Christ as the head of the church and He is the supreme authority. Believers have different callings and gifts (Romans 12:6), they're all servants of the Lord (Romans 14:4). Paul and Timothy called themselves the “servants” of the Corinthian church (2 Corinthians 4:5). Peter viewed Silas as his “faithful brother” (1 Peter 5:12). 1 Corinthians 12 through 14, much of Ephesians, and Romans 12 emphasize the important brotherhood of all believers in Jesus and therefore the humility that each one got to demonstrate as we exercise our spiritual gifts and offices to bless one another.
All believers are the people of God (2 Corinthians 6:16; 1 Peter 2:9-10). All of God’s people are "a people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession" (1 Peter 2:9).
Therefore, the differentiation between clergy and laity, as most know it today, isn't biblical. We all are servants of the Lord (Romans 14:4). The words clergy and laity aren't within the Bible. it's true that under the Old Covenant there was a priesthood composed of the descendants of Moses’ brother, Aaron. These priests served God in certain capacities.
In the Bible there are not any second-class citizens within the Kingdom of God, just fellow laborers with differing gifts (1 Cor 12). Each disciple should determine what gifts God has given them.
The presence of the Spirit of God, which came on prophets, priests, and kings in the past can come on anyone. Gods decide to have humble servants oversee the spiritual needs of the congregation which gave a chance for clergies and other church leaders to elevation of certain leaders within the church over other members. We are reminded in Acts 2:17, that In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people; your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. (Joel2:28-29)
And God told us to offer ourselves as sacrifice in Romans 12:1 Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
We have only One Leader, and His name is Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself taught us not to use titles like “Father,” “Leader,” or “Rabbi” to distinguish ourselves or set ourselves apart from other believers. He said, "But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ. But the greatest among you shall be your servant.” (Mat 23:8-11). So, we should not use the titles “Father,” "Teacher," or "Leader," when addressing those who serve in equipping ministries, since we are all brothers. We shouldn’t let anyone address us with titles and we should not address anyone with titles. Rather, we must walk in humility.
The Lord condemned the wearing of spiritual titles that exalted certain men above others (Matt. 23:112). There was no distinction made within the Bible between clergy and laity. God's people are equally His inheritance in Christ (Eph. 1:11). Because Christians are priests and ministers, we all belong to God. The people of God aren't a separate part of God's family (Heb. 4:9; Tit. 2:14; 1 Pet. 2:9). God's "people" are His "heritage. Jesus never differentiated anyone as you belong to the clergy class and you belong to the laity class. All who became children of God have entered the ministry or service of God (Rom. 6:14-23) because the apostles were sent forth to hold on to Christ's ministry (Jn. 20:21), all Christians likewise have a ministry to satisfy. He said to them, “Go everywhere within the world. Tell the good news to everyone. (Mk. 16:15). Christians also are described as the living stones which are built up a spiritual to be a holy priesthood, to supply up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. we belong to the royal priesthood (1 Pet. 2:5,9).
All believers in Christ are priests! As priests we are ready to offer "a sacrifice of praise to God" and sacrifices of service to Him (Heb. 13:15-1.6; Phil. 2:17). We are to be "living sacrifices" (Rom. 12:1), always striving to be acceptable to the Lord. However, we as priests cannot offer the sacrifice for our sin. We are priests who enjoy all spiritual blessings as a result of the death of our "great High Priest," Jesus Christ (Heb. 10:12). It's only by the sacrifice of Christ for our sins that we are ready to render service as priests to Him. God’s Word tells us that each genuine Christian believer functions as God’s minister which means none is above or beneath anyone (2 Corinthians 3:5, 6). Bible says that each one true Christians should serve God and praise his name. (Romans 10:9, 10). The clergy-laity distinction exalts the clergy instead of exalting true God and High Priest our Lord Jesus Christ.
Yet, Jesus said: “He that conducts himself as a lesser one of all of you is that the one that's great.” (Luke 9:48). In light of Paul’s remark in 1 Cor. 12:14 that “the body isn't one part but many “. “It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and a few to be pastors and teachers, to organize God’s people for ministry in order that the body of Christ could also be built up until we all reach unity within the faith and within the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the entire measure of the fullness of Christ. Ephesians 4:11-13. Then we are all built up, have unity and maturity in Christ!
Peter wrote to the elders, referring to himself as a fellow elder (1 Pet 5:1). He himself was considered an elder even though he was also an apostle. He states that an elder should “shepherd the flock of God, exercising oversight.” (1 Pet 5:2). Since an elder shepherd the flock and provides oversight, so he can be an overseer.
In New Testament, we see that elders or overseers are either pastors, teachers, apostles, prophets, or evangelists. The head is our Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ. Peter wrote to the elders saying, “And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” (1Pe 5:4)
We need to understand that all disciples in the kingdom of God are priests. A priest, according to the Word of God, is one who represents men before Almighty God and performs a holy service in God’s house. In John’s Revelation, he wrote: “He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (Rev 1:6).
1Peter 2:9-10 says “But you are a chosen race, A royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
So, Scripture teaches that all true believers In Christ are priests and are part of God’s holy priesthood. The spiritual sacrifice we offer is our own body, and the service we perform is to proclaim the excellencies of Christ. The term priest is not reserved for limited individuals but is used for all disciples in the realm of God.
The apostle Paul affirmed this also. He wrote to the Corinthians, “Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.” (1Co 1:10). We are to exalt, glorify God in everything.
Jesus is our creator in Genesis, Passover Lamb in Exodus, High Priest in Leviticus, He is our Redeemer in Ruth, Prophet, Priest, and King in 1 Samuel, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace in Isaiah, Messiah who is a God in the flesh in John, the Great Physician in James, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords in Revelation and The Alpha and the Omega, The Beginning and the End. He is the Head of the Body, the Chief Shepherd of the flock.
Let’s humble ourselves before the mighty hand of God and restore Jesus Christ to His rightful place in the Church as our One Leader. There is no superior seat reserved for clergies or laities nor any superior differences between them. In the new testament, it says there are 5 different heavenly rewards such as a crown, believers can receive the victors crown, the crown of rejoicing, the crown of righteousness, the crown of life, and the crown of Glory.
In Matthew 19:28-29, Jesus clearly told his disciples they would have a greater reward than those in Heaven over whom they will judge: “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel”
Daniel 12:3: “And those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.”
1 Thessalonians 2:19-20: For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? For you are our glory and joy.
Some may defend that being a clergy they can offer mass. We can see that the Bible tells us Christ offered himself once and that there is no need for repetition of his sacrifice. But what does the scripture say in (Heb. 7:26-27). “For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; 27 who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins, and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself,”
So, Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him,” (Heb. 9:28).
By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all, 11 And every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; 12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God,” (Heb. 10:10-12).“And every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins;” (Heb. 10:11).
