MEN MEN MEN MEN MANLY MEN MEN MEN - MEN (PART 4)

by Aaron
True masculinity can be summed up in the whole idea of headship. In order to not make this blog too long I encourage you to go back and read the last 3 entries.
 
The best place to see the issue of headship happens all the way back in Genesis. God first makes man and gives man instructions about life in garden and life with Him. The man is supposed to impart these to his wife (like a good sage), but when the serpent questions the woman about God the man doesn't fight him (like a proper warrior) and so his relationship to his wife is undermined (like a bad cultivator).
 
We read in Genesis 3:6 that they both eat the forbidden fruit, the woman first, then she gives some to her husband verse 6She also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate it.Here you see Adams failure as a man. He was just standing there, doing nothing when he should have kicked the serpent in the head and protected his wife.
 
After they sin against God, the man and woman all of a sudden know evil, they have committed it. It is important to note that the only thing the man and woman got from eating the fruit was knowledge of evil as they already had all the good. God then comes walking in the garden in the cool of day and the man and woman try to hide themselves behind some bushes and trees like an ostrich sticking its head in the sand. Then we read in verse 9But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, "Where are you?"
 
Here are the questions: Who did God call? The MAN. Who sinned first? The woman.
 
This illustrates the issue of headship and responsibility. Men do not get the excuse of “it's not my fault” because it is still our responsibility. A man is called to love Jesus enough to fix the messes that come into his home. This is why men must know the scripture and love God; it is how a man will know how to fix his own messes and his families and insert himself between Satan and his family.
 
In this moment Adam should have been crying out to God, God should not have had to call out for Adam. He should have grabbed his wife and repented, but instead he runs like a coward.
 
Headship is a concept repeated throughout the scriptures. In Ephesians 5:23 Paul reminds us For the husband is (not could be/should be/might be) is the head of the wife as Christ (Jesus) is (not could be/should be/might be) the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. We do not get to vote whether Jesus get’s to be in charge, He IS in charge. As Jesus is head of the church, the husband is head of the home and Christians spend too much time arguing if he should be.
 
The better question is: is he a good husband like Jesus or a bad husband who is not like Jesus? "Head" does not mean "boss," men do not get to boss their wife around. Headship means LIKE CHRIST. Jesus has a bride, the church…husbands have a bride, their wife. True masculinity says a man treats their bride like Christ treats the church. Real men will pursue their wives like Jesus; Jesus doesn’t sit back and wait for us, He pursues us. Jesus pursues relationship with us in the same way a husband must be relentlessly committed to relationship with his wife. That means men go first.
  • Repentance YOU go first
  • Reconciliation YOU go first
  • Work needs to be done YOU go first
This is the good news of the gospel; GOD is on a rescue mission for His men (and women, but for the purposes of this blog we are talking about men).
 
The wonderful thing about the fall in Genesis is that in Genesis 3:14-15 God promises to send Jesus to save us all. Many times when you see God walking in the flesh in the Old Testament it is Jesus. So in Genesis there is a strong possibility that at this point Jesus is promising Himself.
 
In the New Testament Paul wants to help us understand the issue of headship better:
  • Ephesians 4:15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ
  • 1 Corinthians 11:3 But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.
  • Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.
 
The wonderful thing about Jesus is that He took headship and responsibility for the human race. He took responsibility for our sin Romans 5:8-11 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
 
Who takes headship and responsibility for us? Jesus. That is why we live as His men, under His banner, understanding His definition of masculinity. We need humility and surrender so Jesus can show us how to be a cultivator, warrior, and sage. The world needs better men and by God’s grace we can be those better men.