The Truth about Real Men
Perhaps some of you have heard the recent country song by Tracy Byrd titled, “The Truth About Men.” The song claims to speak for all men and touts several aspects of the male gender such as eating potato chips, watching football, looking at the tools at Home Depot, hunting, golfing, playing guitars, watching action movies, working on cars, etc. However, the song also depicts men as being beer guzzling fools, lying, cheating, cussing, and sex-crazed. As a man myself, I personally am offended by this song. I do not guzzle beer; I do not lie; I do not cheat; I do not cuss; I am not sex-crazed. However, the thing about this song that offends me the most is the statement, “We ain’t wrong; we ain’t sorry, and it’s probably gonna happen again.” This statement lies at the heart of what it means to be a sinner–impenitence.
Real Men don’t mimic society.
“We ain’t wrong.”
Today, many readily admit that they are in sin and commit sin on a daily basis. The song testifies in its own behalf in this regard. However, the real problem lies in the fact that many do not recognize the wrongness of sin, as stated in this song’s lyrics, “We ain’t wrong.” This is the bigger issue–that is, convincing me that I am wrong in my sin. The fact of the matter is, that if we love sin, then we are wrong (period). We read in 2 Thessalonians 2:11 “Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”ESV Those who take pleasure in unrighteousness (i.e. those who fail to admit its wrongness) will be condemned for not believing the truth. We need to recognize the sinfulness of sin (Romans 7:13)! Real men recognize the sinfulness of sin and will admit its wrongness.
“We ain’t sorry.”
The song also touts an additional element of impenitence in society today–sorrow. One may get a person to admit the wrongness of their sin, but then he or she may not be sorry for it. That is, they may think that being wrong is no big deal and hence, why should I be sorry for something even though I am wrong? The Bible teaches that we ought to be sorry for our sins. Psalm 38:18 says, “For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.”KJV Sin separates man from God (Isaiah 59:2). That is truly something for which to be sorry. Sin is also what put Jesus on the cross (1 Corinthians 15:3). That is also something for which to be sorry. When we fail to be sorry for our sins, we fail to recognize our tremendous failure in our relationship with God. When we fail to be sorry for our sins, we fail to recognize the price that God had to pay to bring us back into a right relationship with him. Real men are sorry for sin!
“And it’s probably gonna’ happen again.”
We see yet a third opponent to repentance–the unwillingness on the part of the sinner to change. One may admit that sin is wrong; one may even be sorry for it, but then when it comes down to it, one may simply continue to practice the sin that one is in. As the song states, “And it’s probably gonna’ happen again.” The Bible, however, teaches that once one has repented of sin, one should not continue within it. The apostle Paul wrote to the church at Rome, “Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” KJV Those who have repented of sin should stop committing sin. The apostle Paul’s words regarding this aspect of repentance are recorded for us in Acts 26:20. He says that he preached to all “that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.”ASV So many simply wish to acknowledge wrong, say they are sorry, then engage in the same sin in which they were formerly involved. This is not the way of the gospel. Those who repent must do works worthy of repentance. Real men stop committing sin and do works worthy of repentance.
Repentance is not some trivial matter that makes for amusing song lyrics. It is something upon which our very salvation depends. It is critical that we recognize what repentance is and that we implement it in our life. When we recognize the sinfulness of sin, are sorry for it, and make the commitment not to let it live in our life any more, then we have experienced what the Bible describes as repentance. Notice 2 Corinthians 7:9, 10 “Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”KJV Godly sorrow, the recognition of sin and proper remorse for it, brings repentance that leads to salvation to our lives. For many today, true repentance stands between them and heaven. God does not want any to perish, but one must repent to avoid eternal condemnation (2 Peter 3:9). The truth about men may be the truth about sinful men, but it is not the truth about those who want to be eternally saved in heaven with God. If you would be a REAL MAN, a NEW MAN (Colossians 3:10), let repentance live in your life, and that’s the truth about men.