God’s Plan for Men
In considering Biblical manhood, we do well to return to the beginning the source of manhood as found in Genesis. There we will discover unchanging, divine principles which will provide guidance for each brother desiring to “quit you [act] like men.”
In Genesis 123And the evening and the morning were the fifth day. (Genesis 1:23) we read that God made “man in Our image, after Our likeness” (Gen. 1:2626And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:26)). Thus man is unique in all creation, having received not only a body and soul (as all animals have), but having also received a God-conscious spirit breathed into him by the Creator (Gen. 2:77And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7); 1 Thess. 5:2323And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)). Man was the crowning glory of God’s creation. He “blessed them, and... said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it” (Gen. 1:2828And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:28)).
Headship and Moral Likeness
Man was to be God’s representative, both in authority as head over creation and to display moral likeness to Him in the exercise of that headship. Adam failed in both, and now man as born in sin can never again properly represent God.
It is only when, by divine grace, the Spirit of God works in a soul and by faith man receives a new life (from above) that he acquires the ability to please God. In the Apostle’s letters to Timothy, Paul entreats him as a new creature in Christ to act for God in moral likeness (1 Tim. 6:1111But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. (1 Timothy 6:11)) and in responsibility (2 Tim. 3:17-4:217That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. 1I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. (2 Timothy 3:17‑4:2)).
Foundations of Manhood
Genesis 2 records the special place (Eden) that God created for man to inhabit a place not only of fulfillment, delight and fellowship, but one of responsibility. Initially, in that beautiful garden, except for a companion, God placed everything there that could satisfy Adam’s heart.
The garden had beautiful trees, speaking of strength. They bore fruit for Adam to eat, speaking of joy. A river flowed in Eden to water the garden, speaking of God’s blessings. When it went out from the garden, the river had multiplied fourfold, flowing to other lands. This speaks of fruitfulness.
Attack on Manhood
These four things, strength, joy, God’s blessing, and fruitfulness, picture the basic characteristics and results of true manhood. Yet today, the world (at least the Western, Christianized world) is guided by deluded, false principles of feminism which undermine the God-ordained sphere of manhood.
Where they are submitted to, principles of feminism rob man of his strength and joy, while they also obstruct God’s river of blessing intended to supply and refresh the sphere of manhood. Furthermore, this wicked philosophy, where accommodated, dries up the blessings which could otherwise flow out from those walking as men.
Responsibilities of Manhood
God gave Adam work to do he was to till and guard Eden (Gen. 2:1515And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. (Genesis 2:15) JND). Brothers, we are responsible before God to diligently nurture (till) and protect (guard) our God-given role as men. Tilling develops and enhances manhood and the blessings resulting from it, while guarding it keeps Satan (in whatever form he may take as an angel of light) from spoiling and ruining our manhood.
We must be constantly and prayerfully on guard against laziness, carelessness and self-will (in both natural and spiritual realms). Diligent tilling is required to keep these harmful characteristics from taking root in the garden of manhood.
A man must also be resolute in guarding his manhood from being overpowered by the enemy. Men daily face conflict from Satan and the world, finding many hindrances and obstacles thrown in the way. If not diligent in guarding his garden, such attacks weary one, making it seem as though the prudent thing would be to quit acting as a man.
God’s Offer and Warning
God communicated an invitation and a warning to Adam. Adam neglected both. It is vital that Christian men both listen to and obey the Word of God. We daily need the spirit of Jeremiah: “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart.”
God graciously offered Adam full liberty. “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat.” In application we may say that contrary to feministic philosophies and teaching, men never need feel constrained in or guilty about acting as men should.
On the other hand, God warned Adam that one certain thing was off limits to him. In the cultivation and exercise of manhood, God warns of certain conduct (natural and spiritual) which is off limits—forbidden. If blessing is to flow to others from our manhood, we need to follow God’s directions in how we exercise headship with our brethren, our wives, our children, as well as our contacts in the world.
Great Blessing—Great Failure
In blessing him with Eve, God gave Adam the second most important reason he had to act like a man. (God was first.) Eve was his helpmate, one with him, alone able to fill the void in Adam’s heart that all of creation could not fill. It was imperative that Adam (as man) take responsibility for guarding the garden of delight where he and his wife dwelt together.
Sadly, Adam failed, for the serpent gained entrance into the garden. Perhaps Satan assumed such a lovely form of light (see Ezek. 28:12-1712Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. 13Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. 14Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 15Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. 16By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. (Ezekiel 28:12‑17)) that Adam felt no need to guard against his entrance.
He also failed as man to take the place of responsibility when the serpent addressed Eve. God had delivered His instructions, invitation and warning (Gen. 2:15-1715And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. 16And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. (Genesis 2:15‑17)) to the man to Adam. Yet when Eve took it upon herself to answer the serpent (who by addressing Eve, circumvented the head of God’s creation; see 1 Tim. 2:13-1413For Adam was first formed, then Eve. 14And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. (1 Timothy 2:13‑14)), Adam remained silent. He did not act like a man responsibly nor in headship, allowing Eve to usurp the place God gave to him. This neglect led to sin, exclusion from the garden of delights and the tree of life, and death solemn results from failure to act like a man!
Future articles will consider further principles of manhood gleaned from the Word of God.
Ed.