The Ministry of the Word and God’s Dispensing for God’s Economy
Message Two
The Ministry of Reconciliation
THE EXTRACT OF THE OUTLINES
Scripture reading:
Rom. 5:10 For if we, being enemies, were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more we will be saved in His life, having been reconciled,
I. It is beneficial for us to have a basic understanding of reconciliation—Rom. 5:10; Col. 1:20; 2 Cor. 5:18-20: (Monday)
A. The means of reconciliation is Christ; the procedure of reconciliation is the cross; the sphere of reconciliation is in one body—Col. 1:20; Eph. 2:16.
B. The fact of reconciliation is our standing before God based on judicial redemption and justification by faith—Rom. 5:10.
II. The ministers of the new covenant act as ambassadors on behalf of Christ to carry out the ministry of reconciliation—2 Cor. 5:18-20; 6:1:
A. The ministry of reconciliation not only brings sinners back to God but also brings believers absolutely into God and makes them absolutely one with Him—2 Cor. 5:18-20.
B. Complete reconciliation of man to God requires two steps: the first step is for sinners to be reconciled to God from sin; the second step is for believers living in the natural life to be reconciled to God from the flesh—2 Cor. 5:19-21; Rom. 8:3.
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C. Only when we are fully reconciled to God are we fully saved—Rom. 5:10; Heb. 7:25. (Tuesday)
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III. The ministry of reconciliation brings us back to God to such an extent that we can become the righteousness of God in Christ—2 Cor. 5:21: (Wednesday, Thursday)
A. We are not only justified by God—we actually become the righteousness of God—2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 2:16.
B. We are made the righteousness of God in our organic union with Christ; to become the righteousness of God in Christ is to be right with God in our being—2 Cor. 5:21.
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IV. These two steps of reconciliation are clearly portrayed by the two veils of the tabernacle; both veils signify the unique Christ, who died for our sins and even more died for us—Exod. 26:31-37; Heb. 9:3. (Friday)
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V. Being fully reconciled to God will enlarge our heart; the extent to which our heart is enlarged depends on the degree to which we are reconciled to God—2 Cor. 6:11-13. (Saturday)
VI. The results of reconciliation are as follows—Rom. 5:1-2, 10-11:
A. The result of our being reconciled to God is first that we have peace toward God—Rom. 5:1.
B. The result of our being reconciled to God is also that we can boast in God—Rom. 5:11.
C. The result of our being reconciled to God is also that we are saved in His life—Rom. 5:10.
VII. Through the ministry of reconciliation, we are incorporated into the processed and consummated Triune God to become the enlarged, universal, divine-human incorporation in Christ; as a result, we become God’s sanctuary, His habitation, His Holy of Holies—the New Jerusalem—John 14:20, 23; Rev. 21:2, 10, 16.
OPENING WORD OF THE PROPHESYING MEETING
Reading the verses in each day.
Reading the main points in the outlines.
Pray-reading the verses:
But all things are out from God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Christ… and has put in us the word of reconciliation. On behalf of Christ then we are ambassadors, as God entreats you through us; we beseech you on behalf of Christ, Be reconciled to God. Him who did not know sin He made sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God in Him—2 Cor. 5:18-21.
And after the second veil, a tabernacle, which is called the Holy of Holies—Heb. 9:3.
Word of Appetizer
What is the ministry of reconciliation? What are the two steps for man to be fully reconciled to God?
The ministers of the New Testament act as ambassadors of Christ to carry out the ministry of reconciliation; the apostles are authorized by Christ to represent Him in doing the work of reconciliation; the ministry of reconciliation not only brings sinners back to God but also brings the believers absolutely into God and makes them absolutely one with Him.
Man’s full reconciliation to God requires two steps: The first step is for sinners to be reconciled to God from sin; for this purpose, Christ died for our sins so that we may be forgiven by God. The second step is for believers living in the natural life to be reconciled to God from the flesh; for this purpose, Christ died for us—the “person”—so that we might live to Him in resurrection life.
Spiritual Burden
The extent to which we can bring people to God and into God is always measured by how close our relationship with God is; the more we are in Him, the more we can reconcile people into God; the ministry of reconciliation brings us back to God to this extent, that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ.
Through the ministry of reconciliation, we are incorporated into the processed and consummated Triune God to become the enlarged, universal divine-human incorporation in Christ; as a result, we become God’s sanctuary, His habitation, His Holy of Holies—the New Jerusalem.
Concluding Word of the Prophesying Meeting
The Revelation of the Truth
It is profitable for us to have a basic understanding of reconciliation.
The ministers of the New Testament act as ambassadors of Christ to carry out the ministry of reconciliation.
The ministry of reconciliation brings us back to God to this extent, that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ.
These two steps of reconciliation are clearly portrayed by the two veils of the tabernacle—Exo.
Through the ministry of reconciliation, we are incorporated into the processed and consummated Triune God to become the enlarged, universal divine-human incorporation in Christ; as a result, we become God’s sanctuary, His habitation, His Holy of Holies—the New Jerusalem.
The Experience of Life
When Christ died on the cross as our substitute, God viewed Him not only as the sin-bearer but also as sin itself; now in resurrection, Christ enters into us as life, and this life lives in us and constitutes us into the righteousness of God.
Since we are now reconciled to God and have peace with God, we can walk on the way of peace.
How enlarged our heart is depends on the extent to which we are reconciled to God; if we can forgive others and forget how others have offended us, it means that we are enlarged people with a broad heart.
Practice and Application
To carry out the ministry of reconciliation, we need to be one with the crucified Christ.
The ministry of reconciliation brings us back to God to this extent, that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ; to become the righteousness of God in Christ is to be right with God in our being; this is for our inner being to become transparent, clear as crystal—an inner being that matches God’s mind and will.
PROPHESYING TOPICS—TWELVE TOPICS PER WEEK
Day 1
T1 The apostles were authorized by Christ to represent Him to carry out the work of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-20)
(Please illustrate that God, Christ, and the apostles are one in carrying out the ministry of reconciliation.)
T2 Second Corinthians 5:19 is for the world to be reconciled to God, and verse 20 is for the believers who have already been reconciled to God to be further reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:18-20)
(Please illustrate through which two aspects of Christ’s death He has fully reconciled God’s chosen people to God.)
Day 2
T1 The veil of the flesh, the natural man, causes a separation between us and God (Gal. 5:20, 24)
(Why did the Corinthians, although already saved, still need the second step of reconciliation?)
T2 Only by working together with the Lord can we reconcile others to the Lord and bring them into Him (2 Cor. 5:18-20)
(Please illustrate with examples the significant difference between working for God and working together with God.)
Day 3
T1 The New Testament ministry is the ministry of The Spirit and of righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21)
(Please illustrate that in 2 Corinthians 5:21 is the ultimate consummation of salvation, which is the righteousness of God.)
T2 Righteousness dwelling in the new heaven and new earth indicates that everything will be fully brought back to God (2 Pet. 3:13)
(Why is this righteousness said to be the ultimate consummation of God’s salvation?)
Day 4
T1 We are not only justified by God, but have even become the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21)
(Please illustrate that Christ on the cross died not only for our sins but also for us.)
T2 Even if we have not done anything wrong, we may still not be right with God (2 Cor. 3:8-9)
(Please illustrate that as long as we do not do God’s will, we are not right.)
Day 5
T1 The two steps of reconciliation are clearly portrayed by the two veils of the tabernacle (Heb. 9:3, 10:19-20)
(Please illustrate that the purpose of 2 Corinthians is to bring the Corinthian believers into the Holy of Holies to make them persons in the spirit.)
T2 The ministry of reconciliation is the ministry that brings people into God (Heb. 10:19-20)
(Please illustrate that we continuously need the ministry of reconciliation until we are fully in Him and let Him be fully in us.)
Day 6
T1 If we are to be fully reconciled to God, we need to be enlarged in heart (2 Cor. 6:11-13)
(Please illustrate that when our hearts are enlarged, we must not be loose, but should continue to be strict and straight with ourselves.)
T2 Forgetting is true forgiveness (2 Cor. 6:11-13)
(Please illustrate that it is difficult for us to forgive and forget because our hearts are not yet sufficiently enlarged.)
