Ephesians overview – 3:14-19, Pauls prayer (inner man), part 4.

Sunday March 15th,2020

What we are currently experiencing as the spread of virus instills fear in the hearts of people as well as the sole objective of self-preservation, is only a small foreshadowing of what is to come when God judges the world.

 

REV 18:14-17

"And the fruit you long for has gone from you, and all things that were luxurious and splendid have passed away from you and men will no longer find them. 15 "The merchants of these things, who became rich from her, will stand at a distance because of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, 16 saying,' Woe, woe, the great city, she who was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls; 17 for in one hour such great wealth has been laid waste!'

 

EPH 3:14-17

For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man; 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;

 

3:14-19

C) Inner man.

      

Both the Spirit and Christ are working within. What does God tell us of the inner man? (soul, spirit, heart, mind, and flesh)

 

The inner man is the most important part of you.

 

The parts of the inner man that God reveals overlap and are often interchangeable. This makes sense. The inner man works as a unit.

 

However, God sometimes distinguishes the parts of the inner man. Being careful to not go beyond God’s revelation, we have begun a study of these parts in the quest of understanding them as God has revealed them. It is easier to evaluate something if you can break it down into its parts and analyze them individually.

 

The soul can emphasize the individual or the subject of life. It can be the “what” or the type of man he is. He is ____.

 

Certainly, each of us can change our type in a moment. That is definitely something we have to deal with. But God emphasizes the type of people we are as a whole, perhaps we could say, “on average.” All of us can lose our temper, for instance, but as a rule are you an angry person? Substitute whatever sin or virtue you want for “anger” in that example and you get the idea.

 

Remember that definite distinctions between soul, spirit, heart, mind, and flesh are impossible.

 

PSA 19:7-9

The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul;

The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

8 The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;

The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;

The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.

 

The inner man as a whole is the most important part of you. “As a man thinks within himself, so he is.”

 

A human personality has a will, intellect, sensibility (the ability to respond to ideas deeply and emotionally), and a conscience (the rule of standards). They all exist together and no part ever ceases to function. We could get fancy and attach them to what, why, and how as well as heart, soul, spirit, and mind. What I think is better is to come to understand that they all exist within you and me as gifts from God, and all of it, and I do mean all, are to be dedicated to God completely.

 

The entire inner man: what, why, how / heart, spirit, soul, mind / intellect, will, sensibility, and conscience - has to be completely devoted to God.

 

From Genesis to Revelation, in the Mosaic Law, in the nation of Israel in the PL, in the church, in the Lord Jesus Christ; the Father demands complete submission (motivation/spirit) and obedience (condition/type/soul) of every man.

 

We continue looking at the soul. If it is distinguished, it is usually seen as the subject of the person, his identity, his type.

 

The lusts of the flesh wage war against the soul.