Christians As Priests

June 16th, 2025
by Dr. Lance Waldie

Romans 15:14-16 And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another. 15 But I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me from God, 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Having not planted the church in Rome, Paul did not want to assume an authority over them they would not recognize. He thus never rebuked them but encouraged them as their brother in Christ. In spite of his concerns regarding their unity, he was “convinced” of their “goodness,” that is, their morality, kindness, and generosity toward others. Moreover, he knew they were “filled with all knowledge” and thus equipped to “admonish one another.” To “admonish” (Gr. noutheteō) suggests counsel and exhortation. So the knowledge that these Christians possessed qualified them to come alongside one another, even to those who did not possess “all knowledge” as they did. Paul’s counsel was therefore that they admonish one another regularly.

Having carefully written what he did without suggesting that these Christians were living in sin (as he did with the Corinthians and Galatians), in v. 15 Paul does admit to writing boldly simply to remind his brothers and sisters in Christ of their duties as believers. Paul knew that even the most astute Christians needed continual reminders of what they already knew and how they should behave. Of course speaking boldly about these matters fully characterized Paul. His traveling companion, Luke, spoke of Paul as “speaking out boldly in the name of Jesus” (Acts 9:27). This was true also in Galatia (13:46; 14:3) and in Ephesus where he reasoned and persuaded others about the kingdom of God (19:8) and everywhere else as well.

Paul said that his boldness in speaking was “because of the grace” given to him by God (15b). Of course Paul spoke what he did because of God’s saving grace on his own life, but in this context the “grace given” to him by God was his apostolic authority and charge to proclaim the gospel. Romans was not written as Paul’s personal credo for personal reasons; rather, he viewed himself as “a bondservant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,” from whom and for whom he had “received grace and apostleship” (Rom. 1:1, 5). He actually considered himself “the least of the apostles,” but “by the grace of God” he said, “I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain” (1 Cor. 15:9-10). God’s grace on Paul’s life, therefore, was that he be a “minister,” or servant, of Christ to the Gentiles. And so he was!

The church in Rome was mostly comprised of Gentiles, and Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles (11:13). He called himself a “minister” (Gr. leitourgos)—a general Greek term used for public officials (cf. 13:6). The NT most often uses it for those who serve God in public worship (Luke 1:23; Phil. 2:17; Heb. 1:7, 14; 8:1-2, 6). His ministry to Gentiles was therefore “as a priest,” for Paul rightly saw himself as a mediator between Gentiles and God, preaching Christ’s gospel to them for their salvation. In fact, Paul viewed his Gentile converts to Jesus Christ as his offering to God, “acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit”—a living sacrifice.

Food For Thought
All Christians have been given God’s grace—grace not simply given for our personal salvation, but like Paul, grace that gives us license to encourage fellow believers, instruct them, and remind them of their salvation in Christ. No one needs a counseling degree to instruct, for Paul acknowledged that a full understanding of the gospel was sufficient for that. And we don’t need to fret over repeating what folks already know. Simple reminders can be very convicting!