Ministers of the Church!

Ministers of the Church!

“Our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” 2 Cor. 3:5-6. Note that it says, “Ministers of the new covenant . . . of the Spirit.” The new covenant is in His blood. 1 Cor. 11:25.

When knowledge is widespread and common, it is difficult to fight against it. But it is easy to overcome and captivate people who want more than they have. If we are to serve in the right way now, we must be extremely faithful in the Spirit. It is easy to overwhelm people with knowledge so they feel compelled to say, “Yes, yes, yes,” because they have less knowledge than you do. But this is no guarantee that you have been a minister of the new covenant—a servant of the Spirit. It is possible to overwhelm people with persuasive words of wisdom, but the result will be that their faith in God becomes founded purely on the wisdom of man and not on the power of God. I am afraid that there are a great many people sitting in Christian assemblies who have been persuaded by the wisdom of man. Had they been won by the power of God, there would be more life, spirit and enthusiasm in the meetings.

The second Adam became a life-giving Spirit, and we are to be His servants. We must see to it that those we work with become alive. The blood of the new covenant frees our human spirit from sin in the flesh, and the second Adam makes our spirit living.

I have heard people energetically hurling profound truths into thin air. Yet it is not the air that needs salvation. More often than not, what is said goes over the heads of the listeners. Our task is to get through to the human spirit and be co-workers with God, because the Spirit from heaven yearns jealously for the human spirit that He has caused to dwell in us. This is where we can be ministers of the new covenant, because that requires blood. Paul said that he had no one who was as likeminded as Timothy. All the others sought their own. How do people seek their own in their ministry? Does it mean simply that they seek worldly gain? No, not only that. We can show favor to people whom we have won or convinced according to the flesh, in spite of the fact that they have not received the testimony of the Spirit and the blood of the covenant. In such a case, have I been a servant of the new covenant and of the Spirit? No, I have sought my own honor. If we show favor to people who have submitted themselves and accepted the teaching in a human way, we will surround ourselves with people who later in life will become thorns in our sides. Such people have never been led into the blood of the covenant, and the fault lies with the servant who made them feel they were doing just fine. To sit and instruct people about things they have not heard before is easy and pleasant, and it can even elicit admiration from those who are listening. But is that faithfulness? Paul determined not to know anything among the Corinthians except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. We speak wisdom among those who are mature; however, speaking wisdom among the immature will be nothing more than persuasive words of human wisdom, and the fruits will reflect that wisdom.

Paul exhorted each one with tears, and you can be sure that he sought to lead each one through the power of the Spirit into the blood of the new covenant. He was able to exhort each person individually, which shows that he knew each one intimately. He knew their weaknesses and where they would be prone to avoid the blood of the covenant. Is that how you serve? Or are you content to be a “priest for the people?” If you seek to serve the masses, you won’t see people as individuals, but as the masses. It is individual people who need your ministry. It is individual people who need to be led personally into the blood of the covenant. There are many people sitting in the meetings who resemble dumb dogs that cannot bark. Who knows what is going on in such people? They never open their mouths. What other exhortation can we give them than, “Open your mouth, so we can see where you stand!” It is better to minister to one person with the Spirit and blood of the new covenant than to win thousands by persuasive words of man’s wisdom. If you are such a dumb dog, open your mouth, and the Lord will fill it.

We are living in the last days. The world needs you, the church of God needs you, but no one needs dumb dogs. They belong in the assemblies of the dead. Awake, you who sleep; arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.