Scripture Reading: 2 Cor. 5:16—6:1; 1 Cor. 3:9a
Ⅰ
The ministers of the new covenant are co-workers of God—2 Cor. 6:1a; 1 Cor. 3:9a:
A
As ministers of the new covenant, we are God's fellow workers, working together with Him:
１
God is a worker, and while His fellow workers are working, He too is working—John 5:17; Mark 16:20.
２
A co-worker of God is one who is bound together with God.
３
The God with whom we are working is the God of resurrection; therefore, we as His co-workers should also be in resurrection—2 Cor. 1:9; 4:14.
B
If we would be co-workers of God, we need to see that God's central work is to work Himself into man—Eph. 3:14-21:
１
The proper priority is not for us to work for God but for God to work Himself into us.
２
The principle of God's work is to gain persons and by gaining them to have a way to go on.
３
The material with which God works is God Himself, and His intention is to make Himself our inward elements:
ａ
God desires to dispense Himself into us so that His life can flow through us and out of us.
ｂ
Apart from God's purpose to work Himself into us, the Christian life is meaningless.
ｃ
Spiritual progress consists in allowing God to gain ground in us and to work Himself into us.
C
To work with the Lord we need to be mature in life, teach the high truths, and be one with the Lord, and our work must be for His Body—S. S. 7:9b-13.
D
As co-workers of God we should do only one work—to make God's chosen, redeemed, and regenerated people beings in the New Jerusalem—S. S. 6:4; Rev. 3:12.
Ⅱ
As co-workers of God the new covenant ministers carry out the ministry of reconciliation—2 Cor. 5:18-20a; 6:1:
A
The ministry of reconciliation is not only to bring sinners back to God but also to bring believers absolutely into God.
B
Two steps are required for us to be reconciled to God:
１
The first step is to reconcile sinners to God from sin—2 Cor. 5:19:
ａ
For this purpose Christ died for our sins that we might be forgiven—1 Cor. 15:3.
ｂ
Christ bore our sins on the cross that they might be judged by God—1 Pet. 2:24.
２
The second step is to reconcile believers living in the natural life to God from the flesh—2 Cor. 5:20:
ａ
For this purpose Christ died for us, the persons, that we might live to Him in the resurrection life—2 Cor. 5:14-15.
ｂ
Christ was made sin on our behalf that sin might be judged and done away with—2 Cor. 5:21; Rom. 8:3.
３
The two steps of reconciliation are portrayed by the two veils of the tabernacle—Exo. 26:37, 31-35; Heb. 9:3; 10:19; Matt. 27:51.
C
If we would carry out the ministry of reconciliation, we need to be identified with the crucified Christ—2 Cor. 5:14; Gal. 2:20a; 5:24; 2 Cor. 4:10-12.
D
The ministry of reconciliation has a marvelous issue:
１
The believers become the righteousness of God in Christ—2 Cor. 5:21.
２
The believers enjoy the Triune God in the Holy of Holies—Matt. 27:51; Heb. 10:19-20; 2 Cor. 1:24a.
３
The believers are incorporated into the processed and consummated Triune God to become an enlarged, universal, divine-human incorporation—John 14:20.
４
The believers become God's sanctuary, His dwelling place, His Holy of Holies—the New Jerusalem—John 14:23; Eph. 3:17; Rev. 21:2, 10, 16.