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 (ESV)

It is remarkable that Scripture begins and ends with our priestly call and vocation.

Our priesthood is a royal priesthood because of our relationship with Jesus who is both King and Priest in the order of Melchizedek. It is a better and eternal priesthood that we are privileged to participate in and be transformed by it.

Adam was the first priest, but his failure brought condemnation into creation, yet the obedience of the last Adam (which is Christ Himself) resulted in the restoration of creation to its original goodness. Right now, creation is in the eschatological tension of the already and not yet. The Apostle Paul describes this tension as the anxious groanings of all creation anticipating the revealing of the sons of God (Romans 8:19-22).

The term, “sons of God” (generic includes women and children) refers to our priestly identity and life. We are made sons of God because we believe Jesus is the Son of God. And since we identify ourselves with Christ, we are to take our priestly place for creation to be liberated from its suffering. This liberation, however, cannot fully be realised until Jesus returns to establish a new heaven and a new earth. But the first step of liberation starts with reclaiming our role as priests of creation. This involved introducing and proclaiming God’s characteristics of justice, righteousness and order in the land.

As priests of creation, we are concerned with the totality of life, not just the spiritual.

Worship is more than just a Sunday church experience; it empowers us to work and witness for God every day in the public square and marketplace. We should be as equally concerned about political integrity, social justice and ecological issues as we are with spiritual matters. We don't have to be activists to act justly and fairly. Instead, we are to be active priests and kings in the midst of God's creation, revealing and representing Him to those around us.