We often touch on what it is to be a “Biblical Man” and what it is to be a “man”. We have not completely defined these terms but we have made the first step. We are beginning to see that this is another question or definition that is not easy to nail down. I believe to be a real “Man” we need to be a Christian. We have many references that tell us that being a Christian is not an easy task. John 16:33 states, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” And this theme is re-enforced in 2 Timothy 3:12 stating, “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” The Bible tells us that being a Christian will not be easy, but it also tells us that it can be made easier and worthwhile with faith and diligence. The old saying “that anything worth having is worth working for.” Being a Christian and becoming a true “Man” is worth the extra effort. Colossians 1:10 tells us, “So as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” And then we have Romans 6:23 that go on to say “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” I don’t know anyone that would argue against eternal life in heaven with Jesus Christ. Life has many ups and downs and each person has to endure and overcome many things during the course of their lives. We talked about character and human strengths that either assist or hinder the individual with these obstacles. “Real biblical manhood is not about demanding what you want, dominating over others, or dallying in selfish sensuality. Being a real man is about obeying God, leading others into excellence in Christ through hearing the Word, and being respectful to the leadership of the Spirit in others. A real man is like Jesus.” (Yarnell, 2018) Have intelligence and not flaunting it, having strength and not having to use it, having character and sharing it are all part of being a “Man.” Most men want to take whatever talent or attribute they have and showoff or abuse it. A true “Man” will use his strength to help the weak, his character to help the lame and feeble, and his intelligence to teach others.
Temptation is always present to cause a man to lose his way and make mortal mistakes. The Bible is very clear on what happens when temptation wins. Yet many men do not heed the warnings and live as if they are immortal. Galatians 5:19-21 states, “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Revelation 21:8 states, “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” Once a person has heard or read these scriptures, they do not want any part of the results. Yet we as humans and especially men soon forget and go back to our ludicrous ways.
“People have always been immoral, shiftless, and self-gratifying. For ages, humankind struggled to find a conceptual system to operationalize their spiritual shortcomings.” (Shannon, n.d.) We know that all humans are sometimes guilty of indulging in the “Seven Deadly Sins,” but it seems that men are especially susceptible to falling prey to these temptations. Each of these sins stand on its on merit but they are also very much related and entwined. It is hard to be guilty of one without being involved with some others. “Pride is excessive belief in one’s own abilities, that interferes with the individual’s recognition of the grace of God…. Envy is the desire for others’ traits, status, abilities, or situation. Gluttony is an inordinate desire to consume more than that which one requires. Lust is an inordinate craving for the pleasures of the body. Anger is manifested in the individual who spurns love and opts instead for fury…. Greed is the desire for material wealth or gain, ignoring the realm of the spiritual… Sloth is the avoidance of physical or spiritual work.” (Shannon, n.d.) Did you notice that “Pride” was listed first? Pride, arrogance, ego, conceit, smugness, and the list continue are all the same thing. With a look in the mirror there is a good chance we will see some of these if not all hiding in our personality. Being sure of your self and taking pride in your work, family, and self is not necessary a bad thing as long as it is controlled and recognized. Envy on the other hand is never a good thing. Having envy, being jealousy, and being resentful will eat a man alive. Measuring yourself and comparing your circumstances to others so you can better yourself is a desirable trait. But remember those that you are comparing yourself to, have worked to get whatever it is you desire and you will have to put forth the same or more effort to achieve it. Be proud of someone’s success and not envious. Gluttony is usually discussed with food being involved. Gluttony is taking more than you need whether it be food, money, or attention. Gluttony and being a sloth usually go together. A sloth is lazy and unproductive and avoids being active. It would be easy to see where a person involved in gluttony could become a sloth and vice versa. Lust is an uncontrolled desire to participate in pleasures of the flesh. Men seem to have a difficult time controlling these desires. Changes in our society has made discussing lust more difficult than in times past. In times past men were considered being guilty of lust and women wanted no part of it. Feminism has changed everything. Lust is now equally shared between men and women which makes this temptation even easier to fall victim too. Lustful men use to try and conquer as many women as possible but now that is being shared with the females. Lust remains as one of the seven deadly sins even with societal changes. “At the same time, we need to be on guard against conquerors (male and female). We can’t allow them a foothold in our lives anymore.” (Holstien, 2018) Greed is the uncontrolled desire for money, material wealth or gain acquiring it by any means possible, ignoring the realm of the spiritual. We usually see examples of greed being walked across the TV News where someone has been caught and arrested for cheating, stealing, committing some fraud to obtain wealth without working for it. Greed always comes to a bad end regardless of how smart the perpetrator thinks they are. Finally, we need to discuss anger. Anger probably causes more problems than any of the “Seven Deadly Sins.” “Anger is an emotion characterized by antagonism toward someone or something you feel has deliberately done you wrong. … But excessive anger can cause problems. Increased blood pressure and other physical changes associated with anger make it difficult to think straight and harm your physical and mental health.” (Phd, n.d.) “Of course, men do have emotions other than anger. Men get sad, glad, and scared; but anger is the only emotion that is socially acceptable for men. … Men are socialized to express their anger overtly and to use their anger to control their partners and their own emotional experience.” (Weiss, September ) It is socially acceptable and expected for men to show anger but it is also not condoned. Society allows it but people lose their jobs, get put in jail, and ruin relationships as a result of uncontrolled anger. If there is a gene that creates anger it is a dangerous and confused gene. Anger helps men hide their hurt feelings, anger mask their sadness, and it cloaks their inabilities. It is more manly to get mad and show anger than it is to show weakness or an emotion that could be mistaken as being feminine. Have you ever asked someone what they are angry about and they could not tell you what made them mad or why they became angry? This is a good example of using anger to mask another emotion. If they are truly angry, they will be able to tell you without hesitation what caused it.