Believers as Priests

I have always had a hard time with the term "Reverend" in reference to a pastor or minister. The term was rarely used in the circles I became a pastor in out in Southern California. I can remember how a friend of mine and I would raze each other when we received that occasional mail addressed to "Reverend Brian" or "Reverend Ed." It is my belief that there is only One to be revered and woe to the man who might leave it open to suggestion that he might be such a person. Only God is to be revered.

Martin Luther was greatly concerned in his day about inappropriate distinctions between the so-called "clergy" class (made up of popes, bishops, priest, monks) regarding them as "the church" and as the religious - and the secular class made up of all who were not clergy. The Bible knows no such distinctions in the church.

1 Peter 2:9
9 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light...

According to Scripture, all believers are "religious" and have a common status in Christ. Luther held to the priesthood of all believers. For he wrote:

"To call popes, bishops, priests, monks and nuns the religious class, but princes, lords, artisans and farm workers the secular class is but a specious device invented by certain time-servers. But no one ought to be frightened by it, and for good reason. For all Christians whatsoever really and truly belong to the religious class and there is not difrerence among them except insofar as they do different work...For baptism, gospel and faith alone make men religious and create a Christian people...The fact is that our baptism consecrates us all without exception adn makes us all preists (1 Peter 2:9, Revelation 5:9-10)."

[From Luther's "Appeal ot the German Ruling Class"]

So, there is but one class of believers, all priests unto God and the Lord God alone is to be revered (feared), not some pastor or minister. As Solomon noted in Proverbs 1:7 -

"The fear [reverence] of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction."

Soli Deo Gloria!