The Outer Self and the Inner Self

 

The Outer Self and the Inner Self

 

2 Corinthians 4:16–18: "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 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."

The "outer self" refers to the old self that follows the flesh, while the "inner self" refers to the new self that follows the law of the Holy Spirit. The wasting away of the outer self signifies death.

The Bible refers to the Kingdom of God perceived within the spirit as *he basileia ton ouranon*; the Revised Korean Version translates this as "Heaven" (the Kingdom of Heaven or the Heavens). This is because the Kingdom of Heaven is, in fact, Jesus Christ. Matthew 3:2 states: "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven (*he basileia ton ouranon*) has come near."

Jesus Christ is also described as the Temple, because the resurrected Jesus enters the temple within one's spirit as the Counselor (Holy Spirit). 1 Corinthians 6:19–20: "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies."

Because Jesus dwells within, the believer becomes a temple, a royal priest, the Kingdom of Heaven, and the Millennial Kingdom. Without Jesus entering the spirit, one is merely a body destined for death—nothing more.

Jesus promised His disciples that He would prepare a place for them and return. John 14:2–3: "In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also."

This dwelling place is the Kingdom of God within the spirit; yet, no one can know whether this Kingdom of God within the spirit exists inside the body or outside of it. The Apostle Paul made a similar confession after experiencing the "third" (*tritou*) heaven (*ouranos*).

2 Corinthians 12:2–4: "I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak."

The word translated as "third," *tritou*, is derived from *trichos*, which means "hair." 1 Peter 3:3–4: "Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair (*trichon*), and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God."

While the "hair" appears to be the hair of the head in terms of outward appearance, in terms of the heart, it signifies the imperishable temple of the spirit. The Hebrew word *Bereshit* and the Greek word *arche*—translated as "in the beginning" in the Revised Version of the Bible—carry the meaning of "that which is first." In other words, this signifies the One who is the Head—specifically, Jesus Christ, the Head of the temple. Jesus Christ Himself is the Kingdom of Heaven; He is the "third heaven."

Ephesians 2:5–6 states, "He made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions (it is by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places (*ouranois*) in Christ Jesus." Here, *ouranois* refers to the Kingdom of Heaven.

One who enters into Christ Jesus becomes the Kingdom of Heaven. This does not mean that the interior of Jesus is physically vast, but rather that the person becomes one with Jesus. Those who enter into Christ are the ones who are united with the Jesus who died on the cross and rose again—believers who trust that they have died and risen together with Him.

What dies with Jesus is the "old self," also described as the "outer self." The old self is the body of the flesh—a body destined for death—and is also referred to as the "body of sin." Romans 6:6 says, "We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin."

Conversely, what rises with Him is the "inner self," described as the "new self." While the old self is the body of sin destined for death, the new self signifies one born of the Holy Spirit—one conceived and born of the Spirit within the physical body. Romans 6:4–5: "Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection."

Believers are those who have been seated in the heavenly places and have already been resurrected with Jesus. Those who do not believe this view resurrection as something that occurs only after the physical body dies; they believe that resurrection does not take place while one is alive but is merely a future event following death. However, without believing in a present resurrection, one cannot be seated in the heavenly places, the new temple within the spirit is not established, Jesus does not enter that temple, and the Kingdom of Heaven does not exist for that person.

In that case, when one stands before the judgment seat after death, a resurrection will indeed occur—but it will be either a resurrection of life or a resurrection of judgment. Those not united with Jesus Christ will face the resurrection of judgment; to be united with Jesus Christ means to be united with His death on the cross and His resurrection.

2 Corinthians 5:17: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." A new creation is a being born from heaven—a spiritual body conceived and born of the Holy Spirit. Failure to believe this is tantamount to a believer failing to believe in their own present resurrection.