Sure About Faith

You Can Be Sure About Faith

“And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life…” (NKJV).

“that you may know that you have eternal life”.   In past few weeks we have seen a number of our members who had been immersed in water at some time in the past develop some doubts as to whether or not their baptism was valid.  I myself had these doubts many years ago and, like several of our members lately, I chose to eliminate that doubt entirely.  Whether or not this action was necessary is not the subject of this lesson.  The subject of this lesson is first that we must be sure and secondly, that we can be sure. 

Why must be sure of our eternal salvation?  The most obvious answer is that our final destination is eternal and we don’t get any do-overs.  Once we die and leave this physical realm, our eternal destination is forever sealed.  We only have one life to offer God and we better get it right.   We can correct our failures so long as we live in this life, but after we die, the consequences for failure are permanent. 

In Romans 14 Paul gives instruction on conduct in matters of opinion.   God gives us certain liberties under the gospel and sometimes well meaning folks either don’t know or don’t understand what God’s expectations might be.  The natural tendency for someone who is concerned about obeying God is to take the more restrictive path if they are uncertain on something.  Paul gives instruction on how Christians are to behave toward one another when this occurs.   There are a number of instruction in Romans 14 but for the purpose of this lesson, we are going to look at only one of them.  In Romans 14:23, Paul writes this, “But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.”  If we are doing something that we are not absolutely sure about, or something that we may have doubts about, then it is sin.  Christians are commanded to be convicted in their beliefs and practices.  Think about this in the terms of raising our children.  Suppose you discover your child doing something they are not supposed to be doing.   Something for which you had already given them instruction on.  Are you going to accept their excuse when they tell you they just weren’t sure about it so they went ahead and did it anyway.  What’s your response to them going be?  How about this response?  “if you weren’t sure then why did you do it?”   Well that’s similar to what Paul is saying in Romans 14:23.   God has given us His instructions in His inspired record.  He wants us to know His instructions.  And if we don’t know then, He wants us to seek them and be sure about something before we make a mistake.  All of God’s laws are for mankind’s benefit, they are designed to keep us safe and to keep us from harming one another.  Our rules for our children are for their benefit.  They are designed to keep them safe and keep them from harming themselves and others around them.  We don’t want our children making mistakes that are harmful to themselves and others and we expect them to understand this and to seek and follow our guidance in this matter.  We are God’s children.  God expects us to seek and follow His guidance in the things we do. 

The rules we give our children is a reflection of the love we have for them.  Similarly, the rules we receive from God is a reflection of the love He has for us.  We can look at His word and see that He cares for us, He is concerned for us, He has our best interests at heart.  1 John 5:3, “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments”  2 John 6, “And this is love, that we walk after his commandments“.  God is a concerned Father and He expects us to seek His will on things that we do and He expects us to be sure about those things.   Whatever is not of faith, is sin. 

So how can we be sure?  The first step to being sure is to know the truth.  Jesus said in John 8:31-32, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  Jesus starts this saying with a conditional word: “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed”.  The word “if” provides a condition upon which something depends.  In a conditional statement there is a stated result and an implied result.  Jesus stated that “IF you abide in my word, you are my disciples.  This statement carries the implication that those who do not abide in His word will not be His disciples.  Jesus follows with an another statement beginning with a conjunction: “AND you shall know the truth”  And then yet another one with “AND the truth shall make you free”.  So we have three separate results that depend on the condition of abiding in His word. 

If you abide in my word you:  1)  Are my disciples;  2)  shall know the truth; 3) and the truth shall make you free. 

What Jesus implied with the conditional statement is that if you do not abide in my word,  1)  You are not my disciples; 2) you shall not know the truth; 3) and the truth shall not make you free. 

All of three of the positive promises Jesus made are dependent upon abiding in His word.  That means living according to what He has taught.  Making His instructions into one’s lifestyle or one’s pattern for conduct throughout their life. 

Jesus said those who abide in His word, those who live in it, study it, strive to learn it and live it will know the truth.  Jesus promised we can “know the truth“.  Jesus said in John 17:17 “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”  “Your word is truth”   God’s word isn’t just something that contains a little truth here and there sprinkled in like salt and pepper.  God’s word is truth.  God’s word is the source of truth, it is the totality of truth.  It is all truth.  From Alpha to Omega, from “In the beginning God” in Genesis 1:1 to the “Amen” in Revelation 22:21, God’s word is truth.  The Psalmist wrote in 119:160, “The sum of thy word is truth; and every one of thy righteous ordinances (endureth) for ever.”

Those who study in God’s word, who learn God’s word, and who live in God’s word are abiding in His word and are given a promise by Jesus Himself.   They will know the truth.  2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

You can be sure that if you study, search, learn, correctly handle and live in God’s word, you can know the truth. 

So how do we correctly handle God’s word?  There are some very simple Biblical standards we can use to be sure we are rightly dividing or correctly handling God’s word.  God’s word tells us how to handle God’s word. 

You can be sure that we live under the new covenant. 

Hebrews 8:8-13

For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:

9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

You can be sure that the old covenant has been done away with.

Ephesians 2:13-16  This is Paul writing to gentile Christians in Ephesus.

13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

The old covenant made a separation between Jews and Gentiles.  Only Jews were God’s chosen people.  Gentiles who wished to live under the law of Moses had to undergo a process where they were then known as proselytes.  Under the new covenant, this wall of separation between Jews and Gentiles was eliminated by doing away with it, or as the text says, “nailing it to His cross”.   The old law of Moses ended at the cross of Christ.  Everyone today who is a Christian is a child of God.  Galatians 3:28-29 reads, “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. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.“

We can be sure the Bible has the knowledge we need

Jude 3-4, “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.”  The original language translated as “once for all” carries the meaning of unrepeatability and finality.   The faith that was delivered was delivered once and will not be delivered again.  In 2 Peter 1:2-3, we read, “...His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness“.  The faith that was once for all time delivered contained everything that pertained to life and Godliness.  Nothing was left out.  All the truth we need was delivered completely in the first century and it will not be repeated.  Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” and then in Romans 10:17, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.“

So from this handful of scriptures we can get a picture of just how reliable the Word of God is.  

1)  Faith comes by the word of God.  Romans 10:17
2)  The Faith was delivered only once and will not be repeated. (Jude 3)
3)  The faith that was delivered in the first century contained everything that pertained to life and godliness.  Nothing was left out.  2 Peter 1:2-3
4)  The scriptures were inspired by God, meaning He oversaw and directed what was being written about the faith.  2 Timothy 3:16
5)  The written record thoroughly furnishes us with everything we need for instruction, correction, doctrine and reproof.  2 Timothy 3:17

What about the preservation of it through the ages?  There are roughly 25,000 manuscripts and fragments of the written record in existence.  And even if all of these were lost, the entire Bible with the exception of a handful of verses could be recreated from the quotes contained in the writings of early church authors.  The Bible as we have it today is the most preserved document in the history of mankind on earth. 

We can trust the word of God.  We can have absolute confidence that it contains everything we need.  We can be sure that the Bible contains everything we need to get to heaven. 

We can be sure that the Bible must be rightly divided.

This means that the word of God must be correctly understood and properly applied. 

The word of God contains warnings we must heed if we are to rightly divide, or correctly handle it. 

1 Corinthians 4:6 reads, “Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written,”.  The NASB reads “not to exceed what is written”  The ASV reads “not to go beyond what is written“.  This is not the only place we read this warning either:  2 John 9, “Whoever transgresses* and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God.”  The NASB reads, “Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God“.  The original language carries the meaning of going astray or going ahead of where they should be.  Simply stated, Christians are warned in the word of God not to go beyond the word of God.   The word of God says that those who do go beyond the word of God do not have God.   Paul and John’s warnings are echoed in the book of Revelation in words that are impossible to misunderstand: 

Revelation 22:18-19, “For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. “

In 2 John 9, John wrote that those who go too far do not have God, and in Revelation he wrote that those who take away from the book of Revelation lose their place in the book of life, which represents salvation.  They lose their place in the holy city.  We read about that in Rev 21 as a place where there is no more sorrow, no more tears, no more suffering.  That’s a picture of heaven.  Those who lose salvation and their home in heaven do not have God.  2 John 9 makes Revelation 22:18-19 applicable to everything written in the new testament.  Concerning God’s word in the old testament, it has Deuteronomy 4:2, “You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.” and Deuteronomy 12:32, “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.”  No one in history has ever been permitted to tamper with the word of God.  We must not add anything to it.  We must not take anything away from it.  The word of God says that to do so, results in the loss of God. 

This is so very important in a society with so much religious division and diversity.  We have thousands of different divisions among those who claim Christ as savior.  If none of them took anything away or added anything to the word of God, then they would not exist.  They all teach things a little differently.  They all contain some truth, but do they all contain the sum of God’s truth?  Have they left something out?  Have they added something that cannot be found in the word of God?  Have they changed it in any way?  The logical answer is yes because if no changes to His word were made, then no divisions would exist. 

Matthew 15:9 and Mark 7:7 both record the words of Jesus as saying, “And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”  Jesus says here that our worship is worthless if we follow the commandments of men.  We have seen in this lesson so far that the Bible is the inspired word of God, it was delivered once for all, it contains everything we need for a life of godliness and we are not to tamper with it or alter it in any way.  So with that said, then if anyone is practicing something that cannot be found in the scriptures or leaving something out, then where did that doctrine come from?  It didn’t come from God so it had to come from the mind of man.  If it didn’t come from the Bible it came from a man.  If it’s in the Bible but not in practice then men chose to leave it out.  That’s a doctrine of men and it renders our worship worthless.  It is of no value.  It is empty, hollow and ineffective.  We can be sure that the scriptures must be rightly understood and rightly applied if we are to enjoy eternal salvation in heaven with God.

You can be sure Christ created only one church.

In Ephesians 4:1-6, Paul wrote, “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” 

Well since there is only one body, then what association does it have with the church?  Earlier in the same letter Paul tells us: Ephesians 1:22-23, “And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body”  The one body that Paul wrote of in Ephesians 4:4 is the same body he wrote about in Ephesians 1:22-23 and it is the church.  The church and the body of Christ are one and the same and there is only one.  Jesus declared in Matthew 16:18, “…and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”  Jesus promised to build only one church.  Paul says there is only church.  Jesus only died for one church.  Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it“, Singular.  Christ only purchased one church with His blood, Acts 20:28, “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God* which He purchased with His own blood.”  And Christ is the head of and the savior of only one church.  Ephesians 5:22-24, “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.”

Question for everyone.  Let’s apply some common sense here.  Since Christ only built one church; bled for one church; died for one church; rules one church and saves one church, then shouldn’t that be the church we strive to be a part of?  Does that make sense?  That’s the church I want to be in. 

I don’t want any part of a church or body that Jesus did not build.

I don’t want any part of a church that Jesus did not shed His blood for.

I don’t want any part of a church that Jesus did not die for.

I don’t want any part of a church that Jesus does not rule over.

I don’t want any part of a church that Jesus will not save. 

Why? 

Because I want to be sure.  I don’t get any do-overs.  If I get this wrong, I don’t get to say to Jesus, “WOOPS…  My Bad!!!  Let me go back, I’ll get it right the next time!!!” 

I have to get this right this time.  WE have to get this right this time.  All Christians must get this right this time.  This time is the only time we have.   Christians MUST be sure. 

And finally, How Can We Be Sure?

It is so simple.  Two scriptures is all it takes to give us the answer.

Romans 8:1
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,* who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.“

There are two conditions here in order to qualify for there being no condemnation.  We must be “In Christ Jesus”  AND we just walk according to the Spirit.  This means walking in accordance with the instructions of God as inspired by the Holy Spirit and recorded for us in scripture.  In other words, living obediently to the will of God.  We must meet both of these conditions in order to qualify for “no condemnation”. 

The second scripture is in 1 John 2:3-6

“Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.“

Let’s read that again:

“Now by this we know that we know Him [Jesus], if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” [Jesus] and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word [Jesus], truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this [obedience] we know [this is how we know] that we are in Him. [Jesus Christ]“

We must be sure.  And the Bible says we can be sure if we are in Christ and living in obedience to His will.  That’s how we know.  That’s how we can be sure. 

Live our lives by the word of God.  Don’t leave anything out.  Don’t add anything to it.   Use it as the sole standard for our guide for life.  Reject any doctrine, creed book, literature or guides which are not 100% in harmony with the word of God. 

Study it, learn it, rightly divide it, correctly apply it.  Obey it.

And you can be; you WILL be sure. 

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Making Decisions While Young

Often in our lives we are forced to make decisions that affect ourselves as well as those around us (i.e. family, friends, brethren in the congregation, and etc.). Whenever we come to the place in our lives where we must make life changing or spiritual decisions we must be very careful that those decisions are in the best interest of our hope for eternal life after this sojourn here on earth has ended cf. Matt. 10:28 – And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. KJV

Some of the decisions that we make may hinder our pursuit of spiritual goals because the decisions were made under less that wise conditions. The desire in youth to steal from others, commit sexual sins, etc. are often perused without consideration of the effects they may have on our future life. Make no mistake; sins that we commit while young may be accompanied by lasting (i.e. even lifetime) effects. In the case of sexual sins, we may contact a venereal disease or involve ourselves in a situation where we create a new life that we did not want. Indeed; while we are young and strong physical we are often weak with a true sense and capacity for making wise decisions.

David and Solomon gives much advice to the young and we should make every effort to direct our young boys and girls to read his important materials found in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. Please note the following wise advise from the wise man; Solomon.

Ps. 119:9-11 – 9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. 10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. 11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. KJV

Prov. 1:2-4 – 2 to know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; 3 to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; 4 to give subtlety to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.

Eccl. 11:7-10 – 7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun: 8 But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity. 9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. 10 Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth is vanity. KJV

Eccl. 11:7-10 – 7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun: 8 But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity. 9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. 10 Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity. KJV

CONCLUSION:

Yes, we must be careful in youth that we do not create problems for ourselves when we grow older and wiser. Perhaps one of the important decisions that we make in life will be our decision to believe and obey God early in life. Whenever a young person becomes a Christian early in life they are less likely to become involved in sinful practices and to visit sinful places where they may be tempted to become involve in sin and sinful lifestyles.

Indeed, young person remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth is a good policy to live by. Godly parents will aid and assist their children to live godly lifestyles as well, cf. Eph 6:4 – And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. KJV

Col. 3:21 – Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged. KJV

Heb 10:23-24 – 23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

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Comforters Needed

Miserable Comforters

We often think of patience when it comes to Job. We think of all the trouble that happened to him by the hands of Satan and we think “What a patient man!” But not only was job a patient man but he was also a troubled, sorrowful, and confused man. As is often the case in times of trial some folks will come along and attempt to give some measure of comfort. Sadly many of us fail miserably at doing so: Job’s friends where no different. In Job 16:2 job replies to what they had said by claiming, “I have heard many such things;” but then said, “Miserable comforters are you all!”

In contrast Jesus looks upon the horde of souls that that followed Him and was “moved with compassion toward them” (Matthew 14:14). So he healed their sicknesses and fed them with only five loaves of bread and two fish. Unlike Job’s friends Jesus was not accusatory toward the masses. He did not suggest that their sicknesses where punitive for some unknown (or known) sin. He did not suggest that they had been negligent in preparation and send them away hungry. He did not throw their past up in their faces.

We all need to be comforted from time to time. None of us is so strong and untouchable that we will not feel the need for compassion. But what I do appreciate about Job’s friends (that is not often the case with us today) is at least they were there! They may not have done it right, and they may have been miserable comforters, but they were there for him. Unfortunately we are often to busy with our own lives to stop and help the friend in need. So what can we learn from Jesus about doing it right?

Don’t Look Away! When Jesus looked upon the multitude He could have just as easily (or more easily) just looked the other way and ignored their suffering. He could have been like the Priest and the Levite in Luke 10 who looked and the “passed by on the other side.” In John 4:35 Jesus tells His disciples to “lift up your eyes and look” and we need to do the same. There are people all around us who are suffering: physically, mentally, financially, emotionally, and most importantly spiritually.

Open Your Heart! Jesus was genuinely sorry and was filled with sympathy and empathy for the hungry, the sick, the sorrowful, and the sinful. He has looked upon all of us and has borne our grief and carried away our sorrow (Isaiah 53:4). Jesus cares! And in order for us to be like Him we must have the same kind of compassion for others (Colossians 2:1–5; Colossians 3:12–14).

Do Something About The Need! In Matthew 14 Jesus ordered His disciples to give the people something to eat. He surveyed the available resources and systematically distributed the food. But not only did He fill them He was also a good steward for He has them gather up the leftovers. There is always something we can do. There is always a hand to hold, a shoulder to cry on, a listening ear, a directional instruction, or a word fitly spoken.

What are you doing to be more like Christ? Obey Him, be compassionate, and be faithful.

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Baptized Question

Three times the book of Acts records non-Christians asking a familiar question.  The Philippian Jailer asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16: 30).  The Jews on Pentecost asked, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (2:37).  Saul of Tarsus asked, “Lord, what do you want me to do?” (9:6).

Please notice (first of all) that each of these dear souls assumed they had to DO something in order to receive salvation.  Secondly, please notice that they were never told (1) that they were already saved or (2) that “faith only” saves.  On each occasion they were told to DO something in order to be saved.  The Philippian Jailor was told to “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ” (16:31).  He and his household believed and they were baptized (vv. 32-34).  The Pentecost Jews were instructed to “repent and be baptized” (2:38), and they obeyed (vv. 41).  Saul was told what to do in the city of Damascus (9:6) when Ananias said, “Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (22:16), and he did it (9:18).

Though the conclusions were the same, the three instructions were somewhat different.  Why? Suppose a man traveling from Mt. Vernon to Cincinnati was told that he was about 156 miles from his destination.  A person in Columbus might be told it is about 102 miles.  A person in Dayton might be told it is about 49 miles.  Is there a contradiction? No.  Three different answers would be given, but all three would be correct.  The same is true spiritually. The jailor, the Pentecost Jews, and Saul were at different stages of understanding on the road to salvation.  The jailor was not initially told to “be baptized” because he had not yet heard and believed the gospel message.  (It would be pointless to command baptism to someone who has not first heard and believed in Christ – cf. Mk. 16:16).  After hearing and believing he and his household did what was required of them (they were baptized).  At the preaching of Peter the Pentecost Jews were cut to the heart (i.e., their belief was evident); thus he did not command them to believe, but to repent and be baptized.  Saul was not told to believe or repent because he was already a penitent believer by the time he came in contact with Ananias; thus he was only told to be baptized.  Though three different answers were given, they all came to the same conclusion.

Friends, do you believe?  Have you repented and have you been baptized into Christ that your sins may be forgiven?  If you haven’t, why not do it today?

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Manliness

Over the last few years the internet has shown an interesting trend. ” Manliness ” has become cool again among males in their 20s and 30s. Of course, some of that has carried over from online trends into real life, which can be seen every day in the facial hair-growing, meat-eating, gun-shooting men that fill college campuses and cities. However, their attempts to proclaim manliness ring hollow. It’s not that there is anything wrong with those things, and they certainly are more associated with manliness than womanliness generally speaking, but it falls short of being what a man is all about. You see, it’s many of these same twentysomethings that have given into feminism and consider their wives (or potential wives, since they also avoid marriage like the plague) equally burdened with providing. While young women are ambitiously chasing education and careers, young men are now more commonly thought of as “sowing their wild oats” and playing video games rather than finding work and doing it with all of their might. It makes sense that the world would settle for a cheap misunderstanding of what being a man is all about, though. It is God who provided those guidelines, and without Him we can expect to find males exactly where we do today – dodging responsibility and avoiding their roles as God-given leaders of the home.

As with all things that our culture cheapens, we in the church must reject what they think and make sure we continue to uphold God’s standards and definitions. What does God expect of a man? A man must provide. From the very beginning God gave Adam the responsibility of caring for the Garden and watching over the animals, but it was after the fall that he was told to work to provide by the sweat of his brow. A man must protect. Peter tells us that husbands need to treat their wives as the weaker vessel, protecting them by giving emotional security, caring for them, and understanding and accommodating that which makes them delicate and special. A man must teach. Too many families rely on Bible school teachers, youth ministers, or the mothers alone to teach and train the children the ways of the word. Fathers, it is placed upon you to train, discipline, and teach your children according to God’s Word (Deuteronomy 6, Ephesians 6).

Manliness isn’t merely just some outward declaration of difference from females. Instead, it is living up to the calling that God has placed on men everywhere and leading families that will be faithful for generations. It is the man who is responsible for leading his wife and children to heaven, and responsibility brings accountability. Fathers and husbands, lead with eternity in mind. Single men, treat all women with respect as sisters and mothers, preparing yourself to be a spiritual leader and example whether you choose that path or not. It’s time God’s men showed the culture what a real man looks like and does. Are you up to the challenge?

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