Phil Beach Jr. emphasizes the distinction between the inner man and outer man, drawing from 1 Peter 3 and 2 Corinthians 5. He explains that as new creations in Christ, believers are called to live not for themselves but for God, highlighting the importance of nurturing the inner man, which reflects the character of Christ. Beach encourages Christians to focus on the hidden man of the heart, which is renewed daily, rather than being preoccupied with outward appearances. He stresses that true beauty comes from the inner transformation that occurs through a relationship with God. The sermon calls for a deeper understanding of our identity in Christ and the necessity of living in accordance with our new nature.

1 Peter chapter 3. Now, we're going to be looking at this because in it is contained a very good truth that we want to major on tonight. And I'm asking the Lord to help us to see. Okay, how many are at 1 Peter chapter 3? Alright, keep your fingers there. And you may turn with me to 2 Corinthians chapter 5 if you like. But I guess as a good introductory scripture, we could read 2 Corinthians chapter 5. As Christians, we ought to become very, very aware in an ever-increasing manner of the truth that we are about to read in 2 Corinthians chapter 5. Because this basically lays the foundation for us in order to understand what Peter is telling us in 1 Peter chapter 3. 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verse number... Let's begin in verse number 11. Verse number 10. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that everyone may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men. But we are made manifest unto God, and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance and not in heart. For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God, or whether we be sober, it is for your cause. For the love of Christ constrains us. That means controls us. See, Paul was motivated by the love of God. And this ought to be the chief motivation in our lives regarding anything that we do for God. His love. The love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge that if one died for all, then we're all dead. And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. Now I want you to notice in verse number 15, Paul is making a statement. If Christ died for all, then we're all dead. Okay. Then he says, if that's true, they which live should not live unto themselves, but unto him which died. Why is Paul saying that we shouldn't live unto ourselves, but to him that died for us? The reason why Paul is saying it is because how does the world live? The world lives for themselves. There's one person that is centrally important in the world's eyes. Me. And you. And here Paul is trying to establish a whole new way of thinking. And that he died for all, verse 14, 15, that they which live should no longer live to themselves, but to him which died for them, and rose again. Wherefore we know no man after the flesh, yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Here's the verse, 17. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Now this is where we're beginning. He is a new creature. A new creature suggests, number one, we live unto God and not self. We live unto God and not self. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away. Now when Paul speaks of old things, he is not only referring to the sins that we committed that God promises to wipe out. But when Paul here is speaking about old things, he is suggesting that the entire way of life that we were preoccupied with as unbelievers has passed away. Why? Because the entire way of life in the old way revolved around living for self. Accomplishing things that pleased self. And Paul here says that old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new. Now another translation says, all things are becoming new. Many times believers stumble and say, well my, when I became a Christian, everything all of a sudden didn't change and completely become perfect. Well that's not what Paul is suggesting here. He's suggesting that once we become Christians, by virtue of our position in Christ, everything becomes new in relation to the way that we live. In that we no longer live it unto self but unto God. And as a result, the old life dies and then the new life becomes new every day. Every day we're learning more and more and more how to live unto God and not to self. You are a new creature. You are different. You are of a different species. You were born in Adam and now you've been born again in Christ. If you are a believer tonight, you constitute a completely new spiritual species that God himself created through causing you to be born again into the family of God. Brethren, you are no longer in Adam. You are no longer held captive to self-life. But you have been given the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit has been united and joined to your spirit and you have become a new creature. You are a new man in Christ. And as a new man in Christ, all the old things which meant the living for self have passed away. And now God wants to teach you how to live in Christ. Now, one of the chief concerns of the Holy Spirit, you can turn back to 1 Peter now, chapter 3. One of the chief concerns of the Holy Spirit is to make you and I aware of this new spiritual man that we have become in Christ. This new spiritual man that we have become in Christ. As we were ministering before earlier at the altar, it is God's will to strengthen the inner man. To encourage the inner man. Now I say inner man, you say, well what are you talking about the inner man? I'm talking about the new you that has been joined to God's spirit and have become an entirely new species. That's the you that you want to begin to learn about. And the old you, the one, the you that was bound and captive to feelings and emotions and the sensual desires of the flesh life. And that was motivated by the spirit of this world. Love not the world, the things that are in the world. The lust of the flesh. The lust of the eyes and the pride of life. All of those things appeal to the old man. But we are new creatures in Christ Jesus. We can either walk by the heartbeat of this world and become captive to our old man which is supposed to be crucified with Christ. Or we can become acquainted with the new man and begin to draw strength from God within and find an entirely new life to live. 1 Peter chapter 3 Likewise ye wives. Now though this is an exhortation to women, it is not limited to women. Be in subjection to your own husbands. That if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives. Or by the lifestyle of the wives. Now listen to this. While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Now wait a minute. Why didn't Peter say while they behold your beautiful hair. And your gorgeous dresses. Why didn't he say that? See. Watch this now. Watch what he begins to bring out here. While they behold your chaste lifestyle with fear. Now listen to this. Whose adorning. Let it not be that outward adorning of plating the hair and of wearing of gold or of putting on of apparel. But let it be the hidden man of the heart. There it is. The hidden man of the heart is the new creature in Christ. The hidden man of the heart is that inner man that Paul teaches us in 2 Corinthians is being renewed daily. God's concern for you and me is develop the inner man. And as the inner man is developed. Your beauty becomes one not recognized necessarily by outward appearance. But recognized by the manifestation and explosion of the character and likeness of Jesus Christ. Beginning to come through you. Now I want you to pay special attention to what Peter is saying here. He's turning the attention to the inner man. And he's telling these women that they can win their unbelieving husbands to Christ. If they will allow God to cause them to become beautiful through allowing that inner man to be seen in everything. Whose adorning. Let it not be that outward adorning of plating the hair and of wearing of gold or of putting on of apparel. But let it be the hidden man of the heart. In that which is not corruptible. Even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit. Which in the sight of God is of great price. So we wanted to bring your attention briefly on the inner man here. Now let's learn a little bit more about this inner man. We saw in 2 Corinthians 5 verse 17 that we are new creations in Christ Jesus. We see here in Peter that there is a inner man. A hidden man of the heart that Peter wants people to see. Now let's go to Ephesians. And in Ephesians chapter 4. Ephesians chapter 4. Beginning with verse number 17. Ephesians chapter 4 beginning in verse number 17. This I say therefore and testify in the Lord. That ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk. In the vanity of their mind. Having the understanding darkened. Being alienated from the life of God. Through the ignorance that is in them. Because of the blindness of their heart. Who being past feeling. Have given themselves over to lasciviousness. To work all uncleanliness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ. If so be that ye have heard him. And have been taught by him. As the truth is in Jesus. Now listen to this. That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man. Which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind. And that ye put on the new man. Which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. So there we have a comparison of the old man and the new man. And as Christians listen closely. You are to be daily. You are to be daily coming into a greater knowledge. Listen. Of the new man. And daily learning to put down and put off the old man. You see. And that's what the daily walk of Christianity is all about. Now if we go to Colossians. We'll also see that Paul makes a remark regarding this very thing. Colossians chapter 3. Colossians chapter 3. I guess we can begin in verse number 1. If ye then be risen with Christ. Seek those things which are above. Where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above. Not on things on the earth. For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life shall appear. Then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify or put to death therefore your members. Which are upon the earth. Fornication. Uncleanliness. Inordinate affection. Evil concupiscence. And covetousness which is idolatry. For which things sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience. In the which ye also walked sometime when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off. Now there's a reference to the old man. All these. Anger. Wrath. Malice. Blasphemy. Filthy communication. Out of your mouth. Lie not one to another. Seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds. Now listen to this. And have put on the new man. Which is renewed in knowledge. Now. The new man is renewed in knowledge. Because the new man is your spirit. Which has been joined together. With the Holy Spirit. That constitutes the new man in you. Your spirit has been joined together with the Holy Spirit. Now before that. Your spirit was dead in sins and trespasses. Ephesians chapter 2. You don't have to necessarily turn to it. And we're going to close in a couple minutes. It's 20 of. Ephesians chapter 2. Now. I'm asking God to give us liberty. To spend time in this particular teaching. Sunday mornings. I don't know when. But I want to begin. Because I feel that this is what the Holy Spirit is doing in our midst. He is strengthening our inner man. Now. Verse number 1. Chapter 2. Ephesians. And you have he quickened. Now. To quicken is to make alive. Who were dead in trespasses and sins. Now where has God made you alive? He has made you alive in your spirit. For you were dead. That means your spirit was dead. Now listen. You had a spirit. See. Man is made up. Body. Soul. And spirit. You had a spirit. But your spirit was dead to God. And it was alive to sin. Now that Christ has redeemed you. And has given to you the Holy Spirit. You have been made alive. In other words. Now. Your spirit is able to communicate with God. You can communicate with God in your spirit. And this is what the Bible teaches. Now. When the Bible says in Colossians that you have been renewed. Or you are being renewed. What it means is your spirit now. Has been joined together with God. And now there is a new man. Before you were captive to sin. You were captive to the desires of the flesh. You were captive to the mind. You were captive to the thoughts that would come. Like Karen said. The battle of the mind. You were captive to it. But now you are no longer captive to it. Now that doesn't mean it's not going to come. Because it does. Doesn't it? Before you had no escape. Now. You don't have to be bound to what's happening in your mind. And what's coming to you through your body. And your feelings. And your senses. Now. You can tune in through prayer. And through the word of God. You can tune in to the spiritual man. That part of you which is joined to God. And you can derive strength from God himself. And overrule and override the avalanche of trouble. That's coming to your mind and your emotions. There's the secret. Tuning in to the new man. Who has been recreated. See God recreated you. You're not the same as when you were. When you were not saved. You're not the same. You've been recreated. God birthed you into the kingdom of God. And the word of God. The Lord himself through the Holy Spirit. Lives inside of you. So the goal of the Christian life. Is to become more acquainted with the new man. Which is me and God together. And I can learn from him. And less acquainted with the old man. Which is me and me. Walking hand in hand. Doing what I feel. When I want. Thinking what I want. Following the spirit of this world. Being enticed by things that profit me. That's the old man. I gotta, I gotta. Hey, old man. I don't walk by you anymore. I'm walking by the new man. And that's, that's me. And God joined together. And God revealing himself to me. God speaking to me through his word. And God strengthening me in himself. Now that's the man. That you want to become acquainted with. That's the man. That you want to nurture. And that you want to grow. Doesn't mean you can't comb your hair. Or own a salon. Doesn't mean you can't make yourself pretty outwardly. But don't do that. And forget about the true man. Because God forbid if you should be in an accident. And you have to get your hair shaved. And you have to get operated on. And your face gets full of scars. And your nose gets out of joint. And then what happens to the outward beauty? It's gone. But there's the beauty of that new man. That still shines. And that's what we need to remember. Okay, we're going to stop here. And Lord willing, whenever the next time that we can get into this. We're going to take you into a study of body. Soul. And spirit. And show you what the body does. What the soul does. And what the spirit does. And explain how God wants you to become acquainted with the new man. And how your soul and your body must be in subjection to your spirit. And that's what the victory of Christianity is all about.