WTW 2021
16 October
Proverbs 16
The Inner man
To man belong the plans of the heart, but from Yahweh comes the proper answer of the tongue. All a man’s ways seem pure to him, but motives are weighed by Yahweh. Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud. Proverbs 16:1-2, 19
This week, many of us have been considering the LORD’s teaching regarding the way of understanding in His new covenant. On finer points this requires a grasp of terms regarding the inner man. Here are some of those worth considering. We can look at how these are understood in the old and again how they are understood in the new.
OLD
soul (nephesh)
heart (lev)
spirit (ruach)
NEW
body
soul
spirit
flesh
mind
will
heart
inner man
conscience
We come to see in both old and new the vital work of guarding our heart above all things.
In the new, we come to see the struggle between flesh and spirit. We recognize that we live in a conundrum. We require the power of God’s Holy Spirit to overcome the works of the flesh and to have minds controlled by that same Spirit in order to have life and peace.
And so, when we look closely into this perfect law which gives freedom we begin to see that there are relationships among our members. One of these relationships is between our heart and our mind.
• To man belong the plans of the heart
• Yahweh gives the proper answer
• Motives are weighed by Yahweh.
• Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.
We live in a mystery, but we need not understand fully in order to walk this highway of holiness. All we need do is surrender to JESUS to receive newness of spirit by grace through faith. Then, our inner man will desire sanctification. This will take place as we continue in His perfect WORD which has power to transform our hearts by the renewal of our minds.
LORD, grant that we may walk worthy of Your Name today!
In Yeshua,
Wisdom in the WORD 
We see in Hebrews 4 an invitation to enter God’s rest, a mindset and attitude of of faith in God, dependency on Him that leads us into sanctification accomplished through His Spirit and Word via our continual surrender to His will over ours.
And then we see further in chapter 4, as you’ve noted, that it is God that weighs the motives, knowing full well if we’re just going through the motions or genuinely being transformed and committed to this new way of living.
“Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.
For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:11-12
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