Today, we have two ministries to choose from: the ministry of the old covenant and that of the new. Can you tell the difference? Moses brought the ministry of the old in glory to the Hebrews at Mount Sinai after they came out of Egypt. But the glory of the old was temporary, fading — only physically upon Moses’ face (2 Cor. 3:7). In the New Testament, in contrast, the glory of the ministry of the new covenant in the face of Jesus Christ is eternal, shining within our hearts (4:6). And in Paul, we also have such an example of one who, though weak as any other man (Rom. 7:8-25), lived a prevailing life in this new ministry, overcoming every obstacle and all earthen things (2 Cor. 4:7-11).
Indeed, today in the new covenant, we have not just an exodus out of the world and sins, but a way into God. How can we live such a prevailing life as Paul did? Only because we have met the Lord in reality through the Spirit. Having the living God within us, and not just upon us, we have much boldness to declare His righteousness (3:9), living our lives, unlike Moses, with an unveiled face (3:18). Today, we do not declare laws (“You should…”) or our own pitiful self-effort (“I want to…”), but this ministry of righteousness (“We are…!”).
And what is the sign of this prevailing life in us? It can be easy to declare something “high” and far away from us. But if we have this ministry, we are building the way in for others to have their entrance on the earth today. Moses built the tabernacle in type, but only the high priest could enter into that glory. Today, we are tabernacling together in the church life, serving one another into the reality of Christ. Now, we have no more need to live in the ministry of the old, always struggling to come out of our bondage or preaching something high yet impossible to enter into. Have you met this glorious Person? Is He in you? Are you living out this prevailing ministry today? This new, tabernacling life will continue to shine forth.
(Above are notes of fellowship taken from a gathering on 9/22/2024, not reviewed by the speaker.)