- 146. Inward man Renewed
2 Corinthians 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
The promise given to believers is that the inward man, the soul, is being renewed every day.Not a day will go by in the life of Christians that something positive and growth producing will happen. Something is always happening inside, and that something is renewal.Growth is incremental and gradual, maybe so little that we do not even see the difference from day to day, but we can be assured by this promise that the Holy Spirit is work on the soul to make a daily difference. The new man living within is growing stronger and healthier day by day.
Renewal means something old and useless is taken away and being replaced with something new and useful. This is recreating the image of God inwardly; this image of God originally created in every man has been lost because of original sin.. The image is being restored gradually. New Life enters in immediately upon faith being granted, whether by Baptism or Conversion; but the new life is like a newborn baby that needs to grow and develop to maturity. This renewal and growth will continue all our life long and will never be completely finished until we are changed by death and resurrection when we shall be whole in soul and body.
The promise encourages us to “faint not,” that is, don’t give up because you don’t see the growth; there will be trials and tribulations, setbacks and sins, weakness and struggles. But don’t give up for God is working; He is renewing. The outward man is perishing, weakening, getting sick and injured regularly; the body is getting older and getting closer to death every day. Do not become discouraged by the aches and pains and setbacks of “perishing;” instead, look at what God is doing to the inward man.Take heart and believe the promise of renewal and daily new life. God is faithful and He will do what He says. The Holy Spirit teaches something through every experience when we are attuned to the Word of God.