Message Two

The New Testament Ministry—
the Unique Ministry according to
the Apostles’ Teaching

1. The ministry of the New Testament, which is the ministry of the new covenant, is uniquely one universally—Acts 1:17, 25; 2 Cor. 4:1; 1 Tim. 1:12:
   1. The ministry of the Spirit and of righteousness, which is the ministry of the new covenant, is in contrast with the ministry of death and of condemnation, which is the ministry of the old covenant—2 Cor. 3:7-9.
   2. The work of the New Testament ministry is to accomplish God’s New Testament economy concerning the church in the building up of the Body of Christ to consummate the New Jerusalem—Eph. 3:9-10; 4:11-12.
2. The ministry of the New Testament is uniquely one, but there are many ministers who have a part in this one ministry—Acts 20:24; 21:19; 2 Tim. 4:5; Col. 4:17:
   1. The unique ministry of the New Testament comprises all the works (ministries) of all the apostles, the ministers of the new covenant—2 Cor. 3:6.
   2. The New Testament ministry is uniquely one and corporate, but because this ministry is the service of the Body of Christ and because the Body has many members, every member has its own personal ministry.
   3. Thus, according to the members, there are many personal ministries; however, according to the Body as a whole, there is just one ministry.
   4. Although the ministers are many, all these ministers have only one corporate ministry, which is the New Testament ministry.
3. All the works (the ministries) of the teachings other than the teaching of the apostles for the accomplishment of God’s New Testament economy are not counted in this unique ministry—Acts 2:42; 1 Tim. 1:3-4:
   1. The proper ministry is the ministry according to the apostles’ teaching, the teaching of God’s New Testament economy, for the building up of the Body of Christ to consummate the New Jerusalem.
   2. God’s economy in faith is His household administration to dispense Himself in Christ into His chosen people that He may have a house to express Himself, which house is the church, the Body of Christ.
   3. Any teaching other than the unique teaching of God’s economy is considered by the apostle as a different teaching—1 Tim. 1:3-4.
4. Divisions come out of different ministries with different teachings:
   1. The different teachings of the dissenting ones are winds used by God’s enemy to distract His people and carry them away from His economy—Eph. 4:14.
   2. The dividing teachings are organized and systematized by Satan to cause serious error and thus damage the practical oneness of the Body life.
   3. The different teachings are the major source of the church’s decline, degradation, and deterioration—1 Tim. 1:3-4, 6-7; 6:3-5, 20-21.
5. There are two secrets of discerning the genuine New Testament ministry:
   1. Today‘s “Judaizers” stir up questions to distract the believers from the precious person of the Lord Jesus, but the genuine ministry stirs up our love for the Lord Jesus as our Bridegroom so that we may enjoy Him to the uttermost as our Husband—2 Cor. 11:2-3.
   2. Today‘s “Judaizers” do not suffer for the Body of Christ, but the genuine ministry strengthens us to follow Christ in the fellowship of His sufferings for the sake of His Body—2 Cor. 11:23-33; Phil. 3:10; Col. 1:24.
6. The ministry of the new covenant is produced in the new covenant ministers by the experiences of the riches of Christ gained through sufferings, consuming pressures, and the killing work of the cross—2 Cor. 1:8; 4:8-12:
   1. The ministers of the new covenant are the captives of Christ in the train of His triumph, scattering the fragrance of Christ from place to place for His triumphant glory—2 Cor. 2:14-15.
   2. The ministers of the new covenant are the ambassadors of Christ to accomplish God’s purpose by carrying out the ministry of reconciliation in two steps—2 Cor. 5:18-20:
      1. The first step is to reconcile sinners to God from sin.
      2. The second step is to reconcile the believers living in the natural life to God from the flesh.
7. The ministers of the new covenant carry out the unique ministry of the new covenant by an all-fitting life—2 Cor. 6:1:
   1. The function of the ministry of the new covenant is to impart life to others—2 Cor. 4:12.
   2. The function of the ministry of the new covenant is to supply grace to the saints—2 Cor. 1:15; 4:15; 6:1.
   3. The function of the ministry of the new covenant is to dispense the processed and consummated Triune God into the believers—2 Cor. 13:14.
   4. The function of the ministry of the new covenant is to write living letters of Christ with the life-giving Spirit as the essence—2 Cor. 3:1-6:
      1. The letters are composed of Christ as the content to convey and express Christ.
      2. The apostles inscribe Christ as the life-giving Spirit in the hearts of the saints to make them letters of Christ.
8. The unique goal of the ministry of the new covenant is to build up the Body of Christ to consummate the New Jerusalem:
   1. The unique ministry makes the believers the same as God in life, nature, and expression—2 Cor. 3:3, 6; 5:21; 3:18.
   2. The unique ministry incorporates the believers into Christ for the consummation of the universal divine-human incorporation:
      1. The believers are firmly attached unto Christ to experience the Spirit’s anointing, sealing, and pledging—2 Cor. 1:21-22.
      2. The believers are fully reconciled to God to become the New Jerusalem, the enlarged and consummate Holy of Holies—2 Cor. 5:20; Rev. 21:16.