Are You Living Out Your Faith? What It Means to Be Part of the Holy Priesthood
Faith was never meant to be private. It was meant to be personal, yes, but not kept to yourself. If you've ever wondered what your role is as a Christian in the world around you, the answer might be simpler and more challenging than you think.
What Is the Church Really For?
It's easy to think of church as a place you attend, a service you evaluate, or a community you join when it's convenient. But the church is not a building. The church is the people. And those people are called to something much bigger than showing up on Sunday.
There are three things that define what a healthy church looks like: God's Word, God's Spirit, and God's people. Every decision, every direction, every question about what the church should be doing comes back to those three things. When one is missing, something breaks down.
The Cruise Ship vs. The Battleship: Which Mentality Are You Bringing to Your Faith?
One of the most honest questions you can ask yourself is this: am I treating my faith like a cruise ship experience or a battleship mission?
On a cruise ship, everything is evaluated based on personal comfort. Is the pastor entertaining enough? Is the children's program good enough? Is my experience being optimized? That mentality turns faith into a consumer product.
A battleship asks completely different questions. Is the mission clear and noble? Does the crew know who the enemy is? Are people equipped to win? Is there accountability and structure?
The battleship mentality is not about being harsh or joyless. It's about understanding that we are in a real spiritual battle. As Scripture says, our fight is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces of darkness. Complacency is dangerous. The enemy wants to lull you into a false sense of security.
What Does 1 Peter 2 Say About Who You Are?
First Peter chapter two lays out something remarkable about the identity of every believer. It says:
"As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." - 1 Peter 2:4-5
Notice the language. It is not just "you" as an individual. It is "y'all." All of you, together, are being built up as a spiritual house. Every believer is a living stone with a role to play. And together, you form something that can carry weight and hold load.
The passage continues:
"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." - 1 Peter 2:9
You are not an afterthought. You are His treasured possession. And you have been called out of darkness specifically so that you can proclaim the light to others.
What Is the Cornerstone and Why Does It Matter?
The passage also points to Jesus as the cornerstone, the first stone set in a building that every other stone is aligned and measured against. Either He is the foundation you build your life on, or He becomes a rock of offense that you stumble over. There is no middle ground.
"Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame." - 1 Peter 2:6
To believe in Him means your name is never blotted out. You are never cast aside. You belong to His house permanently.
Why Personal Faith Cannot Stay Private
There is a temptation, especially in modern culture, to keep faith deeply personal and completely private. You can live in a neighborhood, close your garage door, get online, and never meaningfully engage another soul. You can feel spiritual without ever letting your faith touch anyone else's life.
But that is exactly what the Bible pushes back against. The "one another" commands throughout Scripture cannot be fulfilled in isolation. Meaningful faith is personal, but it is never meant to stay private. It is meant to build deep relationships and serve both those who already know God and those who do not yet.
When your faith becomes something you protect rather than something you share, it stops functioning the way it was designed to.
Your Faith Makes You Distinct, and That Matters More Than You Know
Peter writes:
"Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation." - 1 Peter 2:11-12
You are here on a temporary assignment. This world is not your permanent home. And because of that, how you live matters. People are watching. Someone in your workplace, your neighborhood, or your circle of friends may be in a quiet crisis right now, looking for someone who looks different, who carries hope, who they can trust to point them toward something real.
You may be the only person in that building with the message they need. Not because you have it all together, but because you know the One who does.
A Story About Temporary Assignments and Lasting Impact
While stationed near the DMZ between North and South Korea, a young army officer started teaching English to locals using the Bible as his text. One student, a young man named Jun, eventually said he wanted to become a Christian and asked to be baptized. They went to the army pool and it happened, simple and unplanned.
Years later, a phone call came out of nowhere. It was Jun. He had become a pastor. He was married and expecting a daughter. He called to say thank you, and to ask what he should name his child. The answer was Grace.
That officer was only in Korea for a year. A temporary assignment. But one year of being on mission changed the trajectory of a man's life, his family, and everyone he would go on to pastor.
You are on a temporary assignment right now, wherever you are. You do not know whose life you are going to impact. But you are obligated to try.
How Do You Start Living as Part of the Holy Priesthood?
It does not have to be complicated. Here are a few practical starting points:
- Make your faith personal first. Spend time in God's Word consistently. Let it speak to you before you try to speak it to others.
- Start praying for the people around you, coworkers, neighbors, friends who are far from God. Just start there.
- Tell someone you prayed for them. It might feel awkward. Do it anyway.
- Ask what someone needs prayer for. You will be surprised how quickly walls come down.
- Let your life be distinct enough that when someone is in crisis, they know who to call.
The holy priesthood is not a title reserved for pastors or people with theological degrees. It belongs to all who believe. That includes you.
Life Application
This week, identify one person in your life who is far from God and commit to praying for them every day. Then, before the week is over, tell them you have been praying for them and ask if there is anything specific they would like you to pray for. That one conversation could be the beginning of something that changes their life.
As you reflect on this, consider asking yourself:
- Am I treating my faith like a cruise ship experience, focused on what I get out of it, or am I living with a battleship mentality, focused on the mission?
- Is my faith personal but not private, or have I been keeping it entirely to myself?
- Who in my life right now might be in a quiet crisis, waiting for someone like me to show up?
- What would it look like for me to take my temporary assignment seriously this week?
You are a living stone. You are part of something being built for the glory of God. Do not sit on the sidelines of that.