“The Gospel of Peace” vs. “The Ministry of Reconciliation” — An Integrated Comparison

 

“The Gospel of Peace” vs. “The Ministry of Reconciliation” — An Integrated Comparison

From the perspective of the New Testament's wording and structure, the "gospel of peace" and the "ministerial ministry of reconciliation" are not two separate things, but rather two closely related aspects: the former emphasizes the content of the gospel preached and the peace it brings; the latter emphasizes the ministry, mission, and spiritual work entrusted by God to the New Testament ministers. These two aspects are clearly developed in the Life-Study of Ephesians and the Life-Study of 2 Corinthians.

Item	The Gospel of Peace	The Ministry of Reconciliation
Key Scriptures	Eph. 2:17: “He came and announced peace as the gospel…”; Eph. 2:14: “He Himself is our peace.”	2 Cor. 5:18: “God…reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation.”
Central thought	The proclamation of the good news of peace	The carrying out of the ministry through which God reconciles people to Himself
Primary emphasis	“Peace” as the content and blessing of the gospel	“Reconciliation” as a ministry entrusted by God to the ministers of the New Testament
Primary recipients	“Those who were far off” and “those who were near”—the Gentiles and the Jews	The world of sinners, and believers who, although saved, still need to be brought into deeper reconciliation with God
Basic problem	Man is alienated from God, and people are also separated from one another	Man is alienated from God; additionally, the natural life, flesh, and self in believers remain contrary to God
Christ's identity	Christ Himself is our peace (Eph. 2:14)	Christ is the means and sphere through which we are reconciled to God  (2 Cor. 5:18–21)
Work of the cross	Through the cross Christ abolished the enmity and broke down the middle wall of partition, making the Jews and Gentiles one new man (Eph. 2:14–16)	Through Christ's death, sin and the hindrances of the natural life are dealt with so that man may be brought further into reconciliation with God (2 Cor. 5:18–21)
Relationship with God	Brings people into reconciliation with God in one Body and gives them access to the Father (Eph. 2:16–18)	Not merely bringing sinners back to God, but bringing believers into a deeper experience of reconciliation with God (2 Cor. 5:18–20)
Relationship with others	Particularly emphasizes peace between different peoples—those far off and those near, Jews and Gentiles (Eph. 2:17)	Deals with natural life, flesh, and self that cause separation, bringing the members of Christ's Body into harmony and oneness
Nature of the gospel	Proclamatory—announcing the peace accomplished by Christ	Ministerial—carrying out and ministering the accomplished reconciliation into people
Scope	The peace accomplished by the gospel includes peace between God and man and peace among men	Reconciliation goes deeper into the spiritual life, turning man from the natural life to God and bringing him into God's presence
Emphasis in Witness Lee's ministry	In Life-study of Ephesians, the gospel of peace is not merely the forgiveness of sins and salvation; it especially concerns people of different backgrounds becoming one Body in Christ	In Life-study of 2 Corinthians, reconciliation is presented as involving two steps: first, the sinner is reconciled to God from sin; second, the believer is brought further from the natural life into God
First step	A person hears the gospel of peace, believes in Christ, and is reconciled to God	Reconciliation from sin—the sinner is brought back to God through Christ's redemption
Second step	Peace does not stop at salvation; in the Body of Christ we experience genuine oneness and peace	Reconciliation from the natural life—the saved believer is further brought out of the natural life, flesh, and self and back to God
Ultimate goal	“In one Body…to God through the cross” (Eph. 2:16), with the enmity removed	“That we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21), living before God and in harmony with Him
Nature of the ministry	The proclamation of the gospel of peace	A part of the New Testament ministry and its practical execution
Message proclaimed	“Christ is our peace”; “peace to you”	“God has reconciled us to Himself in Christ”; “be reconciled to God”
Life experience required	Receiving Christ as peace and enjoying Him as our peace	Allowing the cross to deal with the natural life so that Christ's life may reign in us and we may live in the spirit
Significance for the church	Produces one peaceful new man and one Body of Christ	Builds up a Body that is reconciled to God, reconciled with one another, and living by the life of Christ
Result	Peace, access, oneness, and the Body	Reconciliation, life, righteousness, mingling of God and man, and building up
One-sentence distinction	The gospel of peace = proclaiming that Christ is our peace.	The ministry of reconciliation = bringing people into the reality of being fully reconciled to God.

The Relationship Between the Two

When these two matters are viewed together in the New Testament, a very clear spiritual line emerges:

Christ is our peace → the cross removes the enmity → the gospel of peace is proclaimed → man is reconciled to God → man is reconciled to man → we enter into one Body → the ministry of reconciliation continues its work → believers are further turned from the natural life to God → we become the righteousness of God.

Ephesians 2 emphasizes that through the cross Christ broke down the middle wall of partition and abolished the enmity. He then came and preached peace as the gospel, bringing both groups into one Body and reconciling them to God through the cross. Through one Spirit we have access to the Father (Eph. 2:14–18).

Second Corinthians 5 advances this thought. God not only reconciled us to Himself through Christ; He also gave us the ministry of reconciliation and the word of reconciliation, making us ambassadors of Christ (2 Cor. 5:18–20).

Thus:

The gospel of peace emphasizes the message and proclamation.

The ministry of reconciliation emphasizes the commission, service, and spiritual work of bringing people into the reality of that reconciliation. 

The Two Steps of Reconciliation

According to the ministry concerning 2 Corinthians, the reconciliation in 2 Corinthians 5 can be understood in two steps. 

1. The first step: reconciliation from sin

The sinner is originally separated from God. Through Christ's redemption, the sinner is brought back to God and reconciled to Him.

Sinful man → Christ's redemption → reconciliation to God

This corresponds to the initial experience of salvation. 

2. The second step: reconciliation from the natural life

A believer may already be saved and reconciled to God concerning his sins, yet he may still live in the soul, self, natural life, or flesh. Therefore, he needs a further experience of reconciliation—to be brought out of the natural life and fully back to God.

Saved believer → dealing with the natural life → turning to God → deeper reconciliation 

The emphasis is no longer merely on being forgiven from sins but on being brought fully into God's presence and living by Him.

Therefore, reconciliation is not merely an objective status; it becomes a deeper subjective experience of living in God and according to God.

An Integrated Spiritual Progression

Stage	Spiritual Formula
Christ	Christ Himself is our peace
The Cross	The cross removes the enmity and the middle wall of partition
The Gospel	Peace is preached as the gospel
First step of reconciliation	Sinner → reconciled to God
Second step of reconciliation	Believer → natural life → deeper reconciliation to God
The Ministry	Receive reconciliation → minister the ministry of reconciliation
The Body	Reconciled to God + reconciled to one another → one Body
Ultimate result	Become the righteousness of God → live in God → build up the Body of Christ

The Most Important Spiritual Distinction

The relationship can be summarized as:

Gospel → Ministry
Peace → Reconciliation
Proclamation → Execution
Objective accomplishment → Subjective experience
Initial salvation → Deeper transformation
Being reconciled to God → Living fully in God

The gospel of peace announces what Christ has accomplished: Christ Himself is our peace.

The ministry of reconciliation carries out God's commission to bring people into the reality of what Christ has accomplished—not only reconciling sinners to God from their sins, but also bringing believers out of their natural life and into a deeper living in God.

One-Line Ministry Summary

The gospel of peace is the proclamation that Christ is our peace; the ministry of reconciliation is the carrying out of God's work of bringing people back to God. The gospel of peace brings us to the beginning of reconciliation, while the ministry of reconciliation brings us into a deeper and fuller experience of reconciliation, until we become the righteousness of God and participate in the building up of the Body of Christ.

 

*Please refer to the April 2026 Summer Training General Topic: Believers, Chapter Nine: Pillars and the Glowing Body.

Character / Nature vs. Person / Personhood

 

Character / Nature vs. Person / Personhood

Based on the Bible and the most important point in understanding nature and person/personhood is to distinguish between “what I am” and “who I am.”

Strictly speaking, character and nature are also not identical: nature refers more deeply to the inward quality or disposition of life, whereas character is the outward expression formed through life, nature, environment, habits, and practice.

1. Integrated Comparison Table

Aspect	Character / Nature	Person / Personhood
Basic definition	Refers to “what I am like”—a person's inward nature, disposition, characteristics, and outward expression	Refers to “who I am”—a person as a subject or person, possessing selfhood, will, thought, feeling, and the capacity to make decisions
Core concept	What am I like?	Who am I?
Deepest source	Life and nature	The person and the “I”
Biblical basis	“Partakers of the divine nature” — 2 Pet. 1:4; “the new man…according to God” — Eph. 4:24	“Our outer man…our inner man” — 2 Cor. 4:16; “I am crucified with Christ” — Gal. 2:20
Human constitution	Emphasizes the quality, nature, and disposition of life	Emphasizes the subject, person, and self
Relationship to life	Nature proceeds from life; what kind of life a person has determines the nature expressed	The person is the one who possesses and lives out that life
Relationship to God	Through receiving the divine life, believers can partake of the divine nature	Believers remain human persons; they do not become a Person of the Godhead
Change at regeneration	Life and nature are changed through regeneration — John 3:6; 2 Pet. 1:4	The human person is not replaced by another divine Person
Sanctification	The Spirit sanctifies us in life, nature, and living	We remain ourselves as persons, yet live under the governing of the divine life
Transformation	Mainly concerns the transformation of our nature, mind, emotion, will, and living	The person is renewed, transformed, and adjusted; he is not replaced by another person
Nature and character	Nature is inward quality; character is nature expressed in living	The person is the one who lives out that nature and character
Example: love	Divine love becomes an inward disposition through the divine life	“I,” as a person, love the brothers
Example: humility	Divine life produces a humble disposition	I, as a person, choose to humble myself before the Lord
Example: patience	Christ as life becomes the source of patience within us	I, as a person, endure patiently by the Lord
Natural nature	The old creation and natural life produce natural tendencies and dispositions	The old “I” remains the center of the natural person
The cross	The cross deals with the natural life, natural nature, and self	The cross deals with the self as an independent center of living
The problem of the self	The self expresses itself through natural disposition, temperament, and character	The self is the person living independently of God
Relationship to the soul	Nature is expressed through the mind, emotion, and will	The person expresses himself psychologically through the soul
Relationship to the spirit	Divine nature is supplied through and mingled with the regenerated spirit and spreads into the soul	The person must turn to the spirit to live by Christ as life
“Christ in me”	Christ's divine life and nature enter into us and become the source of our new nature	Christ does not replace our person; rather, Christ lives in us
“To live is Christ”	Christ's life and nature become the content of our living	“I” remains a person, but the reality of my living becomes Christ
Galatians 2:20	The life now lived is Christ's life	“No longer I” does not mean that the human person disappears; it means that I no longer live independently as my own life and center
2 Corinthians 4:7	The earthen vessel itself is not the treasure; the natural nature needs to be dealt with	“We have this treasure in earthen vessels”—we remain vessels, persons who contain Christ
2 Corinthians 13:5	Christ becomes life and content within us	“Christ is in you” is the reality of Christ indwelling the believer
God-man living	The divine life and nature become the content of human living	One human person lives by the divine life while retaining genuine humanity
God-human relationship	God's nature enters us, enabling us to partake of the divine nature	We do not become God's divine Person; we remain redeemed human persons
Common misunderstanding	“Partaking of the divine nature” ≠ “becoming a divine Person”	“Christ lives in me” ≠ “my human person disappears”
Key distinction in Witness Lee's ministry	We become like God in life and nature	We remain distinct from God in person and Godhead
Ultimate result	Transformation and conformation to the image of Christ — Rom. 8:29; 2 Cor. 3:18	Becoming mature God-men who express Christ rather than replacing God
In one sentence	Nature answers: “What am I like?”	Person answers: “Who am I?”

 

2. The Three Most Important Levels

These three concepts can be arranged in a very clear spiritual order:

Level	Concept	Question	Reality in the Believer
1	Life	What life do I have within me?	We receive the divine life through regeneration
2	Nature	What is the quality of this life?	We partake of the divine nature
3	Person	Who lives this life?	I, as a person, live by Christ

Therefore:

Life is the content → Nature is the quality → Person is the vessel and subject who lives it out.

3. Nature and Person in the Triune God

This distinction becomes especially important when speaking about the Father, Son, and Spirit. Divine nature and divine Person must not be confused.

Aspect	Divine Nature	The Three Divine Persons
What it is	What God is	Who the Father, Son, and Spirit are
Nature	The three share the same divine nature	The Father, Son, and Spirit are distinct Persons
Deity	The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Spirit is God	The Father is not the Son; the Son is not the Spirit; the Spirit is not the Father
Godhead	The one divine being and nature	The Father, Son, and Spirit are distinct in Person
Economical distinction	The same divine life and nature	The Father sends the Son; the Son accomplishes redemption; the Spirit applies and carries out God's work
Believers' relationship	Believers may partake of the divine nature	Believers do not become a divine Person of the Godhead
Conclusion	The divine nature can be shared	The divine Persons must not be confused or replaced

Thus, 2 Peter 1:4 says that believers may become “partakers of the divine nature.”

This does not mean that believers receive God's divine Person. Rather, through the divine life, they participate in God's nature.

4. The Key Distinction in Witness Lee's Ministry Concerning the God-man Living

One of the important emphases in ministry can be summarized as follows:

We become God in life and nature, but not in the Godhead or in person.

Wrong Concept	Correct Spiritual Understanding
I become God after being saved	I receive the divine life
I become a divine Person	I partake of the divine nature
My human person disappears	My natural man is dealt with by the cross
Christ replaces my person	Christ becomes my life
I no longer need to be human	I live a genuine, uplifted humanity in the divine life
I am God	I am a child of God, a God-man, and a member of Christ
Divine and human are mutually exclusive	Divine life and proper humanity are united in the God-man living
The more spiritual I become, the less “I” exists	The more Christ becomes my life, the more normal and proper my humanity becomes

 

5. Character vs. Nature

Strictly speaking, character is not exactly the same as nature.

	Nature	Character
Position	Deeper and more inward	More outward and expressed in living
Source	The quality of life itself	Life, nature, environment, practice, habits, and training
Stability	More fundamental	Can be developed and changed through practice
Examples	Love, holiness, righteousness as qualities of divine life	Honesty, diligence, punctuality, patience, reliability
Natural man's problem	Natural life and its fallen nature	Natural habits, temperament, and character weaknesses
Transformation	Divine life gradually saturates and transforms our nature	Divine life gradually renews and transforms our character
Result	Partaking of the divine nature	Expressing Christ in practical living
Relationship	Root	Fruit

 

Thus:

Nature is the inward “what I am”; character is the outward “what I express.”

And:

The person is the “who” that lives out the nature and expresses the character.

6. The Deepest “Triangle”

A useful spiritual model is:

Life → Nature → Character → Living

But there is another crucial dimension outside this sequence:

Person → receives Life → lives out Nature → develops Character → expresses Christ

Therefore the complete model is:

Christ as Life
↓
Divine Nature enters into us
↓
Our person receives and lives by Christ
↓
Divine nature becomes expressed as Christ-like character
↓
Our living becomes an expression of Christ

7. Integration with the God-man Living

Stage	Divine Aspect	Human Aspect	Ultimate Result
Regeneration	Receive the divine life	We remain human persons	A new life enters us
Sanctification	Divine nature spreads within us	Natural nature is dealt with	Our disposition is sanctified
Transformation	Christ's element increases	Mind, emotion, and will are renewed	Human character is transformed
Conformation	We are conformed to Christ's image	Humanity is uplifted and restored	Conformed to the image of God's firstborn Son
Maturity	Divine life reaches maturity	Proper humanity is fully expressed	Mature God-man living
Expression	Christ becomes the content	The human person becomes the vessel of expression	Christ receives a corporate expression
Ultimate consummation	Divine life and nature reach their full expression	Redeemed, transformed, glorified persons	The New Jerusalem as the corporate universal expression of God and man

 

8. Major Biblical References

Scripture	Main Revelation	Related Theme
John 3:6	“That which is born of the Spirit is spirit”	Life
John 14:19–20	“Because I live, you also shall live”	Christ as life
John 15:4–5	Abiding in Christ and bearing fruit	Life and living
Romans 8:29	Conformed to the image of God's firstborn Son	Nature and image
Romans 12:2	Transformed by the renewing of the mind	Character / soul transformation
2 Corinthians 3:18	Transformed into the same image	Transformation
2 Corinthians 4:7	Treasure in earthen vessels	Christ and the human person
Galatians 2:20	“No longer I, but Christ lives in me”	Person and Christ as life
Ephesians 4:22–24	Put off the old man and put on the new man	Renewal of man and nature
Colossians 3:4	“Christ our life”	Life
2 Peter 1:4	“Partakers of the divine nature”	Divine nature
1 John 3:2	“We shall be like Him”	Ultimate transformation
Revelation 21:2, 10–11	The New Jerusalem expressing God's glory	Ultimate expression

 

9. The Most Precise Integrated Formula

Life → Nature → Character → Person → Expression 

The divine life is the source
↓
The divine nature is the inward quality
↓
The divine nature is expressed in living as Christ-like character
↓
The human person lives by Christ as life
↓
The human living becomes an expression of Christ 

Therefore, genuine God-man living is not:  “I become another divine Person.”

Rather, it is:

“I, as a human person, receive Christ as life, allow the divine nature to saturate me, and am transformed in nature, character, and living so that Christ may be expressed through me.”

10. Ultimate Conclusion

The clearest distinction is:

Nature answers: “What am I like?”

Character answers: “How is that nature expressed in my living?”

Person answers: “Who am I?”

In God's salvation:

We partake of God in life and nature, are transformed into Christ's image in our living and expression, yet remain human persons and never become a divine Person of the Godhead.

One-Sentence Summary

“Life enables us to partake of God, nature makes us like God, transformation makes us express Christ, and yet our person remains a redeemed human person—not a divine Person, but a God-man in whom God lives and is expressed.”