Although the public ministry (the pastoral office), which is mediately conferred upon pastors through the congregation, is a divine institution, it is not absolutely necessary; for all believers, as spiritual priests, are bound by divine command to preach the Gospel, 1 Pet. 2, 9, and to teach and admonish one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, Col. 3, 16. Already Luther called attention to the fact that "the world may become so utterly epicurean that upon the whole earth there will be no public ministry at all, but that the Gospel will be preserved alone in the Christian homes through Christian fathers" (St. L., VI, 938). Also through the study of the Bible by individual believers Christ's Church may be preserved and spread on earth.
Hence, as Dr. Walther rightly affirms (Kirche und Amt, p. 195), the pastoral office (Pfarramt) must not be regarded as a sort of means of grace, which is absolutely necessary for the salvation of men, so that no one can come to faith and receive remission of sins without the service of an ordained pastor. This absolute necessity applies only to the use of the Word of God, and in particular to that of the Gospel of Christ, without which no one can ordinarily be saved.
The enthusiasts, who deny the necessity of preaching the Gospel, claiming that it is the "inner Word" (Verbum internum) which saves, reject the clear teaching of Scripture concerning the means of grace and base their doctrine on their speculations. Luther: "We must firmly hold that God grants His Spirit or grace to no one except through or with the preceding outward Word in order that we may thus be protected against the enthusiasts, i. e., spirits who boast that they have the Spirit without and before the Word." (Smalcald Art., Part III, Art. VIII, 3. Triglot, p. 495.
Nevertheless, while the public ministry is not absolutely necessary, it should not be despised. This is done a) when Christians refuse to come to church, claiming that they read the Bible at home, Luke 10, 16; Heb. 10, 23-25 (cp. Luther, St. L., III, 1736); or b) when called and ordained ministers neglect their holy office under the plea that their flock does not require feeding, since, as spiritual priests, they can take care of themselves (cp. Ezek. 3, 17 ff.; 2 Tim. 4, 2 ff.; 1 Tim. 4, 13 ff.; Phil. 2, 21; also Luther, St. L., X, 5); or c) when churches refuse to maintain schools in which Christian ministers or teachers are trained for the holy office (St. L., X, 417. 458 ff.). Contempt for the public ministry is commonly motivated by contempt for Christ and His blessed Gospel, Matt. 10, 22; 24, 9; John 17, 14.