Priesthood Of All Believers

Ministry of God in the Church is not only the responsibility of the Priests but it is of all. Church is the God's Community. it belongs to everyone. Clergy and the Laity are not the different chadors or the categories in the Church, not even the Theological division. The combination or the union of the Clergy and the Laity is the Church, the body of Christ.

Where does the word LAITY has come from? If we look into St. Mark 6:34 - "And Jesus, when He came out, saw many people and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things".

When we think about the earthly ministry of Jesus, it was fully engaged with the many people who around Jesus to listen from Him, to get the touch to be healed from their Sicknesses or to experience the newness in their spiritual lives. coming to the verse I mentioned above, when Jesus looked at the many people who were gathered there were seemed as the Folk without the Shepherd. it was was the condition of the crowd which made Jesus to be moved with the compassion. Here in this verse the very word 'many people' is used as the CROWD in other translations. The Greek root word for the word CROWD is LAYOS. from which the Word LAITY is derived. in simple word, LAITY is nothing but the people who accepted Jesus as their personal savior. So Laity are the Partners in God’s mission, Lay persons are the transforming instruments in the hands of God. Tools, Instruments in the hands of God. Therefore, the Role of the Laity in the Church is most important.

What does the history tells us the role of the people of God or the Laity?

I Peter 2:1-10 says -"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light".

in this particular verse Peter is trying to describe the word LAITY and their responsibilities in the Church today. here in his word we find 4 important words which describes who the LAITY are.

1. Chosen Race

2. Royal Priesthood

3. A Holy Nation

4. God's Own People

Who are the God's people? Who are the Believers? Who are this LAITY? here Peter in his words describing that they are the Chosen Race, Royal Priesthood, A Holy Nation and finally God's Own People. particularly the second word 'Royal Priesthood'. here peter clubbed the two heads. First one is ROYAL - it is the Secular heads (KINGS). and the second one is Religious or Spiritual Heads (CLERGY / PRIEST) in the Church. he clubbed the both and stating that we are the ROYAL PRIESTS both in the Secular aspect and the Spiritual aspects were mentioned.

my question is why God chosen us as the Chosen Race?

Why God chosen us to be as the Royal Priesthood?

Why God chosen us to be as a Holy Nation?

Why He has chosen us to be as His own people?

the very answer is also mentioned in the same verse - in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

He has chosen us to proclaim the mighty acts of God. But today the Church has lost its aims, goals and the very plan and purpose of God and focused on the positions, power, money and the Authority. that is why to day churches are fighting with each other, becoming the reasons for the divisions in the churches, groupism and many politics in the ministries today. we missed the very plan and purpose of God, we missed our focus on the will of God and focusing on the money, power, Positions in the Churches.

Even in the Old testament portion Isaiah 61:1-2 verses we see the very word "PROCLAMATION".

"The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners. Vs2. to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor, and to Proclaim the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn".

the very responsibility is Proclamation. what we need to proclaim?

Proclaim the liberty to the captives...

Proclaim the release to the prisoners..

proclaim the good news to the poor..

proclaim the good news to the oppressed and the brokenhearted. ..

Proclaim the year of Lord's favor...

Proclaim the day of vengeance of our God..

Proclaim the comfort to the mourn...

and many things were mentioned in the bible.