Ⅳ
We need to be those who are being renewed day by day with the fresh supply of the resurrection life to replace our culture and to become the one new man in reality by becoming as new as the New Jerusalem—2 Cor. 4:16:
Ａ
Putting on the new man does not take place once for all; on the contrary, it is a lifelong matter, a gradual process that goes on throughout our Christian life.
Ｂ
We, the regenerated believers, as parts of the new man, should walk in the newness of the divine life in resurrection and serve in newness of spirit—Rom. 6:4; 7:6.
Ｃ
The believers should be renewed to be as new as the New Jerusalem since they all are becoming the New Jerusalem by walking in newness of life (6:4) and building the New Jerusalem by serving in newness of spirit (7:6).
Ｄ
Our being renewed in the spirit of our mind is for our daily transformation into the image of Christ through the consuming of our outer man by the suffering in our environment for the renewing of our inner man—2 Cor. 4:16:
１
While we are in the midst of suffering, we need to receive the renewing; otherwise, the suffering we pass through means nothing to us; within us there is a refuge—our spirit—Psa. 91:1; 27:5; 31:20; Isa. 32:2; 2 Tim. 4:22; Gal. 6:17-18.
２
God arranges our environment so that little by little and day by day our outer man will be consumed and our inner man will be renewed by the fresh supply of the pneumatic Christ as the resurrection life—2 Cor. 4:16.
Ｅ
In order to be renewed day by day, we need to be revived every morning—Matt. 13:43; Luke 1:78-79; Prov. 4:18; Judg. 5:31; 2 Cor. 4:16.
Ｆ
We are renewed day by day through four items: the cross (vv. 10-12, 16-18); the Holy Spirit by which we are reconditioned, remade, and remodeled with the divine life (Titus 3:5); our mingled spirit (Eph. 4:23); and the holy word of God (5:26).
Ｇ
We need to come to the Lord’s table in newness (Matt. 26:29); the Lord never takes an old table; we need to be renewed by learning to say, “I’m sorry; forgive me.”
Morning Nourishment
2 Cor. 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart; but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.Eph. 4:22-23 That you put off, as regards your former manner of life, the old man…and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind.
God has the best provisions to help us to receive the renewing. The first provision is the cross, the putting to death of Jesus. According to 2 Corinthians 4, Paul was always under the killing of the cross, the Lord’s death.
The second provision is the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:5 speaks of the “renewing of the Holy Spirit.”… [The Holy Spirit’s] main work is first to regenerate us and then to renew us every day. We are receiving the new supply of the Spirit daily to renew us metabolically…. The third provision God gave us is our mingled spirit, our human spirit mingled with the divine Spirit. In our human spirit, the Holy Spirit dwells, works, and renews us. Ephesians 4:23 says that we need to be renewed in the spirit of our mind. Our spirit is the place where we receive the renewing. Our mingled spirit spreads into our mind, thus becoming the spirit of our mind. It is in such a spirit that we are renewed for our transformation. (CWWL, 1989, vol. 2, “Being Renewed Day by Day, ” pp. 351-352)
Today’s Reading
Many times when we are suffering, we are questioning, “Why am I suffering? What is the reason?”…While we are in the midst of suffering, we need to receive the renewing. Otherwise, the suffering we pass through means nothing to us. Within us there is a refuge. This refuge is our spirit. We need to turn from our mind to our spirit. Then we are safeguarded, hidden, and concealed from any attacks. It is in our spirit that we will be renewed.In addition to the cross, the Holy Spirit, and our spirit, we have the holy Word. The Head of the Body cleanses the church, His Body, by the washing of the water in the word (Eph. 5:26). Because I have studied the Bible for such a long time, I can recall chapters such as Matthew 1 and Romans 8…. When I think about Romans 8:4—to walk according to the spirit— I get washed. We all need to receive the washing of the water in the word daily.
We may feel that many of the things that we pass through are not fair, but we need to realize that the cross is not fair. When Pilate sentenced the Lord Jesus to death, was that fair?… Everything that happened to the Lord Jesus was not fair. We should not say, “This is not fair.” No suffering is fair. The Lord could respond to us in this way: “Yes, the suffering itself is not fair, but My calling you to suffer is fair. I am fully right in placing you into this unfair treatment so that you can receive the renewing.”… [When we are suffering], we have to learn how to turn to our spirit. That is our refuge, our hiding place, to receive the renewing…. We may not even be able to take the situation we are in, but when we come to the Word, regardless of what chapter or verse, the word will wash us. There is water in the word to wash us. Washing is a synonym of renewing. By these four items—the cross, the Holy Spirit, our mingled spirit, and the holy Word—we can receive the renewing.
Whenever we come to the Lord’s table, we need renewing. When the Lord Jesus established the table, He said, “I shall by no means drink of this product of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in the kingdom of My Father” (Matt. 26:29). The Lord …will never take an old table. The table He set up was new, and the table He will take in the kingdom of His Father will be new. We have to come to the Lord’s table in a new way, in the principle of newness. (CWWL, 1989, vol. 2, “Being Renewed Day by Day, ” pp. 352-353)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1994-1997, vol. 3, “The Organic Aspect of God’s Salvation, ” ch. 3; CWWL, 1994-1997, vol. 4, “The Secret of God’s Organic Salvation—‘the Spirit Himself with Our Spirit, ’” ch. 3