious stones that represented the tribes of Israel (Ex. 39:14). On behalf of the people, the priesthood offered sacrifices to God.
Spiritual sacrifices
Applying the priesthood imagery to church members, we might say that as a holy and royal priesthood we offer spiritual sacrifices to God. First Peter 2:5 puts it like this, “You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
The Bible doesn’t leave us wondering what spiritual sacrifices are. They include the offering of our bodies in dedication to God (Rom. 12:1), the sacrifice of praise (Heb. 13:15), the sacrifice of doing good to others and sharing material gifts (Phil. 4:18; Heb. 13:16) and the sacrifice of brokenness and contrition when we sin (Ps. 51:17).
When 1 Peter 2:9 repeats the description of the church as a royal priesthood, it goes on to explain the priestly function to include proclaiming “the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” In this instance, the priestly assignment is couched in the language of witness and proclamation.
Thus, we have two very basic ideas connected with the church as a priesthood: worship and proclamation. When we fix our gaze inward at ourselves as a church, we exist to worship God. When we turn our gaze outward to the world, we exist as a priesthood to proclaim God’s truth to others. A healthy priesthood engages in both tasks simultaneously.
At the core of this priesthood we worship by offering up spiritual sacrifices to God, and we witness by proclaiming the excellencies of God.
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