The Inner Man

[Episkopos]

Let us define our terms before beginning into a study on what constitutes the ceiling of the inner man to the faith OF Jesus Christ.

We could see ourselves as a seed with a protective husk around it. The outer husk is the natural man, the carnal man...who so often is presented as being who we are. Most people are only as deep as what limits them to the natural man. They don't know a deeper way. But there is a deeper part to us...an inner man whose condition is largely unknown to most people. This inner man is the person of the heart...vulnerable and weak. It is the outer natural man that protects this inner man from the cruelties and hardness of this world. We need the natural man to get us through our day...that is unless we find another way to strengthen the inner man. And that would be Christ.

So then we ARE the inner man in reality. But few of us want to identify with what is weak, naked, wretched and blind. THAT is our true condition before being clothed with Christ....who is our strength.

But we need to know ourselves....as well as God. The truth sets us free. But there are barriers to the truth within us that must be overcome....by faith.

 

[Episkopos]

Jesus said to the Laodiceans...who saw themselves in no need of anything...that they were poor, naked, wretched, and blind.

But that is the condition of ALL men that have not put on strength from heaven. THAT is our natural condition in the world.

The truth is always like a wheel within a wheel...so just when we think we understand something....there is more to it.

Getting to know God is hard enough...but getting to know ourselves is harder. Most people live in this world known to others but not to themselves. And this includes Christians.

God reveals Himself to us...but who reveals himself as he truly is? God is honest. But are we?

So then the first step to knowing ourselves is to realize that the strength we have depended on all our lives is from the natural man. The natural man has learned how to get by in this world. The natural man brings success in the world. But it is but a put on persona...that has no eternal value whatsoever. So we are not to look for advancement in this world that is perishing. We are to invest in the inner man together with eternal things.

 

[Episkopos]

What are we do with the gospel message? How do we respond to the calling of God?

When we respond from the outer man we get religion...institutions...and every other worldly version of the way in Christ. But this is a counterfeit of the truth.

God is calling us in the inner man. Deep is calling to deep.

But something is in the way. The carnal, natural man wants to live...even more than the inner man does. So then, Houston, we have a problem. A way must be found to get the leachy natural man out of the way so to be able to come to the rescue of the inner man.

Think of a bully who hogs all the food so that the weaker one gets nothing. That is the way of the world...AND that is the way we have learned to survive in the world.

But we need no longer do this because of the Lord's grace provision to be strengthened in the inner man.

Eph. 3:16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

 

[Episkopos]

What is the provision to get the natural man out of the way of this pipeline of grace to the inner man?

The cross of Christ.

The cross of Christ breaks the husk of the outer natural man...so that the inner man is reachable to God to be filled with His grace.

So then with the outer man we take on religious ideas and opinions. But these stand in the way of the truth...which is life in Christ.

It is therefore the life of Christ (the truth) which sets us free. Free in the natural man? NO...the inner man.

Most people will not receive a doctrine that breaks up what they identify with as being themselves because they are ignorant of their own true condition...They will rail against the truth (and again I am speaking of many Christians here) in favour of a scheme that saves them according to their lack of knowledge of themselves. Look at the condition of the church (Laodicea) in the last days.

Laodicea means the opinions of the people....or a people who have received the "truth" ...but not in the inner man. They have taken on the gospel so as to save themselves...but the wrong part.
God resists the proud outer man but gives grace to the humble inner man.

The outer man is incapable of faith...but he is capable of belief. Why is this? Because the outer man is NEVER going to receive eternal things. The natural man is meant to be broken in order to give access to the inner man...the man that is called to faith. Any short circuiting of the truth by the natural man causes the inner man to remain as is always was...weak and destitute.

It takes real faith to forsake the natural man and look to God. But that is what we are called to do.

 

[VictoryinJesus]

Getting to know God is hard enough...but getting to know ourselves is harder.

Thank you for these post. My experience with others, true or not, is they have built up this false image that they refuse to let go of. Me also; so I’m not excluded here. I see it so often the refusal of admitting hurt, or weakness, or pain but as you have said here: they cover up the truth and refuse to let anyone...not even God in to help. 2 Timothy 2:25-26
[25] In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; [26] And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

“...that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil..” the snare being that natural man with his appetite and lust for more of the world.

Maybe it is wrong and hopefully you will correct it but I see it as the natural wants to destory the inner man and deprive him of any comfort or renewal or joy. The natural man(the outer shell)being our worst enemy keeping us from real love which is only found in God. The natural man grows through lust and drives us to drink in excess from the world until, what we think will satisfy our thirst, slowly murders the inner man. There comes a point when the natural is snuffed out completely, And that inner man faints. The natural and inner man done for. BUT God promised another seed for what is lost, and one is born from above with a spirit that does not and will not faint. To be born of God from above, the promised renewal of Life and strength and power through the resurrected Son of God. Life. mercy. Compassion. Now what was meant for evil becomes used for the good of those that love God and are called according to His purpose and will. The natural man has no choice but to now serve that inner man(born of God);instead of the inner man serving the natural man and the fulfillment of his lust. Dominion changes from flesh ruling spirit to Spirit ruling over flesh. A heavy burden lifted. Matthew 11:29-30 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. [30] For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Genesis 45:26-28
[26] And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not. [27] And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived: [28] And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.

“Jacob’s heart fainted, for he believed them not.”
“When he saw the wagons which Joseph sent to carry him” Joseph being a perfect type of Christ “the spirit of Jacob was revived” then Israel spoke.

Jacob faints.
Israel never will: born of God from above, the promised renewal of Life and strength and power through the resurrected Son of God.

 

[Episkopos]

Thank you for these post. My experience with others, true or not, is they have built up this false image that they refuse to let go of. Me also; so I’m not excluded here. I see it so often the refusal of admitting hurt, or weakness, or pain but as you have said here: they cover up the truth and refuse to let anyone...not even God in to help. 2 Timothy 2:25-26
[25] In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; [26] And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

“...that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil..” the snare being that natural man with his appetite and lust for more of the world.

Thank you for your thoughtful response.

I think it is important to get out of the downward spiral ourselves first...then we can try helping others out of theirs.

I feel like I had to go through a number of conversions to get where I am now. Each time I thought I was done or at least on the home stretch...but there is a great depth to conformity to Christ. God is very thorough. Sometimes i just have to wonder at the different lives I have led...since each barrier crossed feels like a new direction in life.

 

[Episkopos]

Maybe it is wrong and hopefully you will correct it but I see it as the natural wants to destory the inner man and deprive him of any comfort or renewal or joy. The natural man(the outer shell)being our worst enemy keeping us from real love which is only found in God. The natural man grows through lust and drives us to drink in excess from the world until, what we think will satisfy our thirst, slowly murders the inner man. There comes a point when the natural is snuffed out completely, And that inner man faints. The natural and inner man done for.

If the inner man gets help from outside (God) then there is no more use for the natural man. So it is to the benefit of the natural man to keep the inner man weak and dependent...but on himself. So this is the SELF-confident, SELF-sufficient nature at work.

The natural man is really connected to the rebellion of the angels who came here to rule over this creation. As long as we don't see that...we will try improving ourselves through religious efforts.

But there is a chasm between what the natural man can do...and what God is looking for in us.

Jesus said if a man seeks to save his own life (natural man) he will lose it (a chance for real life) ...but if a man gives up his life for Christ (the natural man and his life) then he will find it (the inner man and the abundant life offered to him).

 

[Episkopos]

BUT God promised another seed for what is lost, and one is born from above with a spirit that does not and will not faint. To be born of God from above, the promised renewal of Life and strength and power through the resurrected Son of God. Life. mercy. Compassion. Now what was meant for evil becomes used for the good of those that love God and are called according to His purpose and will. The natural man has no choice but to now serve that inner man(born of God);instead of the inner man serving the natural man and the fulfillment of his lust. Dominion changes from flesh ruling spirit to Spirit ruling over flesh. A heavy burden lifted. Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. [30] For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Amen. The natural man carries the death of Jesus (His cross) so that the life of Jesus can penetrate to the inner man.

 

[Episkopos]

Genesis 45:26-28
[26] And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not. [27] And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived: [28] And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.

“Jacob’s heart fainted, for he believed them not.”
“When he saw the wagons which Joseph sent to carry him” Joseph being a perfect type of Christ “the spirit of Jacob was revived” then Israel spoke.

Jacob faints.
Israel never will: born of God from above, the promised renewal of Life and strength and power through the resurrected Son of God.

This is very good.

Israel is to the world as the inner man is to us. God is looking to enter in and grant life to us inwardly.

 

[Nancy]

Good thread, and great posts, all!

 

[Enoch111]

Most people are only as deep as what limits them to the natural man.

Who are you referring to? The unsaved would be the "most people" who are limited to "the natural man". But you are addressing Christians here. Not appropriate at all.

Your overall post does not really reflect Scripture, and there are no Scriptures in it. So just to be perfectly clear, what the Bible says is this:

THE NATURAL MAN = THE UNSAVED PERSON
THE SPIRITUAL MAN = THE INNER MAN =
THE SAVED PERSON WALKING IN THE SPIRIT
THE CARNAL MAN = THE SAVED PERSON WALKING IN THE FLESH

Once a person is born again the natural man is HISTORY.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Cor 5:17)

The Bible says that the natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit. Which means that the unsaved cannot comprehend the Bible as such. However they can hear the Gospel and obey the Gospel. And once they obey the Gospel, they are born again and can understand spiritual things. At the same time just a a newborn baby is a baby, the newborn Christian is a babe in Christ. Therefore he or she needs the milk of the Word, and later on the meat of the Word, to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Babes in Christ also need disciplers and teachers as well as fellowship, and should be associated with a group of born again Christians.

But few of us want to identify with what is weak, naked, wretched and blind.

While we know that Paul said "when we are weak then we are strong" (so that God's power may work in us), but naked, wretched, blind and miserable applies to those who are like the Laodiceans -- Christians in name only, without the indwelling Christ.

NAKED = DESTITUTE OF THE ROBE OF CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS
BLIND = DESTITUTE OF THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT
WRETCHED = UNDER THE DOMINION OF SIN
MISERABLE = DESTINED FOR HELL

And that is why Christ offers this counsel to these false professors:
I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. (Rev 3:18).

 

[Episkopos]

Who are you referring to? The unsaved would be the "most people" who are limited to "the natural man". But you are addressing Christians here. Not appropriate at all.

Your overall post does not really reflect Scripture, and there are no Scriptures in it. So just to be perfectly clear, what the Bible says is this:

THE NATURAL MAN = THE UNSAVED PERSON
THE SPIRITUAL MAN = THE INNER MAN =
THE SAVED PERSON WALKING IN THE SPIRIT
THE CARNAL MAN = THE SAVED PERSON WALKING IN THE FLESH

Once a person is born again the natural man is HISTORY.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Cor 5:17)

I have a known a number of believers who thought that now that they have been awakened to the truth...and even operated in the spiritual gifts...that they are always walking in the Spirit. But what has changed in this condition is that they have added on a spiritual persona on top of a carnal walk. These then "spiritualize' their natural lives by replacing common things with more spiritual sounding terms...like rather than be happy...they are "blessed." etc...

You said...

Once a person is born again the natural man is HISTORY.

This is a common error in thinking. It is a confusion between a power that kept us captive....the old sin nature.... and a lack of spiritual maturity.

What has been dealt with at the cross in the initial phase is not the death of the natural man...unless a person be no longer among the physical living...but it is the "old" man who is put to death.

The old man is the sin NATURE that caused us to be hostile to God besides being fully ignorant of Him. The old man veils us from receiving any truth.

With that out of the way there is still the soul to win for Christ. There is still the carnal mind to win over (or renew) from it's very natural dependence on soulish faculties. Does everyone who begins in the Spirit only rely on spiritual faculties?

Paul cites the Galatians as foolish for turning to be perfected by other means than by the Spirit.

So we are talking about the PROCESS of becoming spiritual in Christ. Many believers never advance in this through a bad teaching...a lack of discipleship...but be assured we are indeed talking of Christians.

The Laodiceans were a people who over-estimated their growth in Christ. Having taken the first step, these claimed now to have won the race.

Paul speaks of the Corinthians as being carnal believers. IOW not yet spiritual.

The writer of Hebrews also laments the lack of growth in many in the church.

So we see this is a common problem. There is a general lack of knowledge about these things.

So then it is very common for a person who is born again to yet walk in his own natural strength. The difficulty is being weaned of the soul life so as to become spiritual in Christ.

 

[Episkopos]

The Bible says that the natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit. Which means that the unsaved cannot comprehend the Bible as such. However they can hear the Gospel and obey the Gospel. And once they obey the Gospel, they are born again and can understand spiritual things. At the same time just a a newborn baby is a baby, the newborn Christian is a babe in Christ. Therefore he or she needs the milk of the Word, and later on the meat of the Word, to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Babes in Christ also need disciplers and teachers as well as fellowship, and should be associated with a group of born again Christians.

The natural man is to be broken in order to let the life of Jesus come out. Christians have the potential for a spiritual walk... The natural man is the normal order of things...and the source of power of immature believers who have not yet been broken by a deeper work of the cross.

You are bringing in an indoctrination here...claiming what is "saved" and what isn't.

You are being vague about the state of an immature Christian.

What Christians need is not more indoctrinated Christians who have been born again. They need a mature spiritual person to help them. Otherwise you get the blind (to themselves) leading the blind.

As I stated earlier...it is one thing to know God but quite another to know yourself. So many have fallen short of the grace of God in this way.

The work of the cross of Christ is to transform us from a person that walks in his own power...to one who walks by the power that resurrected Jesus from the dead.

Phil. 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

Paul divides these in 2 phases....to know Him AND be made spiritual through a conforming to the Lord's death and life...in his moment by moment walk. Paul was already a believer at this stage, but he wanted to be fully conformed to Christ.

 

[Episkopos]

While we know that Paul said "when we are weak then we are strong" (so that God's power may work in us), but naked, wretched, blind and miserable applies to those who are like the Laodiceans -- Christians in name only, without the indwelling Christ.

NAKED = DESTITUTE OF THE ROBE OF CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS
BLIND = DESTITUTE OF THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT
WRETCHED = UNDER THE DOMINION OF SIN
MISERABLE = DESTINED FOR HELL

And that is why Christ offers this counsel to these false professors:
I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. (Rev 3:18

Again, you are drawing the wrong conclusions here.

We are to use a righteous judgment. God judges but is not judgmental.

You are not understanding that many Christians are building upon their foundations with improper materials.

You are also missing the true condition of the inner man...who needs to be clothed with Christ.

So then your religious interpretation is stopping you from seeing the truth about our true condition. WE are all naked and poor, and destitute...without power.That is our natural state. we all need to be further clothed with Christ.

So either we get further clothed by putting on the whole armour of light....or we continue to rely on our own minds and strength.

The truth is that very few will opt to put on Christ. There are so many ways to get things wrong...and only one right way.

So we are to put on the New Man...by clothing the inner man in light. The natural man needs to bear the burden of the cross of Christ. We are to get out of the way so that...it is no longer I who does the living....but Christ in me.

Many believers will rail against this distinction...claiming to have already what Paul strived so earnestly for....as a Christian.

Let's not make the same mistake that the Laodiceans made. (Actually that church indeed refers to the church in the end times)

 

[Episkopos]

Which part of us is to be a living sacrifice?

The natural man.

We are to count all things in the natural as loss that we may win Christ.

Does this mean that the natural man is evil? No...but it means that our natural faculties and efforts are INSUFFICIENT to the standard of the grace of God.

If we never break with the natural man and his power...we will frustrate the grace of God. So then it is the power of the cross we need to look for in order to break the natural grip we hold on to this world with.

We need to get a divinely assisted spiritual grip on things.

And how do we do that?

Did I mention the natural man as a living sacrifice!

 

[VictoryinJesus]

If the inner man gets help from outside (God) then there is no more use for the natural man. So it is to the benefit of the natural man to keep the inner man weak and dependent...but on himself. So this is the SELF-confident, SELF-sufficient nature at work.

The natural man is really connected to the rebellion of the angels who came here to rule over this creation. As long as we don't see that...we will try improving ourselves through religious efforts.

But there is a chasm between what the natural man can do...and what God is looking for in us.

Jesus said if a man seeks to save his own life (natural man) he will lose it (a chance for real life) ...but if a man gives up his life for Christ (the natural man and his life) then he will find it (the inner man and the abundant life offered to him).

I do understand what you mean here.
Matthew 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

But what you speak of in your post ... being able to see it in others (this protective outer shell) that deceived really...we can pray. Prayer for God to weaken this outer shell(deception). Nobody needs to know about the prayers not even the person, only God. Do you believe we can intercede on a persons and fight the Spiritual war from a far, and never be seen. Again, I do see what you are saying about helping ourself but there also is:

Philippians 2:3-4
[3] Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. [4] Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

I’m sorry. I quoted the wrong post in the beginning. Meant to respond to your first comment replying back.

 

[Dave L]

Let us define our terms before beginning into a study on what constitutes the ceiling of the inner man to the faith OF Jesus Christ.

We could see ourselves as a seed with a protective husk around it. The outer husk is the natural man, the carnal man...who so often is presented as being who we are. Most people are only as deep as what limits them to the natural man. They don't know a deeper way. But there is a deeper part to us...an inner man whose condition is largely unknown to most people. This inner man is the person of the heart...vulnerable and weak. It is the outer natural man that protects this inner man from the cruelties and hardness of this world. We need the natural man to get us through our day...that is unless we find another way to strengthen the inner man. And that would be Christ.

So then we ARE the inner man in reality. But few of us want to identify with what is weak, naked, wretched and blind. THAT is our true condition before being clothed with Christ....who is our strength.

But we need to know ourselves....as well as God. The truth sets us free. But there are barriers to the truth within us that must be overcome....by faith.

Do you have scripture supporting this view? It is nothing I can relate to.

 

[Episkopos]

I do understand what you mean here.
Matthew 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

But what you speak of in your post ... being able to see it in others (this protective outer shell) that deceived really...we can pray. Prayer for God to weaken this outer shell(deception). Nobody needs to know about the prayers not even the person, only God. Do you believe we can intercede on a persons and fight the Spiritual war from a far, and never be seen. Again, I do see what you are saying about helping ourself but there also is:

Philippians 2:3-4
[3] Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. [4] Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

It takes wisdom to not always try correcting a person who we see is in error. better to pray as you say....and wait for the right moment that is prompted by the Spirit.

A good judgment is key...but the greater part of that is wisdom.

Of course on a forum such as this, there are many readers...so there is a necessity to be far more direct.

 

[Episkopos]

Do you have scripture supporting this view? It is nothing I can relate to.

If you read Romans 6, 7,and 8...you will get the idea of what I'm saying. I have to run now...but I'll get back to you!

 

[Dave L]

If you read Romans 6, 7,and 8...you will get the idea of what I'm saying. I have to run now...but I'll get back to you!

These passages describe the flesh (brain). Not the inner born again man (spirit) that has power over the flesh. Believers are victorious over sin or we wouldn't exist at all.