"Culture has always warred against God-designed masculinity and femininity."
“Now culture is rebelling again, trying to obliterate the very ideas of natural masculinity and femininity. And it’s not just in America. The most popular male band in South Korea, BTS, has more than 11 million fans worldwide. These young celebrities have baby-smooth shaved legs, a five-step skin care routine, and pink-glossed lips.” - Sophia Lee
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Biblical manhood is more challenging than mere human men can perfectly attain, and Jesus set the model through His life on earth: He loves His bride (the church) so wholly that He protects, provides, and lays down His life for her. He proclaimed and did whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy in the eyes of God. He was gracious and compassionate to women and children, exercised self-control and humility and courage, and cared for the spiritual and physical well-being of others. He cried when He was sad, overturned tables when He saw evil, and spoke harsh words when He saw hypocrisy and injustice.
Masculinity doesn’t need saving by false cultural definitions of what a man should look or act like.
Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.
The author makes some great points.
However, there is a bit of a “WWJD” dilemma we face, and it needs to be stated:
Jesus is the ultimate example for character, but Jesus did not experience certain relationships and situations that we might encounter, which is why we so desperately need all Scripture plus the guidance of the Spirit and God’s people. Consider what Jesus never exemplified:
1. He might be the groom of the church, but He was not married to a mortal woman.
2. Jesus never was a father to literal children.
3. Jesus was never drafted and never engaged in war.
4. Jesus never had to make political choices for elections, etc.
5. Jesus never watched movies and did not need to discern which ones were decent.
6. Jesus never planned for His retirement.
And we can add many other such instances. We might ask what Jesus would do if He were in our certain situation, but He may never have been in a similar situation.
And, while we can learn about certain aspects of masculinity from Jesus, there are many gaps (if we use His life as our only criteria).
"The Midrash Detective"
[Ed Vasicek]The author makes some great points.
However, there is a bit of a “WWJD” dilemma we face, and it needs to be stated:
..
Excellent observation. Scripture is your friend here, especially the historic accounts.
In all the hoopla of the recent past on WWJD, I guess the ornery kinda came out in me because my basic reaction has always been “if I were a sinless God-man I’d tell you what Jesus would do!”
So, instead of just ranting like a lunatic I found it easier to re-phrase the question more akin to “what would the apostles do?” Still not the perfect answer, but at least we do know what they would do in most similar situations because we have it infallibly recorded what they did do.
Lee
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