So sdowney, do we rest from our works, or do we walk in them?
Unfortunately, many only read verse 24, but even that says WE put on the new man.
Many fail to read verse 22, which comes before verse 24. Before putting on the new man, we are to put off our old self. How many do that?
Hard to say how many do or do not. But this is something that we are told to do, so then obviously it is something we might not be doing.
Also it is said about the outward versus the inward man this, that they belong to the family of God which family has members on earth and in heaven.
Ephesians 3
Appreciation of the Mystery
14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,
17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what
is the width and length and depth and height—
19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
21 to Him
be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
The inner man is that man born of the Spirit of God, to whom when we flee the tent of this body we will go and be with in Heaven.
The outer man is that man of the flesh and body, that outer man which is perishing day by day due to sin.
But the inner man created of God's Spirit is renewed day by day and is free from sin. If the Son makes you free well then you are truly free and no longer a slave to sin in the inner man. If Christ frees you from sin, then you must have been born again regenerated made a new creation in Christ, and that right now involves only the inner man of the Spirit and not the outward man of the flesh which is awaiting the resurrection age to come..
The body is dead due to sin, recall all the way back to Adam and Eve in the garden, but the spirit is alive, is life according to righteousness, and we get that gift due to Christ, since all who believe in the Son, the promise of God is that they would not perish but have age enduring eternal life. John 3:16.
The first part of a person redeemed is the spirit of man, then later on the natural, the body is redeemed when we are given glorified bodies in the age of the resurrection.
In Romans 8 speaking of those who belong to Christ it is taught
9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
So then His life overflows from His Spirit into our own spirits giving us life and He will even strengthen our dying bodies according of course to His will.
2 Corinthians 4:16 King James Version (KJV)
16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
About the resurrection to come,
The natural body is first, then the spiritual body second. We are born into the world and we must afterwards be born again into God's kingdom to enter that kingdom, we must be born from above again.
"46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual."
There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body. We will bear the image of both, each in its proper order.
1 Cor 15
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.
48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.