This is a good question and I am glad to address it.  I suppose many believers are not aware of the fact that we, as believers, are all priests.  We read in Revelation 1:6, “(Jesus Christ) hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”  This applies to every believer.  The Lord has made us to be a kingdom of priests.

For a description of our duties as priests, let’s read 1 Peter 2:5, “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”  Along with that, let’s also read 1 Peter 2:9, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.”  We see from these verses that we have a HOLY PRIESTHOOD and a ROYAL PRIESTHOOD.

As HOLY priests, we “offer up spiritual sacrifices” to the Lord.  David wrote in Psalm 50:23, “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.”  It glorifies the Lord when we praise Him.  It is as holy priests that we offer those spiritual sacrifices of praise to Him.  Let’s also read Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies A LIVING SACRIFICE, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” In this instance, the sacrifice mentioned is the sacrifice of ourselves to the Lord.

As ROYAL priests, we “show forth the praises of him who hath called you.”  We represent Christ in the world.  The Lord told His followers in Matthew 5:14, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.”  What a privilege we have that we can represent Christ to a world that desperately needs Him.  We are to share with the world the ‘praises’ or ‘virtues’ of the Lord.

We also have duties of the New Testament priests given to us in Hebrews 13:15-16, “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”  These ‘such sacrifices’ include our worship and praising the Lord.  They include our ‘doing good’ to others as we read in Galatians 6:10, “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”  These sacrifices also include our giving to the Lord.  The Greek word for ‘communicate’ in verse 16 is ‘koinonia’.  It is translated as ‘contribution’ in Romans 15:26.  It is translated as ‘distribution’ in 2 Corinthians 9:13.  So, it is as priests that we can worship the Lord, do good to others in His name, and give according to how He has prospered us as we read in 1 Corinthians 16:2, “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.”

Because of the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary, there are no more animal sacrifices to be made.  However, the spiritual sacrifices of the New Testament priests are to continue.  What a privilege we have to enter into the presence of God at any time to exercise our priestly duties.  We are taught in Hebrews 4:14-16, “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”  May we all, as believers on the Lord Jesus Christ realize that we are a kingdom of priests and exercise our priestly duties as outlined in God’s Word.  (353.6)