BEN F. VICK, JR.
The apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.” (2 Cor. 4:16) For what cause did he faint not? It was for the church's sake at Corinth (as well as other places) or Jesus' sake that Paul did not quit (2 Cor. 4:6,11, 15.) Though he and others were always delivered unto death, though they were troubled, perplexed, persecuted, cast down, they were not going to quit.
Man is a two-fold being. There is the outward man, the physical body, and the inward man, the spirit or soul. In another place, Paul refers to man as a three-fold being: “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thess. 5:23.) However, in our text, Paul writes of the outward and inward man.
The outward man refers to the physical body. It is made of dust. It will perish, decay. Moses wrote, “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Gen.2:7) After man sinned, God said to man, “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” (Gen. 3:19) Though since as far back as 3500 B.C., efforts have been made to extend life or reverse the aging process, we were not made to live forever in this life.
Solomon encouraged the young to remember their Creator in the days of their youth before old age comes. He described the aging process. Listen to the preacher:
Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain: In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened, And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low; Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets: Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. (Ecc. 12:1–7.)
While the outward man is decaying, the inward man is to be renewed daily. The inward man is the soul or spirit of man. How do we renew the spirit or inward man? “Renew” is defined as "1. to make new again; also: to gain again as new 2. To make new spiritually: REGENERATE 3. To restore to existence: REVIVE….” (Webster’s Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, p. 726.) It translates a Greek word (ἀνακαινόω) which was peculiar in the New Testament to Paul. It carries the idea of new strength and vigor. “Perish” and “is renewed” are both in the present tense in the original as here. They indicate continuous action. Therefore, though physically one is declining, spiritually, he is to be inclining. There is no room for spiritual reclining.
The renewal of the inner man is to be day by day or daily. It cannot be a hit or miss proposition. It is not an annual, bi-annual, monthly, or even weekly matter. But each day, one is to make his spirit new again. If one is renewing his spirit daily, then the monthly, bi-annually, or annually will take care of itself.
The Holy Spirit renews one. Paul wrote to Titus, “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” (Titus 3:4–5.) This passage relates to one’s initial conversion. We are saved by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. It parallels our Lord’s statement in Mark’s account of the Great Commission: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” (Mark 16:16.) Since the agency of the Holy Spirit is the word of God (Eph. 6:17), then to believe the gospel is equivalent to one’s being renewed by the Holy Spirit. One is made new when he submits to the teachings of the Holy Spirit regarding baptism.
But how is one renewed daily by the Holy Spirit? In the letter to the church at Colosse, the apostle to the Gentiles commanded: “Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.” (Col. 3:9-10.) Thus, one is renewed through the knowledge of God’s word. He is renewed, made new, or rejuvenated as he continues daily to study God’s word. Are you studying the Bible daily?
This renewal will transform one’s life. Paul wrote to the saints at Rome, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Rom.12:1–2.)
Are you renewing your spirit daily? If not, start today. It will change your life and prepare you for eternal life.