Because our identification with God our Father, with Jesus our brother and with God's family, the Church, is so important, God has ordained a special ceremony, the laying on of hands, to signify it.
That the laying on of hands is still significant today is shown in Hebrews 6:1,2: the elementary principles of Christ . . . the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands. (NKJV)
Under the Old Testament, the High Priest would identify the people with the sacrifice of a goat, by laying his hands on the head of another goat. The laying on of hands was also used in the Old Testament to signify the identification of the family relationship. Thus we read of Israel declaring of his two grandchildren: now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon (Israel's other sons), they shall be mine . . . And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head . . . and his left hand upon Manasseh's head . . . and said . . . bless the lads; and let my name be named on them. (Genesis 48:5,14-16)
Drawing upon these examples from the Old Testament, we can understand the general symbolism of the laying on of hands today: Just as Israel laid his hands on his grandchildren to symbolise the family relationship, so we have become children of God's family - God is our Father, and therefore Jesus is our brother. Because of this we are also identified with Jesus our Lamb via His High Priestly ministry, in the same way that the Israelites were identified with the sacrifice, by the laying on of hands of their high priest upon a goat.
Because we are identified with Jesus and with His sacrifice: Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ. (Galatians 3:13,14) Sickness, which is part of the curse, can thus be healed. To symbolise that it is only by identification with Jesus that blessing and healing is received, Jesus laid his hands on people: he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them (Mark 6:5); and: he . . . put his hands upon them, and blessed them (Mark 10:16)
Although only some people receive the laying on of hands for specific purposes such as healing, all Christians should receive the laying on of hands for the more general purpose of identifying themselves as members of God's family.
The ceremony of laying on of hands should be conducted after the ceremony of baptism in water: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then laid they their hands on them. (Acts 8:16,17) Both ceremonies are merely symbolic. Baptism, which speaks of repentance and of Jesus our King, has a different meaning from laying on of hands, which speaks of identification with Jesus, our brother and lamb. Because it is not possible to be identified with God until we have repented and acknowledged Jesus as King, the ceremony of laying on of hands is conducted after the ceremony of baptism.
Whilst today the ceremonies of baptism and laying on of hands are not the way to receive the Holy Spirit, the truths behind these ceremonies are. Possibly, in the early church, to teach them the importance of the truth behind the ceremony, God delayed the giving of the Holy Spirit until after the ceremony. But today because we have the New Testament to teach us these truths, the Holy Spirit is given immediately we believe, with the ceremonies of baptism and laying on of hands, following some time later.
Every true Christian is a priest: But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people. (1 Peter 2:9) The classification of some Christians as priests and others not, is unscriptural. All Christians are priests and Jesus Christ is the High Priest. The basic meaning of priesthood may be to draw near to God on behalf of someone else. The purpose of this may be to pray for them, or alternatively, it may be to find God's message for them. Although the concept of priesthood also pertains to the everlasting kingdom, here I will only discuss it as it pertains to this life.
We should understand that the idea of going once a week to a so-called priest for confession is completely unscriptural. This practice is based upon the misinterpretation of John 20:23 where Jesus said to his twelve apostles: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. This is not only a promise to the twelve apostles, nor only to ordained ministers, but it is a promise to all born again Christians and it has several possible interpretations as I will now explain.
One way to help cancel someone else's sins is to show them the word of God that they might repent: Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. (James 5:19,20)
Another example of the exercise of a priestly ministry is that of Job. God was angry with his three so-called comforters who were more like accusers. Job had to pray for these three so that they would not be punished. God told them: my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job. (Job 42:8) I think that this type of prayer is relevant to life on earth rather than to the afterlife.
In a similar way to that by which Job prayed for those who had sinned against him, Christians should also pray for those who have sinned against them when the sinner acknowledges his fault. This is the context of James 5:16: confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. When a Christian thus prays he is exercising his priestly ministry. God forgives the sinner when he puts right the wrong and confesses his sin to God. But for deliverance on earth from God's chastening, the prayer of others is helpful. This teaches us to value our fellow believers. However, there is no need to confess a sin to another unless that sin has affected another. What purpose could possibly be achieved by confessing our sins to another man on earth, if God only can forgive sins, and if Jesus Christ is our mediator?
Sometimes the elder of the church will pray for the sick. This is because he is praying on behalf of and with the rest of the church (not because he is the only priest): the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. (James 5:15) If sickness was the punishment for someone's transgression, then healing them would be the active expression of forgiveness on earth. The reason one's sins are forgiven, is not because the elder has prayed for him but because of his repentance which accompanies the process.
The prayer of another is also spoken of by John. Occasionally Christians may go through a bad period when they lose touch with God and feel they need extra help. In such an instance, they may ask another Christian, who has not lost touch with God, to pray for them. Such prayer is spoken of in 1 John 5:16: If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life. This Scripture assumes the will to repent, without which there is no forgiveness. God then helps them to be filled with the Spirit and gain victory over sin. When a Christian has been helped by God, he in turn will then be in a position to help others by prayer.
The apostle Simon Peter needed prayer at first, but was later able to pray for and help others: And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. (Luke 22:31) Soon after Jesus had said these words to Peter, he did deny the Lord by saying he did not know the man, although he wept bitterly afterwards. But not long after this failure, Peter was mightily used by God, preaching the gospel to 3,000 on the Day of Pentecost and praying for them. We also read of miracles of healing being performed by Peter.
Another example of a priestly ministry is described in 2 Chronicles 6:32,33 where Solomon prays regarding foreigners: Moreover concerning the stranger, which is not of thy people Israel, but is come from a far country for thy great name’s sake, and thy mighty hand, and thy stretched out arm; if they come and pray in this house; then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for, that all people of the earth may know thy name, and fear thee, as doth thy people Israel, and may know that this house which I have built is called by thy name. In the same way that a foreigner could come to the Old Testament Temple to pray, a non-Christian can come to the Christians in the church to ask for prayer. Sometimes this prayer may be to ask for forgiveness for sin, so that God will not punish them here on earth, or possibly they are already sick or in trouble because of their sins and want deliverance. I think such forgiveness is only relevant to life on earth, but not to the after-life. But by appreciating the value of such prayer their hearts are prepared for salvation. So by such prayers, a Christian may exercise his priestly responsibility and privilege to the world at large.