It helps me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. I’m working as a priest of God’s gospel so that the offering of the Gentiles can be acceptable and made holy by the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:16 (CEV)

 

As followers of Christ, we are God's chosen people, being built up as a holy habitation for God and a royal priesthood to God. As we grow in grace to become temples of the Holy Spirit, we also fulfil our priestly call of proclaiming the gospel and preaching it in places where Christ is not known.

The Apostle Paul considered himself as a ministering priest of the gospel of God in his mission. He envisaged the Gentile believers who responded favourably to the free gift of salvation in Christ as an acceptable offering to God. Thus, like Paul, we should go forth confidently to fulfil our appointed work, not only to save souls, but also to satisfy God's heart.

Every believer is a priest, not in the traditional sense of a hierarchical clergy working within the four walls of the church, but as a minister of the gospel by virtue of their union with Christ. The false dichotomy of referring to some Christians as lay, and others as ordained undermined the Church's overall witness. One negative consequence is that one group expects the other to act and behave in a certain way.

We cannot even influence, let alone impact, our culture if we believe God only uses a chosen group of properly ordained and theologically prepared people to bring about long-term change in our churches and communities. Instead of being a contributor or producer of good works, everyone is relegated to being either a hungry consumer or a passive spectator enthralled by the sights and sounds of our Sunday worship services.

Only a few of us are truly called to vocational service in our local church or overseas. Most of us are called to be in the marketplace, to be salt and light in our spheres of influence, and to serve as ministers of reconciliation in a lost and broken world.