The Inner Man

2018-09-30

The inner man, inward man, or new man all refer to the new nature that we have at our new birth. This spiritual man is a new creature that is without sin and his source of power is in the enthroned Christ in heaven (Colossians 3:1-3). Let us look at what we know about the inner man from the Scriptures.

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. (2 Corinthians 4:16)

The inner man does not perish like the outward man does. The inward man is renewed day by day.

For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. (Romans 7:22-23)

The inner man loves the law of God. The old man, or the old nature, is still the same old sinner as ever.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

We are a new creature, and the old creature has been crucified with the Lord Jesus Christ. The real “us” is who we are in Christ.

And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. (Ephesians 4:24)

We may be the new man, but by faith we must believe that we are crucified with Christ, because the old man, though powerless (Romans 6:6), can be given power when we do not abide in Christ.

And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him (Colossians 3:10)

Being the new man, we have knowledge from God, since our teacher is the Holy Spirit (1 John 2:27). The Bible tells us,

Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:13-16)

The natural man, or the old man, cannot be spiritual or understand the things of God. Being the new man, created in Christ Jesus unto good works (Ephesians 2:10), we have the mind of God.

That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man (Ephesians 3:16)

The new man can be strengthened by the Spirit. The new man in Christ is our source of strength.