The Preisthood Of All Believers
The Priesthood of All Believers.
From our earliest history, Virginiga Baptist have believed and have been committed to the biblical doctrine of “the preisthood of the believer.” It is basic to our Baptist faith and practice. It is a cherished Baptist distinctive and one Baptists take very seriously.
Perhaps one of the key Bible passages for the priesthood of all believers comes from Exodus 19:4-6. This is the account of the establishment of the covenant between God and the nation of Israel.
God called His people to be a “kingdom of priest and a holy nation.” The people of God responded to that call and answered affirmatively that they would be priests.
First century Christians applied Exodus 19 to themselves. In I Peter 2:9 these Christians were reminded, “…you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, apeople belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
Therefore, because of New Testament guidance, by the term “priesthood of believers” Baptist have ment that a believer is once and for all saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:5-10) and has free access to God the Father through the one and Only High Priest, Jesus Christ our Savior (Hebrews 9:11-28).
Guided by this princple of “individual competency under God in all matters of religion,” Baptists have refrained from excessive ritualism and sacramentalism for the same reason. And finally, they have refraned from using creedal statements to doctrinal conformity, preferring to rely upon the compentency of a regenerate believer to interpret the scriptures rightly under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
In short,the biblically-centered doctrine of the priesthood of the believer affirms: (1) every person has the privilege of approaching God for himself without the need for any human intermediary, and (2) every person has equal acess to the Bible. This access gives every person the right of interprtation led by the Holy Spirit. And therefore, no authority can force or presume to compel submission to his or her interpretation or belief by another believer.
Throughout history, there have been those who have sought to Undermine this biblical doctrine and replace God’s authority with human authority. It is not a new phenomenon that such a basic doctrine as the “priesthod of believers” is under attack, as it seems to be today within our Baptist fellowship.
We can be proud that Baptists were part of those early reformers who demanded that the church be open and that the laity have opportunity for service and ministry. Baptist rwere on the cutting edge of holding to and reestablishing this basic belief of Christian freedom.
Growing out of the priesthood of the believer doctrine is the matter of idividual responsibility. Freedom alway brings responsibility.
We are not free to interpret scripture based upon our own wild tangents or preconceived ideas. A proper understanding of the priesthood of all believers demands that believers interpret the Bible in the contest of the body of fellowship to which they are related and the leadership of the Holy Spirit.
This freedom also demands that every believer exercise the truth of scripture, that every person is free and able to approch God for themselves and that accessibiltiy to our Savior is unlimited. Every person has the same access to God.
Indeed, the priesthood of the believer doctrine is not license to be anything, to say anything, or to do anything. It is the essence of being responsible to God and to God alone.
To pass a resolutionat a Southern Baptist Convention attempting to alter this fundamental truth is a departure from what we as Baptists believe to be a matter that our Lord has already determined. It is our responsibility to affirm and practice this doctrine. Such truths are not subject to a majority vote.
Virginia Baptists cherish the biblical doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. It is a truth on which we stand.
On These Truths We Stand.
First printed in The Religious Herald May 11 through August 24, 1989
Prepared by the Committee on Denominational Crisis Baptist General Association of Virginia.
Keyed in by Mike Olah Sysop Christian Resources BBS Data 804-543-0830 Oct 1990
The Committee on Denominational Crisis. Lewis T. Booker, Attorney and legal counsel for the Virginia Baptist General
Board; member of Second Baptist Church, Richmond, Virginia.
Michael J. Clingenpeel, pastor of Franklin Baptist Church, Franklin, Virginia
William J. Cumbie, retires Executive Director of the Mount Vernon Baptist
Association; member Calvary Hill Baptist Church, Fairfax, Virginia.
Alma Hunt, retired Exective Director of Women’s Missionary Union; member
of First Baptist Church, Roanoke, Virginia.
William L Lumpkin, retired pastor of Freemason Street Baptist Church, Norfolk,
Virginia.
Bob D. Lynch, pastor of First Baptist Church, Gate City, Virginia.
John W. Patterson, Executive Director of Peninsula Baptist Association;
member of Liberty Baptist Church, Newport News, Virginia.
James Slatton, pastor of River Road Church, Baptist, Richmond, Virginia.
Jean Woodward, President, Baptist General Association of Virginia
(ex officio); member River Road Baptist Church, Richmond, Virginia,
Neal T. Jones, Chairman, pastor of Columbia Baptist Church, Falls Church,
Virginia.