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Sermon #5556

The Inward Man

A Sermon on 2 Corinthians 4:16

Originally preached Oct. 1, 1961

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Scripture

2 Corinthians 4:16 ESV KJV
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. (ESV)

Sermon Description

How do Christians live in an evil world that opposes God? This is not a new question for Christians, and Paul himself addresses the early church in 2 Corinthians 4:16. Christians must always seek to live according to the gospel and the mission of Christ. In the midst of an evil world, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones proclaims, Christians must share the gospel. Christians living in the world must seek to make Christ known in all that they do. And even as Christians are seeking to be a light to the world, the Bible says that believers are still wasting away, but the inward man is being renewed within. Jesus transforms all who believe in Him and makes them holy. In this sermon on 2 Corinthians 4:16, Dr. Lloyd-Jones preaches this great truth of the hope of transformation in Christ. This sermon is a call for all to flee sin and come to Jesus, for Jesus alone can transform sinful bodies of death by making all things new. Only Jesus can make whole again and give true and lasting peace with the light of the knowledge of the glory of God.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The Christian faces facts realistically. Though our outward man perish. The Christian does not ignore difficulties or troubles.
  2. The Christian faces facts in a unique way. He does not faint or get defeated. For which cause we faint not.
  3. The Christian can give a reason for facing facts positively. For which cause...
  4. The outward man refers to the physical body and life lived through the body. It includes contacts with the world and other people. It depends on the body and physical conditions.
  5. The inward man refers to the soul and spirit. It is eternal and independent of the body. It links us to God and the spiritual realm.
  6. The inward man is renewed daily by the Holy Spirit. He gives a new view of suffering, enabling us to see it as sharing in Christ's sufferings.
  7. The life of Jesus is manifested in our mortal bodies. As the outward man perishes, the life of Jesus in us grows.
  8. Jesus lives in us and we live by him. We are crucified with Christ; we live by faith in the Son of God.
  9. God will raise up our bodies as he raised Jesus. Our present sufferings point ahead to future glory.
  10. The abundant grace of God renews the inward man day by day. It is constantly given fresh every morning.
  11. The inward man progresses from glory to glory. He does not stay the same but grows in grace and in the knowledge of God.

Other Sermons

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.