Outline
Ⅲ
The ministry of reconciliation brings us back to God to such an extent that we become the righteousness of God in Christ—v. 21:
A
Not only are we justified by God (Gal. 2:16)—we actually become the righteousness of God.
B
When Christ died on the cross as our Substitute, God considered Him not only the sin bearer but sin itself; now in resurrection Christ comes into us as life, and this life lives within us to constitute us into the righteousness of God.
C
In substitution Christ was made sin for us; now in His constitution we become the righteousness of God in Him—2 Cor. 5:21:
１
The phrase in Him means in union with Christ, not only positionally but also organically in resurrection.
２
When Christ died on the cross, God condemned Him in the flesh as sin for us (Rom. 8:3; John 3:14) so that we might be one with Him in His resurrection to be God’s righteousness; therefore, in the organic union with Christ we are made the righteousness of God.
D
To become the righteousness of God in Christ is a matter of being right with God in our being; this is to have an inner being that is transparent and crystal clear—an inner being in the mind and will of God—2 Cor. 5:21.
E
Second Corinthians reveals the complete reconciliation of the believers to God, and Christ as the means of reconciliation.
Morning Nourishment
2 Cor. 5:14 For the love of Christ constrains us because we have judged this, that One died for all, therefore all died.3:8-9 How shall the ministry of the Spirit not be more in glory? For if there is glory with the ministry of condemnation, much more the ministry of righteousness abounds with glory.
Many of today’s Christians know only that Christ died for their sins [1 Cor. 15:3]. They do not realize that Christ died for them as the flesh, as the old creation [2 Cor. 5:14]…In order that our sins might be forgiven by God, Christ died for our sins. This, however, is simply the initial stage of reconciliation. Christ died on the cross not only for our sins, but…also for us…Christ died on the cross so that our outer man, our natural being, may be terminated in order that we may become the righteousness of God. Therefore, Christ died for our sins so that we may be forgiven and justified by God. But Christ died for us so that we may become the righteousness of God.
The new covenant ministry brings us back to God to such an extent that we actually become God’s righteousness. Not only are we justified by God, but we even become the righteousness of God. (Life-study of 2 Corinthians, pp. 323-324)
Today’s Reading
The ministry of the new covenant, a ministry of the Spirit and of righteousness, will work out a condition of righteousness first in individuals, second in the church, and third in the millennial kingdom…Although the age of the kingdom has not yet come, we can have a foretaste of the righteousness of the kingdom today in the church life and in our family life. Sometimes in a certain local church the condition may be such that everything, everyone, and every matter is justified by God. Such a church is the righteousness of God. This kind of condition may also be present in our family life. In a few cases I have seen that in a family whose members have been thoroughly saved, there is a condition where nothing is wrong, but everything is satisfactory to God and justified by Him…The fruit of the new covenant ministry is to produce this kind of righteousness.As a result of experiencing the Spirit living and working within us, we become righteous. Spontaneously, our inner being is transparent, crystal clear, and we know the heart of God…Without effort, we know the mind of the Lord and have a clear understanding concerning His will and work. Then what we do is according to the Lord’s mind and will. This is righteousness.
Many Christians have the concept that when we do something wrong, we are not right with God. This concept of righteousness is too superficial. Even when we do not do anything wrong, we still may not be right with God, for our being may not be in the mind and will of the Lord…We may not be according to the Lord’s mind, and what we are doing may not be His will. As long as we are not doing God’s will, we are not right.
Suppose a young person at school does not do anything wrong. But he does not study properly. Furthermore, when he sits in class, he is absent-minded…Outwardly, he may not be wrong, but inwardly, his whole being is wrong. In the same principle, outwardly, many saints are not wrong in anything. Actually, their being is not in the will of the Lord.
If you are infused and saturated by the life-giving Spirit, your inner being will become transparent. Then you will know what is in the Lord’s mind. You will also understand what the will of the Lord is. Spontaneously, you will be in His will and do His will. As a result, you become right with Him. Moreover, you will realize how you should act toward others and even how you should deal with your material possessions. Then you will become a righteous person, one who is right in small things as well as in great things, one who is right with God, with others, and with himself. This is a person who expresses God, for his righteousness is the image of God, God expressed. (Life-study of 2 Corinthians, pp. 323, 239-240)
Further Reading: Life-study of Exodus, msgs. 99—103