Biblical Masculinity 4: Spiritual Maturity

"Let us not listen to those who think we ought to be angry with our enemies, and who believe this to be great and manly. Nothing is so praiseworthy, nothing so clearly shows a great and noble soul, as clemency and readiness to forgive." - Marcus Tulius Cicero


The words above were written by one of the great men in history, as are the ones below.


"Obedience to lawful authority is the foundation of manly character." - Robert E. Lee


I'd like to think that these men were thinking of God when they made their famous quotes. Sadly, Robert E. Lee was striving to turn the tide of a war supporting the enslavement of other men, and Marcus Tulius Cicero was trying to disarm a political opponent so that he could strike him down when he came forward for a peace treaty.


Yet, there is a grain of truth in these words. These men, while they were secular in nature, showed a great deal of maturity clearly lacking in most Christian men today. I myself have been the cause of much pain and suffering; no Biblical man will deny that he has done the same.


This is not to say that all problems can be resolved simply by maturity, but as it says in Proverbs 15:1, "A soft answer turneth away wrath."


Perhaps we, as men and women in Christ, ought to increase our knowledge of what maturity is. Yet again I tell you that Jesus was the epitome of spiritual maturity. He Himself is the model which we, as men, should strive to emulate. This is accomplished by seeking the Lord in all we do. (Proverbs 3:6)


According to Psalm 4:3, "The Lord has set apart him that is Godly for Himself." God wants you holy men to be set apart for Him and Him alone. I doubt not that many of you have given yourself, whether past or present, to the pursuit of the things of this world. This, obviously, is not God's will for you, as he commands you to be in the world, not OF the world. 2 Peter 3:18 commands us to grow in Christ. What is growth in Christ but a spiritual maturing; a sort of Biblical "coming of age", if you will?


Every action we have should be derivative of Christ. This is not to say that we will not make mistakes; we will, as Christ was, is, and always will be the ONLY perfect man. We, as his children, however, have the ability to withstand sin. Philippians 4:13 tells us that our strength comes from Christ and Him alone. How can we withstand the wiles and wickedness of a fallen world without a shield given by the only man who ever withstood these things himself?


Spiritually mature men are to have wisdom as well (1 Cor. 1:24, 30). Wisdom can be sought in one of the most readily available sources on earth: the Holy Bible. Here (speaking of America in particular, but other countries as well) we tend to view the Bible as a sort of "Holy commodity"; the more you own, the better you are. Sadly enough, a library has many copies of the Bible and, on the shelf adjacent, you can find the most vulgar novels and other reading material on this planet. The type of reading material you OWN does not define you, though this is not to say that you should own vulgar novels and other reading materials as long as you don't read them (this should go without saying). The type of material that you allow to define your life is far more important than what you own or don't own. How much dust is on the cover of your Bible? Do you read it like you read the next Lee Child or Ted Dekker novel? Try, this week, to read as much of your Bible as you can; turn off the TV, put down the newspaper, and crack the cover. God speaks to us through His Word.


Finally, our lives are defined by their "fruit". The best way to determine if God resides in you is through comparing your life to the words of Galatians 5:22-23: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." Do others see these qualities in you? If not, you may want to evaluate your life; are you a Biblically masculine man?


Later on, we will focus on the fellowship and relational aspect of Biblical masculinity: how do you apply your faith to your relationships with others?

Biblical Masculinity, Part 3: 02-09-2011

Yesterday, I expounded on the Godhood and manhood of Christ, and revealed that it is God's plan that we be like Him. So, how should a Biblically masculine man behave? What kind of convictions and precepts should he hold to? I don't want to get too legalistic, but a lot of what the secular world considers "legalism" was actually common courtesy or expected behavior even in the early 1900's. Now, these behaviors are all but forgotten and are practiced only by a few. If I seem to be legalistic, remember: my study is grounded in Scripture.


In the beginning, God created the Heavens, the Earth, light, darkness, water, air, plants, fish, birds, and then animals. On the sixth literal day of Creation (I will also be doing a study on the Gap Theory, Progressive Creation, and lies in the textbooks soon) God created man. Man was created in God's image. No companion was found for man; therefore, God created woman


God has divided the species into two different sexes and designed them to have differing roles. Men are to be the head of their families, the leaders and decision-makers of their homes. Genesis 3:16 says: "To the woman [God] said: 'I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you."


You may have noticed that the rule of man (as a gender) is a result of Eve's sin. The fact that women are to obey and respect their husbands (as long as these men are Godly) has come about due to the Fall of Man. I do not know for sure, but I do not believe that is was God's original intention for man to rule over his wife, and I don't believe that a man HAS to to be masculine. One of the greatest fallacies evident in Christian relationships (between man and wife) today is the belief that a man is to dominate the wife. The man attempts to control her. God's original intention was for each marriage (I speak of man/woman marriages, not man/man or woman/woman; please remember Sodom and Gomorrah) to be a partnership, with men and women living in equality. The belief that women are inferior to men is an illusion; the Bible neither confirms nor propagates such a belief.


Secondly, masculine men are to be the spiritual heads of the family in addition to being the physical head. (1 Timothy 3:1-7) Men are to be leaders in the churches and keep a tight rein on their families; a man's wife is to respect him in the presence of church elders. This doesn't mean that men are to DEMAND this respect. A man is to use the Word of God for reproof and correction. (2 Timothy 3:16) Manly men, if you have a rebellious or domineering wife who professes to be Christian, show her Proverbs 31. This is God's design for woman as a wife.


The Bible says that men and women are spiritually equal before God. Galatians 3:28 says: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither MALE nor FEMALE; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Emphasis added) Men, this means your wife is not spiritually inferior to you; you are to accept reproof and correction from her in the same way as she is to receive it from you. God originally intended marriages to be a partnership, or a union of equals. While a man is the head of his household, the wife is a help meet. She is the same in Christ's eyes as you are. God sees no difference between you and her, spiritually speaking. Your spirits are worth the same.


Did you know that functional humanity, both male and female, requires spiritual exchange? Acts 26:18 says: "To open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me." Men, this quite obviously means that you are to evangelize! Masculine men are to preach the Gospel to others!


As I mentioned in the last article, the manhood of Jesus Christ is our example of masculinity. Jesus was the ultimate man; the very first man who was truly a masculine, Christian man.


Please return tomorrow for a special section of Biblical Masculinity: Must a Biblical Man be Spiritually Mature?

Biblical Masculinity, Part 2: 02-08-2011

The world's definition of masculine and the Bible's definition of masculine are near-polar opposites. Some vestiges of a Biblical man have remained, however: masculinity means protectiveness. The Bible agrees with this, as it says to treat women as a "weaker vessel". (1 Peter 3:7) What must we do to a weaker vessel but protect it? And yet, this verse also says to be "heirs together of the grace of life". Your wife or future-wife (to all you guys out there who haven't been corrected about the fallacy of "dating", I will do a study on that later) has just as much of a claim to God's kingdom as you do. Should she be treated as spiritually inferior? Certainly not.

The world also says that men should be tough. Toughness, however, has had its definition change quite a bit from Jesus' time to now. You see, toughness used to mean almost the same thing as protectiveness. Let's pretend for a moment that you are charged with guarding the world's most valuable (and breakable) object. You would not do anything to harm this object; in fact, you would be SO CAREFUL and gentle with it that no harm would come to it by your hand. Now, let's pretend that someone else wants to break this object. You would not only protect it, you would give your life to save it. This is the way God sees man's relationship with woman; we are to protect them, but also SERVE them and be graceful and gentle to them. The way men treat women today, even though it's "better" than in the 1800's is still WRONG.

To be fair, and to give credit where it is due, while doing a study of Biblical masculinity, I stumbled across a wonderful article at this address:
www.christinyou.net/pages/masculinity.html
Most of my verse references will come from there.

First, I would like to go into detail about what the WORLD thinks men should be like:

• Strong physically, burly, "hunkish", hairy, beards (I do not necessarily disagree with any of this; being in good physical shape is always good; but, I don't think you HAVE to be any of this to be manly)
• Dressed for the occasion; appropriately clothed for any situation (this, I agree with in a sense)
• Adventurous, thrill-seeking, competitive, push-it-to-the-limit type people (I wholeheartedly disagree with this; men should not seek danger, as they should not separate themselves from their family through their own stupidity and death)
• Loud, powerful, violent, destructive, willingness to get dirty (all of these are negative qualities and are not very genteel; men, while they are supposed to be tough, are not supposed to be violent. Don't take your "manliness" cues from Sylvester Stallone or Jason Statham, in other words)
• Drinking, smoking, drugs, intense sexual desires, sexual domination (you know what the Bible says about all of these, but I will still go into it later)

Not everything above is wrong in God's eyes; in fact, in the right context, a certain amount of muscle, objectivity, and aloofness must be applied to life to avoid sin and bad choices. However, these should be the exception, not the rule.

We must remember that the ultimate man was Jesus. Jesus was gentle, loving, and kind, but he was not afraid to confront the evil in men. He was not afraid to call out the evil in the Pharisees, nor to chastise his followers. Yet, he was also gentle, as shown when he rebuked Martha for her unBiblical view of women. Can you imagine? Rebuking a woman for her views on femininity! What would drive a man to such heights?

Jesus gave his life for everyone. Jesus was a SERVANT TO ALL (2 Timothy 2:24) and gave himself up for everyone. After all, John 15:13 tells us: "Greater love hath no man than this; that a man should lay down his life for his friends." Jesus gave his VERY LIFE; the ultimate sacrifice for his friends. For us.

We are to exemplify THAT man. THAT Man, whose name was Jesus the Christ, the Savior of all mankind; we are to be a man like Him.

In the next section, I go into depth on what the Bible says about masculinity.

Biblically Masculine: 02-07-2011

Some men, including myself, find it very hard to be the Biblical definition of masculine, especially with the way women have become. It bothers me immensely to see women stepping up to the heads of the households, wresting control away from their husbands, and commanding them like a captain controls his first mate.

The world view of masculinity has cheapened it. Men are portrayed as bulky, strong, pig-headed, insensitive, testosterone-ridden, and overbearing. They're supposed to be smooth, suave, manipulative, and above all, conniving. Women are SUPPOSED to feel insecure around them...or, so the world says. The world is wrong, of course.

Yet, the "Christian" definition of men has also been somewhat distorted by the world. While Christian men are often caring, kind, and compassionate, they are also domineering, perverse, and lukewarm in Christ. They can be distant and aloof, not paying attention to the children and not loving their wives in they way God meant for them to be loved.

So, what is the Biblical definition of masculinity?

You have to understand that the definition of masculinity is the same for each man, while the way in which he implements that masculinity will be different. You can be married and be masculine. You can be single and proud of it and still be masculine. You can be a widowed father with 3 kids and still be masculine. In fact, the Biblical definition of masculinity begins long before a woman enters the picture.

Men, you are supposed to be compassionate, caring, and gentle, but you are not supposed to allow your wife to dominate you. You are to submit to your wife, yes, because in God's eyes, you are the same. No woman is better than any man, and no man is better than any woman. God, however, established the pattern for a family back in Genesis after the first sin: Eve was told that her desire would be for her husband and that he would RULE OVER her.

Husbands, let me explain what ruling is. Ruling is not domineering. It has never been domineering. Ruling is kind, benevolent, and gentle, but firm, just, and righteous. Ruling is relying on the subjects because they supply your needs, and in return, protecting them and serving them. Yes, SERVING them.

Do you remember the days when men used to hold the door open for a woman? Do you remember when men would pull a CHAIR out from a table so a woman could sit down? Do you remember the days when a woman would enter a room and EVERY MAN IN THE ROOM would stand immediately and offer her his seat? I remember, because I'm trying my hardest to be that kind of man.

This post is already kind of long, so I'll make another one tomorrow. Until then, men, please do as the Bible tells you. Practice compassion and servitude.

Good Morning, Jesus!

Well, actually, I guess it's good evening Jesus for right now! Hello, and welcome to "Good Morning, Jesus!", a blog about everything God is doing. Well, the stuff that I know about anyway.

Today, I just want to praise God for something: my very good friend Karis Monroe had a father who was apparently diabetic for a long time. He went in for a kidney and pancreas transplant the day-before-yesterday and is out and in stable condition. While this may seem like a marvel of modern medicine, I posit that this is God's doing. He cares for his own, let me tell you, and he's not going to let anyone down. We'll talk later about what that means.

Karis, if you're reading this, I love it. I love that he's okay. Now, don't forget to put the blame where it belongs. :) Good night.