“Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.” (2nd Cor. 4:16)

“Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.” (2nd Cor. 4:16)

God created humans with a spirit, soul, and body (Gen. 1:27; 1st Thess. 5:23). God did not create us to be bodies with a soul, but souls which have bodies. Therefore, the “outer man” is the visible, external aspect of a person, while the “inner man” defines their spiritual nature. The outer man is the physical housing through which we experience the world. It does so via the five senses and by meeting innate needs such as eating, drinking, and sleeping. The outer man, our body, is temporal and deteriorates over time. 

The inner man, our soul, is where our conscience, personality, and emotions operate. It is also the seat of all decision making. The Inner soul is meant to be in charge of the outer body and we must continuously renew our inward being through prayer, control, and discipline. 

Fr. John