Where In The Bible Will I Find:

How Man Is Renewed Day By Day?

Mankind today has been generally convinced that the body is more important than the soul. It seems the care of the body means more to most than the care of the soul, or inward man. The body is lavished with the finest clothing, food and recreation, but the soul is left without exercise in service to our Maker (Heb. 5:12-14). While the soul is starved, ignored, and left without strength, the body is regularly exercised, coddled, and spoiled!

One man said, "Today the body is pampered, painted, and primped." The Bible does say, "For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come" (I Tim. 4:8). However, when this life shall be over the body will go back to dust, but the soul must return to God who gave it (Ecc. 12:7).

The Word of God is the mirror for the soul (Jas. 1:22-25). Have you viewed your soul lately? How does it look in the eyes of God? Has it been cleansed from sin in the blood of Christ? Our hearing the Word of God will produce faith, repentance, confession of the name of Christ, and baptism for the remission of sins, because it brings us in touch with the blood of Christ (Rom. 6:3-4; Eph. 1:7).

Paul wrote, "For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day" (II Cor. 4:18). Undue emphasis on the outward man, while we give no attention to the inward man, will render man a failure in life. Though our bodies are heading toward the grave each day that we live, our souls can and should become stronger, healthier, and more vibrant with each passing day.

The apostle John wrote to his faithful friend Gaius, "I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth" (III Jn. 1:2). It is supposed that the bodily health of Gaius was not as good as it once had been, but his soul was prospering! For the health of the Christian's soul to be renewed day by day, he or she must continue to seek first the kingdom and righteousness of God (Matt. 6:33), set their affection on the Heavenly authority for life and strength, and thereby lay up for their soul treasures in Heaven (Matt. 6:19-20).

They are busy in the Lord's service as they "work out their own salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil. 2:12-16). Spiritual health is better than physical health. Jesus terms the soul more important than the body (Matt. 10:28), and so should each of us. For this reason the church of Christ is more important than any other institution in the world. No other institution has been established by God, and purchased by the blood of Christ, for the salvation of the soul.

--Gary Colley