The Priesthood of the Believer

[Joykins]

I have read that this is a classically Baptist belief. Recently I learned that Lutherans believe it too.

What does it mean? That every believer is able to baptize or administer communion? That every believer is able to interpret scripture under the guidance of the Holy Spirit? If 2 believers interpret scripture under what they believe to be the guidance of the Holy Spirit and come to conflicting conclusions about what the scripture mean, how is it possible to determine the "correct" interpretation"--or does this mean that God does not really want us to be 100% sure what scripture means?

[arunma]

As I understand it, this does mean that every believer is able to baptize other believers, and to administer communion. But while I think that every believer is also able to interpret Scripture independantly, I don't think this is always a good idea, because it doesn't mean that believers always will properly interpret Scripture, if they do so independantly.

[Crazy Liz]

It means that all Christians can go directly to God on behalf of themselves or others. Christians do not need a human intermediary with special qualifications beyond being a Christian, and all Christians may intercede for others before God.

[arunma]

Well all Christians do need a human intercessor. But that intercessor is Christ. It says, "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 2:5).

While Christians can intercede for each other through prayer, I don't think this constitutes "priesthood." Even Roman Catholics can pray for each other. If we look at the Roman Catholic system, we find that the priest performs baptisms and consecrates the eucharist. But if we believe that we are all priests of God, then this means we can do these things. In the case of baptism, it means literally that we can baptize other believers. In the case of communion, this means that we (and not the church) personally decide whether we are worthy to recieve communion. These are the two most important implications i see in this doctrine.

[FreeinChrist]

I have read that this is a classically Baptist belief. Recently I learned that Lutherans believe it too.

What does it mean? That every believer is able to baptize or administer communion? That every believer is able to interpret scripture under the guidance of the Holy Spirit? If 2 believers interpret scripture under what they believe to be the guidance of the Holy Spirit and come to conflicting conclusions about what the scripture mean, how is it possible to determine the "correct" interpretation"--or does this mean that God does not really want us to be 100% sure what scripture means?

It is based on this in part:
1Pe 2:4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God,

1Pe 2:5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.


1Pe 2:9 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;

It means we can each approach the throne of mercy to find help:

Hbr 4:16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.


Look at how it was under the Law as given to Moses. To make atonement for sin, each Israelite had to go through a priest for the animal sacrifice to be done. Only the high priest, on the Day of Atonement, was able to approach the mercy seat of God.

Because of Christ, we are both the temple and the priest. The Holy Spirit dwells in us. We can approach the mercy seat. We ar to make spiritual sacrifices. And we have a High Priest at the right hand of God all the time, not just one day a year.

So when "priesthood of the believer" is used, I believe that it means we do not have to go to a human priest to confess our sin in order to be forgiven. We can pray and through that prayer, pray directly to God for forgiveness, with Christ as our Advocate.

[Crazy Liz]

I've never before heard the doctrine of priesthood of all believers interpreted as primarily meaning any believer can baptize or serve communion, although Baptists and Anabaptists generally do believe this.

The primary meaning, as I understand it, is that salvation and forgiveness of sins are not mediated through clergy or sacraments, but directly by God, with or without the assistance of another believer.

See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priesthood_of_all_believers

[arunma]

The primary meaning, as I understand it, is that salvation and forgiveness of sins are not mediated through clergy or sacraments, but directly by God, with or without the assistance of another believer.

You may be right; I'm not really certain. But I tend to see Jesus as our one and only sacrament which imparts salvation, since he is God's high priest.

[Gold Dragon]

I have read that this is a classically Baptist belief. Recently I learned that Lutherans believe it too.

Just an fyi that the Lollards (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lollardy) who started around 1350 England following the teachings of John Wycliff (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wyclif), were some of the early proponents of challenging the Roman Catholic priesthood and promoting the idea of the priesthood of lay people. They are often considered to be a pre-Reformational Protestant group.

In 1500 Germany, Martin Luther (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther) picked up on the concept from the Lollards in his challenge to the Roman Catholic heirarchy and it became a central tenet of Lutheranism and the Protestant Reformation.

The Anabaptists (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anabaptist) of 1500 Germany, Switzerland and Holland of which Menno Simons (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menno_Simons) became a leader, picked up on this from Luther.

The Baptists (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baptist) of 1600 England probably picked up on the Priesthood of all Believers from both Lutheran and Anabaptist influences as a parallel of their struggles against the priesthood in the Church of England.