Biblical Manhood - Part 5 - Vocation

As we continue to consider God’s Pattern for Christian Manhood I would like to think through the idea of vocation as a calling rather than merely a job. As we do that it is important to remember that work was given before the fall. In other words, it did not come as a result of sin, even though it may feel that way sometimes. God has always intended that we should have something profitable to do. Genesis 2:5 and 2:15 speak of tilling, tending and keeping before sin entered the world. After the fall, work as toil and sweat would be the norm as we labor to get enough to eat and support ourselves. Also after the fall, things began to decay and wear out. The new car would eventually be on a junk heap. Our new Iphone will eventually be tossed way as hopelessly outdated. The fence in our yard will rust. All of this means there would be continued work to restore, maintain and rebuild.

God is opposed to laziness and sloth. I was interested to see that Psalm 104:23 speaks of man going out to his work for the day when the sun comes up and returning home when the sun is going down. Where were the unions then? And then in Exodus 20:9 God tells the people that they were to do all their work and labor in six days and rest on the seventh. It is a blessing of grace that God commands that we set aside one day a week for rest and worship. But from His point of view He’s thinking that we will be working and laboring the other six. Obviously we have created many tools to make our work easier, but even so, I think most of us will admit that work tends to be a chore, rather than a delight.

Consider these passages from Proverbs

10:4 He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.

12:24 The hand of the diligent will rule, but the lazy man will be put to forced labor.

18:9 He who is slothful in his work is a brother to him who is a great destroyer

20:4 The lazy man will not plow because of winter; He will beg during harvest and have nothing.

26:16 The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly.

It seems obvious to me that God is telling us that work is a good thing and we should be engaged in it regularly and faithfully. In addition, we should see our work as for God. In addressing slaves in Ephesians 6:6, Paul writes, “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man.” If this was said to slaves, how much more should we as free workers work as pleasing the Lord.

In the Christian world-view, work is a good thing. It is God-ordained for our good and his glory. It is to be looked at as meaningful as we have the opportunity to support our families and maintain a God-honoring testimony out in the world.

Biblical Manhood - Part 4

Another important spiritual discipline is prayer. Men are not usually as consistent at this as women, and yet Paul told Timothy that he would have men (as distinct from women) pray. It’s a special challenge to us as men to be the leaders in prayer for our families and churches.

Some may ask why God wants us to pray when he seems to do what he wants anyway. I don't know the answer to that question, but I do know that God wants us to pray. He even asks us to come with confidence. Hebrews 4:16 says “Let us then with confidence draw year to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

The verse right before that tells us that in Jesus we have a high priest who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses because in every respect he has been tempted as we are tempted, yet without sin. For this reason we would be fools not to go to him, one who understands us and sympathizes with us. He has walked in our shoes and understands what it is to live a human existence.

While I don’t understand all of the ins and outs of how prayer works and why God answers some the way we want and not others, there are several key passages of Scripture that give us a picture of what the conditions are for answered prayer.

Matthew 7:7 Pray persistently

Matthew 18:19 Pray in agreement with others

Matthew 21:22 Pray believing

John 15:7 Pray while abiding in Christ

John 16:24 Pray in Jesus’ Name

I John 5:14, 15 Pray in the will of God.

Biblical Manhood - Part 3

Besides laying aside things which hinder us as we talked about last time, God has given us several spiritual disciplines on which we should focus so that our lives grow and develop into greater Christ-likeness for His glory. Often in my life I have looked for the secret of victory or the three or four steps to greater spirituality. But it always comes down to the same things. There are no secrets here.

The first area of importance in the Christian life is the Scripture. 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that all Scripture is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for instruction in righteousness. If Scripture is profitable for these things then obviously we should be spending time reading and studying it, unless of course we are not interested in being taught or corrected.

Along with the reading and study of Scripture is memorization and meditation. Joshua 1:8 tells us that with constant meditation on the Word of God comes success and prosperity. Now he is not talking about worldly success and financial prosperity. He is speaking of spiritual success and prosperity, the kind that are ultimately more rewarding and satisfying than anything the world can provide. Psalm 1 speaks of the same thing. The man who spends time meditating on Scripture is compared to a tree planted where there is plenty of water. His leaf won’t wither and whatever he does, prospers. This is compared to the ungodly man who is more like chaff that is dry and lifeless and blown away by the wind. Which kind of man do you want to be?

Biblical Manhood - Part 2

As we think about God’s Pattern for Christian Manhood we are thinking through how we can reflect the glory of God. We were made in His image and likeness and are to make Him look good. As Christian men we need to think seriously about this. Paul said that when he became a man he put away childish things (I Corinthians 13:11). We men tend to hang on to our childish ways. I’m sure most of us have seen the bumper sticker that says the only difference between the man and his boys is the price of the toys.

Dr. Albert Mohler, President of the Southern Baptist Seminary, has compiled a list of 13 marks that distinguish a boy from a man. I would strongly encourage you to read over that list and evaluate your progress by some of the markers he includes there. http://www.albertmohler.com/2005/04/21/from-boy-to-man-the-marks-of-manhood-part-one/

Another thing the Bible tells us to do is to lay aside every weight and sin that hinders us in our race (Hebrews 12:1) The Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 2:4 that a good soldier does not entangle himself with the affairs of everyday life so that he may please him who has called him to be a soldier. The point is that we as Christian men need to avoid those things which entangle us and hinder us from being everything God would have us be for His glory. As you look at your life, try to think through what those things are that might be a hindrance. Once you have identified them, take steps to reduce and eliminate them from your life so that you can run the race God has laid out for you.

Biblical Manhood - Part 1

We were created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26). We were made out of mere dirt in a form that would reflect God’s likeness. Think about that! That is why He made us – to show forth His glory. The fall, of course, messed up that likeness. God’s image is still there but there are many blotches on the image and it’s our responsibility to pursue Godliness so that the world will see what He is like.

God also wanted a relationship with us. There had been a loving relationship among the members of the trinity in eternity past and that relationship and fellowship was intended to extend to mankind. After the fall, when God came to walk and talk with Adam as He normally did, Adam hid himself. Sin had put a separation between God and man. (Isaiah 59:2)

Our challenge as men is that in the middle of a world marred by sin and with personalities wounded by sin, we are still to reflect God’s glory and have a relationship with God and with other human beings.

What then does God want from me? In Deuteronomy 6:5 God says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength.” Jesus added “and with all your mind and your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37-39. He goes on in Deuteronomy to say that these words are to be in our heart.

Loving God is a command. That means it’s not just an emotional warm feeling. It is something we are to do. It requires action. Loving God involves our whole being. If we are to love God with our heart, that implies the emotional side of our being. Loving with our soul implies the psychological side. Loving God with our strength means there is energy and power behind it. And if we are to love God with our mind, that means our focus and whole rational being is involved. The Scripture adds to the intensity of the command by using the word “all”. We are to love with all of our soul, all of our mind, all of our strength and all of our heart. That’s a tall order and one that should bring with it a great deal of humility as we realize how totally impossible it is to do this perfectly.

When we think about the chief ways to love God, we need to consider these passages: Deuteronomy 5:10; John 14:15; John 14:21 and Luke 6:46. I think if you read these verses carefully you will discover that loving God is closely associated with obedience. We can’t really say we love God and then refuse to do what He asks. So if we are to pursue loving God with our whole being, we are going to have to pursue obedience with our whole being as well.

Jesus said that the second commandment is to love our neighbor as our self. That too is a difficult assignment. Just think about the many ways we show love for ourselves. We make sure we are well fed and generally cared for. We make sure we have enough sleep and enough leisure. Jesus said that we are to look after our neighbor in the same way. Immediately when we hear that we begin to make excuses as to why He can’t really mean that since we do have to take care of our own job and our own home and that leaves very little time to focus on those same areas in the life of our neighbor. As I think about myself, I’m amazed that I have so little concern for those around me. It’s pretty convicting to think about.

If you're looking for some good passages to help you sort through what other basics God requires of you, look at Micah 6:8 and Hebrews 12:1-14. Make a list of the challenges that God gives to us men to help us live lives that are faithful to Him.

Here are some questions you could ask yourself to check on your progress in these important areas:

What steps can I take to increase my love for God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength?

How can I follow the challenge of Deuteronomy 6:8, 9 to keep God’s commandments a focus in my life and home?

How well do I respond to the discipline God brings into my life?

How can I be more obedient in loving others the same way I love myself?

Biblical Manhood - Intro continued

I got to thinking about the fact that God tells us that we were created in His image and likeness. I remembered that Paul talks about this in 1 Corinthians 11:7. He is talking about head coverings which I don’t want to get into right now, but he says, “For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since (and here is the part I want to focus on) he is the image and glory of God.” Here God is saying that man is the image and glory of God. The word behind image is “icon” and the word behind glory is “doxa”. Most of us know what an icon is. It is a picture or representation of something. We are that image of God. We are the picture and representation of God in the world! We get the word doxology from doxa. A doxology is a word of praise. We are the glory or praise of God!

Most of us don’t feel like we do a very good job of representing God as His image and glory, but the Bible says that that is what we are. How can we improve; make the image clearer? In 2 Corinthians 3:18 Paul writes that we, “with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

In that verse you see the same two words – image and glory. The key to showing that image and glory more clearly is to gaze on the glory of the Lord Jesus in His Word and as we do that more and more the Spirit of the Lord transforms us (the word is metamorphosis) into His image from one stage of glory to another. There are not a lot of secret steps here. It's a matter of spending time reading, thinking about and reflecting on scripture, the Word of God. It's a pretty simple concept really.

Biblical Manhood - Introduction

As a Christian, I look to the Bible to explain to me my purpose in life as a human being, but also to teach me what it means to be a man, a male human being. I believe that there is a God and that he is the only one that has the ability to explain to me why he made me and how he plans that I should honor him the most as a man. So the purpose of these few articles on Biblical Manhood is to explore some of the basics of God's design.

When we read the first few chapters of the book of Genesis we discover something right away. That is that God created us for a purpose and yet Adam’s sin brought a curse upon us that changed everything.

First we learn in Genesis 1:26 that God created us in His image and in 2:7 we learn that we are made of the dust of the ground. First of all that is difficult to comprehend. How can God take the dust of the earth and create something that is in His image and likeness? Being in the image of God implies responsibility and requires obedience in order to display that likeness. After the fall, this became much more difficult and requires more diligence and discipline relying on the Spirit of God within us to provide what is needed to accomplish this.

Second we learn in Genesis 1:26-28 that we have been given dominion and are to subdue the earth. This means we are to have leadership and are accountable to manage what God has given us. The fall of course made this much more difficult since the creation resists our management of it. This shows up in the fact that weeds grow much more easily than the vegetables we’re trying to grow in our garden. It also shows up in the fact that things wear out, break down and in other ways cause us frustration and toil.

Finally, God commanded us to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth. Everything God had made He said was good except He said that it is not good that man should be alone. So we learn that marriage and family are part of God’s plan. In this area also the fall has taken its toll. It’s not easy to maintain the kind of marriage relationships and family relationships required to carry out God’s plan.

So, with these three areas we have the outline of where we are headed with the God’s Pattern for Christian Manhood study. We are going to look at what we must do to glorify God has we show forth His character and likeness. We are going to look at our dominion and leadership in the world which includes our vocation, money management and time management. And finally we are going to look at the need for moral purity and maintaining healthy and godly relationships in marriage and family.

Biblical Manhood - Gender Roles Part 4

The wife’s role is home-centered and supportive. The woman was created as a helper, suitable for Adam. (Genesis 2:20) See also 1 Corinthians 11:9 where Paul writes that she was created for man and not the other way around. She is to have the wonderful ability to support and help him in his calling in life.

Titus 2:4-5 gives a list of roles and attitudes that young women are to be taught by older women in their lives. Among these is “keeper at home”. The word literally means “homeworker”. First Timothy 5:14 advises young women to marry, bear children and manage the home.

In 1 Timothy 5:10 there is a description of the characteristics that women should have if they would be worthy of being supported by the church in their old age. Notice what types of things are part of the condition for support. She is to be the wife of one man and to be well reported for her good works, charity, taking care of the elderly, orphans, etc. Her focus is to be on those kinds of activities.

Husbands, you need to make sure that your wife has the time and resources to carry on this kind of role. She should be supporting you in your calling. She should be caring for your children and the needs of the household. Following that she should be involved in hospitality and ministering to other women and children and those in need such as the poor, shut-ins, etc. From this you can see that if your wife is to fulfill her responsibility, she needs time and energy. That is why it is primarily your responsibility to meet the basic needs of support, protection and maintenance of your home and property. Don’t put these additional burdens on her and divert her from the focus God has for her.

Biblical Manhood - Gender Roles Part 3

Continuing our study of biblical roles for men and women, we find that the role of leadership in the church is given to men. 1 Timothy 2:11, 12 says that the woman is to learn in silence and is not to be in the role of teaching men.

1 Corinthians 14:34, 35 says that women are to have a silent role even to the extent that if they have a question, they are to ask their husband at home. This keeps the roles in the right order. If the wife were to go to some other man such as a pastor or teacher, she would be coming out from under the leadership of her husband and would be showing disrespect for that leadership. Going to her husband with questions also encourages the man to get busy studying and learning and growing in his relationship with God so that he can be all that he should be as a spiritual leader for his wife.

Man’s leadership role is to be carried out with a servant spirit. Consider the following examples of Christ. Jesus washed the disciples’ feet. Christ said that He came as one who serves, even though He is the Lord of all. We are to have the same mind that Jesus had when he humbled himself to come here and take the role of a servant, even going to death for us. (John 13:12-17; Luke 22:26, 27; Philippians 2:5-8)

Biblical Manhood - Gender Roles Part 2

We are examining the biblical roles given to men and women. We ended the last article discussing the fact that man’s headship is a federal one. He is responsible for what happens in the family.

The husband is also the spiritual leader or “priest” of the home. He is not literally a priest because each person in the family has a direct relationship with God, but he ministers some priestly functions for his family.

Look at Job’s example. In Job 1:5 we find Job praying for his children as they went about their daily activities in case they may be tempted to stray from following the Lord.

Abraham erected altars to the Lord on behalf of his wife and children. Noah did the same thing. (See Genesis 8:20; 12:7; and 13:4, 18)

There needs to be preparation for this role. This preparation should happen in childhood and then especially in the teen years so that when a man is grown, he will be able to assume these responsibilities. This is why the main thing to be taught to young men according to Titus 2:6 is to be sober minded – that is he should be self controlled and focuses. This begins to wean him away from childish things.

Biblical Manhood - Gender Roles Part 1

This series on Biblical Manhood is taken from a series of Sunday School lessons that I taught to a group of men ages 14 to 40. If you would like to see the entire printed lessons, please check out this page for a list of all of the pdf and audio files for these lessons: http://tinyurl.com/ye9qtnj

The next area we want to study is that of the biblical roles of men and women. This is a somewhat controversial topic these days given the pressure put on us by the philosophy of the world. Just as in any other attempt to follow God’s ideal, the world system, the flesh and the devil all work against it.

So let’s exam what God has to say.

God has given the man the headship in the home and leadership of the church. Ephesians 5:23 tells us that the man is the head of the wife just as Christ is the head of the church. The husband is the one primarily responsible for supplying the family needs such as clothing, shelter and food.

When God cursed Adam and Eve because of their sin, Eve’s curse in Genesis 3:16 was related to child bearing. Adam’s curse according to the next verse was related to his work in the field outside of the home.

The headship of the man is a federal headship. That means that the man answers for the household. Notice that when God went looking for Adam and Eve after the fall, he looked for Adam and spoke to Adam. He was the representative of the family and is the one who had to answer to God for what happened. There is a very good book outlining the idea of the Federal Husband. You can read about it on Amazon here: http://tinyurl.com/yzyx7uw

Biblical Manhood - Sexuality Part 12

Finally, the last strategy in our battle against sexual immorality is to focus on Grace not law.

Sometimes people focus on the fact of God’s grace in the area of forgiveness and they sin frequently but claim God’s forgiveness just as frequently. Their behavior is very little different than that of unsaved people. God tells us in Titus 2 that the grace of God teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live righteously and godly in this present world. If someone isn’t being taught those things but just continues on in his old ways, there is a question as to whether he actually has the grace of God in his life or not. This is a very serious issue each one of us should face in our own lives. Jesus said that not everyone who called Him Lord was saved.

So when I speak of grace, I’m not talking about what some call “cheap” grace. God’s grace changes people. It doesn’t leave them the same.

How then do we focus on grace rather than law in our pursuit of victory? I don’t have the time or space to draw this all out for you, but Romans 2:4 tells us that it is the goodness of God that leads to repentance. Titus 2:12 says that God’s grace teaches us to deny ungodliness.

Scripture also teaches that the law gives sin its power. The law is not sin and is good, but its purpose is to show how far short we come, not to enable us to do right. Look at Romans 7:7-12 for example. Paul says that he would not have known covetousness had it not been for the law. Once the law came, sin revived and “I died”.

See also 1 Corinthians 15:56 as well as Colossians 2:21-23. In the latter passage it speaks of human commandments. Sometimes we create our own set of commandments thinking that these will protect us, but notice that they are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

Focusing on the grace of God and His mercy and forgiveness will lead us in the direction away from the bondage of sin.

Habits are formed by repeatedly behaving in a certain way. You can create good righteous habits by making moment by moment decisions to do the right thing. You may not able to make a commitment to never look at pornography again, but you can make a decision not to look at it right now. In five minutes you can make the same decision again and little by little a good habit will form.

Enlist the help of another person who will help you be accountable. If you can’t find accountability in your spouse or dad, there are men in your church who would be very willing to help. It takes courage to ask, but as we’ve learned already, it is virtually a life and death decision on several levels.

Biblical Manhood - Sexuality Part 11

Yet another strategy in the battle against sexual immorality in our lives is to recognize and live by the truth of 2 Corinthians 5:17. We are new creations. The old has passed away and all things have become new.

Consider these passages. I’ll just give them to you with a few comments and leave it to you to dig into them.

Romans 13:11-14 It’s time to wake up; the day is at hand. Since the day is at hand, we are to get rid of the dark, the old life, and put on the armor of light. Then take note of the whole list of things which need to be abandoned. Finally put on the Lord Jesus Christ and don’t make any provision for the flesh.

Notice the step of putting on Christ. This is a command. We need to make it a conscious action to ask God to help us put on Christ. We need to consciously put off the old and put on the new by faith.

1 Peter 4:1-4 In effect, since Christ suffered for us and we are in Him, we should have the same mind He had and put the past behind us. We “no longer should live the rest of our time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.” We have spent enough time in the old ways. It’s time to move forward for Christ.

Someone who has died is free of the temptation of sin. Peter’s argument here as well as Paul’s in Romans is that since we died with Christ, we should consider ourselves dead to sin. Our death has arrived, we are on the other side of it being raised with Christ and therefore we should reject sin’s attempts to have control.

Ephesians 4:17-24 We should no longer walk like the pagans. They have given themselves over to these sexual life-styles, but it is not that way for us as Christians. We need to put off that kind of life and be renewed in the spirit of our minds. We are to put on the new man which is created in true righteousness and holiness.

2 Corinthians 6:9-11 Paul asks us if we realize that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of heaven. Then he gives us a list of the kind of life-styles that will not make it to heaven. Then comes the word that this is what you were. God’s salvation changes us from what we were to something new.

Probably the most important thing to do is to immerse yourself in Scripture considering the passages listed here and meditate on them thoroughly and regularly.

Biblical Manhood - Sexuality Part 10

Another strategy in the battle against sexual immorality in our lives is to flee. Second Timothy 2:2 tells us to flee youthful lusts. Sometimes God calls on us to stand and resist, but in this case the command is to flee. Flee by putting into practice the things discussed in this series of articles and flee to Christ and his Word. When a person flees, he is usually doing so out of fear. These are a group of sins that can take you down, so flee! They are against your body and they make war against your soul. (I Peter 2:11, Prov 6:27, I Corinthians 6:18)

Remember the story of Joseph? His master’s wife constantly enticed him to sleep with her and finally she caught a hold of him when her husband was gone. Joseph ran out of the house leaving his coat in her hands. This would have been the perfect opportunity to indulge his lusts, but instead he did the right thing and obeyed God even though the immediate consequence was to be put in prison.

Sometimes fleeing means to turn off the TV or use your computer right out in the open. Other times it means cancel your Internet service altogether or remove the TV from the house. Jesus said that it would be better to cut off our right hand rather than risk going to hell. (Matthew 5:30) We assume that is an exaggeration to make a point, but we not only won’t cut off our hand, we won’t even take much less drastic steps to shield ourselves from sin! Are we ever going to take any of this seriously?

Biblical Manhood - Sexuality Part 9

Another front in the battle against sexual immorality is our control of our eyes. Job said in Job 31:1 that he had made a covenant with his eyes that he would not look on a woman. Jesus told us that to look on a woman with lust is the moral equivalent of committing adultery so this is not an insignificant thing. It makes some guys chuckle to think that we are “worried” about such little things, but if God takes it seriously, so should we.

David, in Psalm 101:3 says that he had made a pledge to set no wicked thing before his eyes. Both of these men provide good examples for us to follow. For most of us, temptation is strongest through the eyes. Therefore we have to purpose to avoid situations where temptation through the eyes would be a problem for us.

You need to decide whether you are serious about this or not. You know the kind of things that you see or think about that stirs your lusts and then you need to take an honest look at ways to limit those influences in your life.

Here are some possible areas:

TV and videos. Do you need to consider limiting your viewing time as well as content. Many Christians I know don’t watch programs that are unsuitable for their children. If your twelve year old shouldn’t watch it, then maybe you shouldn’t either.

Be careful not to be in areas were immodesty is prevalent – places such as beaches and water parks.

Magazines – Many men can’t safely browse through some of the popular magazines because of the immodest content.

Internet – Make sure everyone can see what you’re doing. Help your children out by making sure that you have access to their accounts and browsing history. If your children have Facebook or other similar social media, make sure that you are one of their friends.

Paul gives us summary advice when he tells us in Romans 13:14 not to make any provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts. To make provision for something means to lay up supplies for something. We shouldn’t be setting up a storehouse of opportunities for our lust.

Biblical Manhood - Sexuality Part 8

Last time I mentioned that one of the tactics for guarding ourselves against sexual immorality is to control our bodies. Let’s expand on that a little bit.

One of the key battle grounds is our mind. We are told in Romans 12:2 that we are to transformed by the renewing of our minds. This can only happen by spending time in God’s Word reading, memorizing and meditating on the Scriptures. Proverbs 23:7 says that as a man thinks in his heart, so he is. That’s why it’s so important to manage what we think. I put together a list of key verses that should be helpful in the discipline of memorization and meditation on Scripture. You can find that list here.

Philippians 4:8 is another key verse. This verse tells us that we are to think on things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous and praiseworthy. If you struggle in this area, it might be a worthwhile effort to take a serious and honest look at the things you think about and how that compares to the categories that are mentioned in this verse.

One other verse that I think is important to mention in this context is 2 Corinthians 10:5 where we are told to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Now there’s a challenge for you!

How serious are you about living the kind of life God wants you to live? The level of your seriousness will affect the amount of effort you put into steps such as these.

More next time.

Biblical Manhood - Sexuality Part 7

God gives us many weapons in our fight against sexual immorality. The battle needs to be waged on many different fronts all at the same time and that is what makes it difficult.

1. We must recognized and by faith accept the fact that by God’s grace, the devil and sin have been defeated.

Hebrews 2:14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

2. We need to have our bodies in subjection. 1 Corinthians 9:27 tells us that Paul disciplines his body and brings it into subjection. That means he controlled his body and not the other way around. In Romans 6:12 Paul says that we should not allow sin to reign in our mortal body that we should obey its lusts. He then goes on to say that we should not present our members to sin to be used as weapons against us. And finally, God will not permit us to be tempted above what we are able. (1 Corinthians 10:6) That means that with God’s Spirit in us, we are able to have victory. Sin shall not have dominion over you. (Romans 6:14)

It amazes me that we as men want to be strong. We often brag about our strength and our ability to defeat others in an athletic event or in perhaps even a real war scenario. And yet, even with that macho attitude in those areas, we are wimps when it comes to allowing sin and the devil to push us over with barely an ounce of resistance on our part.

We’ll discuss a couple of other battle tactics next time.

Biblical Manhood - Sexuality Part 6

We are considering three ideas which will help us gain biblically-based thought patterns regarding sexual sin. Today we discuss the third point.

Sexual sins are among the reasons why the wrath of God is coming upon mankind. (Ephesians 5:3-7; Colossians 3:5-7) Notice the references to these sins in these passages. Look at what Ephesians 5:5 says. “For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.” And don’t miss the fact that sexual sins are not the only kind of sins mentioned here. This is a strong statement. Do you believe it?

What some people don’t realize is that these sins themselves are the wrath of God on display. With your Bible open to Romans 1:18 and following, answer the following questions:

Vs 18 Is the wrath of God present or future in this verse?

Vs 24 What did God do in his wrath? He gave them up to what?

Vs 26 God gave them up still further as part of His wrath. What did He give them up to in this verse?

Vs 28-32 Then look at the list as God gives them up still further.

What you’ll find in this short Bible study is that part of God’s judgment doesn’t involve sending down fire from heaven. It involves letting people go into their sin and have their own way. Much of that sin is sexual.

So you need to ask yourself, “Do I want to participate in activities that are part of the reason God’s judgment is going to come?” And, “Do I want to participate in activities that in themselves demonstrate that God’s judgment is already here?”

To me, these are very sobering questions for the Christian man to contemplate.

Biblical Manhood - Sexuality Part 5

We are considering three ideas which will help us gain biblically-based thought patterns regarding sexual sin.

The second point to consider is that sexual sin is sin against both our body and soul. These sins are at war with us. Will we fight back or assume a complacent position? Even if we don’t fight backy, they will still war against us and ultimately destroy us

1 Corinthians 6:18-20 – He who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body! Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

The seriousness of this is based on the fact that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Just think about that! If you are a Christian your body – your hands, head, arms, feet – your physical body is the temple of God!

Peter tells us to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against our soul. (1 Peter 2:11) These sins make war against the core of your being. Take a good look at Proverbs 6:25-27. Notice the damage that sexual immorality causes.

When we get involved with porn or have an immoral relationship with someone we are taking death into our souls. Our problem is that we either don’t really believe this or we don’t care. Either way we need to take a careful look at our salvation and examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith. (2 Corinthians 13:5)

Biblical Manhood - Sexuality Part 4

In the last article on sexuality, I gave you a list of sexual sins spoken of in the Bible along with the definitions. As we consider sexual sins, it seems to me that pornography is probably the most addicting and soul-damaging of sexual sins. The Greek word used for sexual immorality was pornea. Add the ending graphy to it which means image or writing and you have sexual immorality in images or in writing. As we study the Scriptural teaching on sexual sins and God’s way of victory, keep in mind that we are including pornography in this discussion.

I’d like to consider three ideas that will help us regain a biblical perspective on sexual sins. We’ll look at the first this time, and then the others in future articles.

1. According to Jesus, what is the source of sexual sins? In Mark 7:20 Jesus tells us that these sins come out of the heart of man. TV and Internet provide the temptation, but even before these were invented, temptation and sin were there in full force. We need to recognize and take responsibility for the fact that our hearts are sinful and deceitful. That’s why we need a savior.

James tells us that we shouldn’t think our temptations come from God. He tells us that we are tempted when we are drawn away of our own lusts and enticed. James 1:14-15 Stop blaming other situations and factors and take responsibility for your own sin.

According to Galatians 5:19 these sins are the works of the flesh. They come from our flesh, our own natural self. The world and Satan use this natural tendency to drawn them out and trap us.

Jeremiah 17:9 says that the heart is deceitful above all things, who can know it?

In 1 Corinthians 10:12 Paul explains how the people in the Old Testament fell through disbelief and then warns us to be careful because when we think we stand, we may fall.

With a deceitful heart as the source of these sins, it is foolishness to think we can trust ourselves. People of high standing and seeming great intelligence are falling prey to sexual temptation and sin and ruining their reputations and careers along with it. What makes us think we can put ourselves in situations where the temptations are great and accountability is limited? We need to have the attitude expressed in Philippians 3:3 which is that we “have no confidence in the flesh.” It’s good to have a certain amount of distrust in our ability to deal with such a strong enemy.