“And have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.”
“who is renewed in knowledge”
The word “renewed” means to cause something to become new and different, with the implication of becoming superior. The idea is to make new, to cause a change to a previous, preferable state. This word comes to mean to restore, to bring back, not in the sense of recent but different. This restoration is the renewal of spiritual power through a special kind of knowledge.
Christians who enter into a pattern of sinning go into reverse in their Christian development. They enter reversion by becoming adverse to thirst for the Word of God. Once they go into a regression routine, their propensity to sin deepens. When they do this, they turn to sin as a substitute for fulfillment.
An ignorant soul cannot live the Christian life (Prov. 19:2). God works upon our behavior by renewing our knowledge. The “new man” needs a renewal of knowledge. The Greek word for “knowledge” here is experienced knowledge. It is not enough to leave knowledge in the cranium. Once we apply truth to experience over many applications, we begin to mature again. At some point, our maturity will reach an edification construct.
“Is renewed” is present tense. Day-by-day victory over sin rests upon renewal in knowledge. We need daily renewed understanding of Christ to maintain doctrinal integrity and advancement toward maturity (Hebrews 6:4-6).
“Yet our spiritual being is renewed day after day” (2 Cor. 4:16) — the daily renewal of “the inward man” (in contrast to the physical frame), i.e., of renewed spiritual power.
“But be transformed by the renewal of the mind” (Romans 12:2).
“And put on the new self which is made new in knowledge (Col 3:10).
“To be made new in the spirit of your mind,” but more accurately, “to be made new in your spirit and mind” (Ephesians 4:23).
Principle:
God wants us to know Jesus experientially and intimately so that God will renew our souls when we enter fellowship with Him.
Application:
A renewal comes from experiential knowledge (insight, experiential knowledge, Colossians 1:9; 2:2) of Jesus Christ. This revived state comes from a personal, intimate, deep understanding of fellowship with Jesus Christ.
Do you have a full or thorough personal, experiential knowledge of Jesus Christ? Have you experienced knowing Jesus as the apostle Paul did (Php. 3:10)? Do you have enough discernment about Jesus Christ to know His mind?
