Scripture Reading: Acts 1:17; 20:24; 2 Cor. 4:1; 3:5-6; 4:10-12; Phil. 3:10-12; 2 Cor. 1:3-12
Ⅰ
The ministers of the new covenant experience God as the God of resurrection—2 Cor. 1:9; 4:14:
A
Resurrection is the very God, who resurrects the dead—John 11:25.
B
The working of the cross terminates our self that we may experience God in resurrection.
C
The experience of the cross always issues in the enjoyment of the God of resurrection.
Ⅱ
The ministers of the new covenant seek to know Christ in resurrection and to attain to "the out-resurrection from the dead"—Phil. 3:10-11:
A
Christ has entered into resurrection and is now in the realm of resurrection—Luke 24:26.
B
The Christ whom we have received is not a natural Christ but a resurrected Christ.
C
To arrive at the out-resurrection means that our entire being is gradually and continually resurrected.
Ⅲ
As ministers of the new covenant, we have the response, or answer, of death in ourselves that we should not base our confidence on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead—2 Cor. 1:9; 3:5; 4:14:
A
God is working through the cross to terminate us, to bring us to an end.
B
Once we have been brought to an end, we will no longer trust in ourselves but trust in the God of resurrection.
Ⅳ
If we would be ministers of the new covenant, our natural strength and ability must be dealt with by the cross and brought into resurrection—Matt. 16:24-25; Phil. 3:10-11:
A
Natural strength and ability act on their own, not according to God's will.
B
Natural strength and ability seek their own glory and satisfy their own desire.
C
We need to learn the lesson of rejecting our natural strength and ability and dealing with them by the cross.
D
After our natural strength and ability have been dealt with, they become useful in resurrection for our service to the Lord.
Ⅴ
The ministers of the new covenant experience, in resurrection, a mysterious transfer out of "Tyre" and "Dan" into the tribe of Naphtali—2 Chron. 2:14; 1 Kings 7:14; Gen. 49:21; Hab. 3:19; Psa. 22 (title):
A
The history of Hiram implies a mysterious part that was used by God for His building—2 Chron. 2:14; 1 Kings 7:14.
B
Because there is a mysterious element in our regenerated life, a portion of the personal history of every Christian should be mysterious—John 3:8.
Ⅵ
As ministers of the new covenant, we should conduct ourselves "in the singleness and sincerity of God"—2 Cor. 1:12:
A
Being single and sincere is an aspect of the expression of life in resurrection.
B
Only by living a life of the singleness and sincerity of God in resurrection can we be constituted ministers of the new covenant.
Ⅶ
As ministers of the new covenant, we should conduct ourselves "not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God"—2 Cor. 1:11:
A
Fleshly wisdom, human wisdom in the flesh, equals ourselves, just as the grace of God equals God Himself—God for our enjoyment—1 Cor. 15:10; 2 Cor. 12:9.
B
The gift (v.11) is the grace of God, and the grace of God is resurrection life, the resurrected Christ.
C
The resurrected Christ is given to the new covenant ministers as grace, enabling them to enjoy the experience of resurrection out of death.