Renewal Series – 2 Corinthians 4:16 – The Temporary Versus the Eternal

Renewal Series – 2 Corinthians 4:16 – The Temporary Versus the Eternal

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” – 2 Corinthians 4:16

Death of the human body is inevitable. The aging process and the pains that accompany it, is unavoidable. But as God, Jesus is alive – for eternity (Matt. 28:6). This should give the believer hope. The human body is temporary. The spirit of Jesus within the believer is eternal. Therefore, it is by his spirit that we are “renewed day by day.” The Apostle Paul went on to write:

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” – 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

Not only are there troubles with the human body but also many other kinds of troubles in life – from human conflict on a micro and macro scale to the persecution of his church, and those who endure it, to many other forms of temporary trouble. But again, the believer has hope. Hope in Jesus to renew us each day. Hope in that we will be with him for eternity. The human body is seen. Therefore, it is the unseen that matters because Jesus is eternal.  

    

Renewal Series – Romans 12:2 – God’s Will

Renewal Series – Romans 12:2 – God’s Will

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” – Romans 12:2

Have you ever wanted to know what the will of God is? According to the Apostle Paul, we can know his will more clearly when we are in the process of renewing our minds. That is, to transform our worldview in a manner that abides with God. Paul starts with a warning, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world,…”  The pattern of this world is contrary to the will of God. As discussed previously, King David allowed himself to follow a path which led to adultery with Bathsheba. In Psalm 51:12, David writes in his confession, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me.” David realized the only way to remain in the will of God was for his Creator to repair his spirit. Other words for “restore” include: “rebuild” or to “reinstate.” David asked God to rebuild what he had destroyed through his sexual impropriety. In the midst of his misconduct, David made other poor choices; one included the murder of his good friend, and Bathsheba’s husband. It was only after David pleaded with God to restore him was he then able to determine the will of God.

On a macro scale, the prophet Ezekiel wrote to the nation of Israel, “I [God] will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” – Ezekiel 36:26.

The prophet replayed the words of God to a nation that had rebelled in ways which included idolatry and sexual sin – they performed acts of misconduct similar to the foreign nations who did not consider God as their king and lord. But God promised that if his nation returned to him then he would restore them. Only in this restoration could his chosen nation know the will of God. Only if a nation returns to the words of God can it know correct decisions and actions to take. The pattern of this world leads to destruction (Matthew 23:1-12 and Luke 18:9-14). But God has the words of life (John 6:68). Life within the will of God.

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Renewal Series – Ephesians 4:22-24 - Old Person, New Person

Renewal Series – Ephesians 4:22-24

Old Person, New Person

The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus:

“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

In the context of this passage Paul urged his readers to abandon old ways, that of greed, idolatry and sexual perversion (see verse 19). When he penned these words he was using the imagery of clothing – to remove an old, worn out garment and to put the new garment which the Spirit of God had given. The first of all the scriptures references righteousness as clothing:

“I put on righteousness as my clothing; justice was my robe …” – Job 29:14

 The prophet Isaiah wrote to the nation of Israel at a time when foreign nations had destroyed their cities and many of its own people were filled with greed and deceived by the unlawful practices of other nations:

“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me … to proclaim good news to the poor … to proclaim freedom … a garment of praise instead of s spirit of despair. … I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, …” – Isaiah 61: 1-3 and 10.

And the psalmist wrote as he referred to a person who lived a life of self:

“He wore cursing as his garment; it entered into his body like water, into his bones like oil.” – Psalm 109:18

The readers of Paul’s letter at the time would have been reminded of the Old Testament scriptures as a reminder of what to avoid, what to put off and what to discard. Instead of wearing the garment of a curse, Paul stressed “… to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” No longer is a Christ-follower to live a life of self and impurity.

Jesus told Nicodemus that “no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” (John 3:3). This implies a renewal of the old self into the new self. A Christ-follower is to literally discard the old person and to be born again as the new person. 

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Renewal Series - Psalm 51:10

No one on planet Earth is perfect. All of mankind has missed the mark of perfection. Whether in thought, attitude or action, we continue to miss that bullseye on the target of perfection. Nearly three thousand years ago, Kind David not only missed the mark, he aimed his bow in the opposite direction (Read 2 Samuel 11). After the prophet Nathan rebuked the king, David turned around, in his heart -- which is the definition of repentance (Read 2 Samuel 12). David wrote a psalm which reflected his repentant heart. In that psalm, he wrote of renewal.

"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." - Psalm 51:10

And God restored the heart of David. Of course, David's actions of missing the mark had repercussions for generations. David was still not perfect. But God renewed his soul. God can do the same for any person no matter how far off a person has missed the mark. He is the healer and the Wonderful Counselor. 

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