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     One of the metaphors God used to describe individual Christians is saint.  Another is priest.  The apostle Peter wrote regarding Christians, “You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ...But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood....” (1 Peter 2:5, 9).  Each Christian is a priest specifically commanded to offer “spiritual sacrifices.”  What are those sacrifices?

     The Old Testament priests offered animal sacrifices to God on behalf of the Israelite worshipers who came to the temple.  Unlike those ancient priests, Christians do not offer animals, nor do they offer sacrifices on behalf of other people.  Similar to Jesus, Christians offer themselves to God — “I beseech you therefore,...that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).  In essence this is the Christian’s God-given lifestyle in a nutshell.

     This “spiritual sacrifice” begins with giving oneself in service to God.  This might sound like quitting one’s job to become a street corner evangelist, however, Paul continued delineating what it means to be a priest — “so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.  Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness” (Romans 12:5-8).  God expects Christians to be responsible stewards of the abilities and possibilities He has given to each one individually, to be offered in His service.

     The second broad characteristic of being a priest of God is not being conformed to the world.  It begins with the Christians thought pattern — being “transformed by the renewing of your mind.”  Transformed to what?  In another letter, Paul wrote Christians are to have the mind of Christ and to be Christ-like (Philippians 2:1-5).  “...whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8).

     This is the priesthood of every Christian.

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