The Priesthood of Every Believer - Critical Issues Commentary
Paganism is the default religion of the human race. Without true, Biblical teaching we think like pagans. Many have rightly pointed out that Roman Catholicism is paganized Christianity. In that context, Luther fought to bring us back to the truth of the gospel as found in scripture alone. A concomitant teaching of scripture alone is the priesthood of every believer. Pagans typically wish to have a supposed holy man (or shaman) to stand between them and God, many Christians are looking for the same. False teachers and false prophets take advantage of this tendency to abuse the flock.
In Luther's day the abuse came from the Pope and the hierarchy of authorities under him. In that context, some Christians from Bohemia wrote to Luther to ask what to do. The Pope was making them send people to Rome at their own expense and pay tribute to have authorized "priests" to head churches. Luther's answer was the biblical doctrine of the priesthood of every believer. He claimed that the Roman Catholic priesthood was illegitimate and comprised of the unregenerate. As such, they were not truly priests. Luther identified seven functions of priests, and proved from scripture that each of these legitimately pertained to every true saint, born from above.
Today the doctrine of the priesthood of every believer is typically neglected. The implications of the doctrine are not on the minds of many Christians. In this vacuum, religious authorities do what Roman Catholic authorities did in Luther's day- they abuse the saints. In this series Bob DeWaay examines the seven functions identified by Luther along with his Biblical proof. He argues that Luther's doctrine was indeed Biblical and needs to be brought back to the forefront of our preaching and teaching. If we are truly priests to God, we need to know the privileges and duties that attend this position we have in Christ.
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We are a Royal Priesthood - Critical Issues Commentary
We are a Royal Priesthood
In this episode we show that we have access to God through the One High Priest, Jesus Christ. As believers we are part of the royal priesthood from 1Peter 1:9, and we can approach the throne of grace without going through a human mediator. We show that the Roman Catholi...
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Christ the One High Priest - Critical Issues Commentary
Christ the One High Priest
The Roman Catholic church claims that they have access to God that ordinary Christians do not, and the New Apostolic Reformation teachers claim that they are the apostles and prophets that speak for God. We reject these claims and show that Christ is the one High Pries...
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The Ministry of the Word - Critical Issues Commentary
The Ministry of the Word
In this episode we show that we are built into the royal priesthood (1Peter 2:5) by Christ, not ordained into it by church authorities. All who have been born again are priests of God and are called to proclaim His excellencies (1Peter 2:9). Though not all believers are ...
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Proclaiming God’s Mighty Deeds - Critical Issues Commentary
Proclaiming God’s Mighty Deeds
We begin this episode with a brief discussion of creedalism. We then show that believers proclaim the Word of God through the Lord’s Supper. As we partake of the Lord’s Supper we are proclaiming the excellencies of Christ, remembering the work of Christ, and we are...
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To Baptize - Critical Issues Commentary
To Baptize
Baptism is a means of grace that reminds us that we died with Christ and have resurrection life. A baptism is a public proclamation of the gospel. In cases of necessity it is not required that a church official be present. We show that though elders often baptize new believers it is s...
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To Administer Communion - Critical Issues Commentary
To Administer Communion
The Lord’s Supper is for all believers and all Christians are equal at the Lord’s Table. No church council has the authority to bar true believers from Lord’s Supper except in cases of church discipline, and we are not required to agree to a creed from church history befo...
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Remembering His Death Until He Comes - Critical Issues Commentary
Remembering His Death Until He Comes
We begin this episode with a discussion of the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation and their false system of communion. At the Lord’s Supper we remember that “Jesus died for sins, once for all, the just for the unjust, in order to bring us to God.” We sho...
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To Bind and To Loose - Critical Issues Commentary
To Bind and To Loose
The fourth function, binding and loosing, is far more important than many realize. As our first two issues of CIC showed, this is not about binding demons or spirits, but about declaring what is forbidden or permitted under Christ. What is binding for all of us under the New...
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To Bind and to Loose - Critical Issues Commentary
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To Offer Sacrifice - Critical Issues Commentary
To Offer Sacrifice
The fifth function of the priesthood the Rome claimed for their own is to sacrifice. We show that every believer offers the “sacrifice of praise.” Contrary to the Roman Catholic doctrine of the mass, Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice made us holy and made our worship acceptable ...
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The Unbiblical Sacrifice of the Mass - Critical Issues Commentary
The Unbiblical Sacrifice of the Mass
In this episode we show that the Catholic “mass” was never given by the Holy Spirit, isn’t found in Scripture, and is a sacrifice that God never ordained. The mass is powerless to sanctify believers. It is a works-based system that removes the “once for all” ...
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To Pray For Others - Critical Issues Commentary
To Pray For Others
In this episode we show that every believer can go directly to Christ through prayer. We do not need to go through a special priest beyond the priesthood of every believer. Pagans have “holy men” that they believe can mediate between them and the world of the spirits. Sadly, e...
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Equipping the Saints to Judge Doctrine - Critical Issues Commentary
Equipping the Saints to Judge Doctrine
In this episode we discuss a variety of topics as they relate to the priesthood of every believer and our right and obligation to judge doctrine. We begin with the 5 Solas of the Reformation, common errors in discernment, pitfalls of creedalism, and more. W...
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Sola Scriptura and True Revelation - Critical Issues Commentary
Sola Scriptura and True Revelation
In this episode we discuss Sola Scriptura, showing that only God’s Word is authoritative and binding on the church. Though the major Christological creeds are correct, they are correct because the doctrine can be found in Scripture. We are all called to search ...
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We Must Know the Truth - Critical Issues Commentary
We Must Know the Truth
Every believer has the duty and responsibility to judge what anyone teaches in the name of Christ. Martin Luther said, “…what you believe is your responsibility whether it result in your peril or your benefit.” We discuss the false teachings about Christ from men such as M...
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Recovering the Truth - Critical Issues Commentary
Recovering the Truth
In this episode we show that the priesthood of every believer and our duty to judge doctrine is as important today as it was at the time of the Reformation. When we rightly judge doctrine and defend the truth of the gospel we honor Christ who made us a kingdom of priests to ...
