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Monday, March 9, 2015

Be a man! Focal areas of re-created manhood in Christ

Colossians 3:9-10 "Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the oldself with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him."

Focal areas of re-created manhood in Christ. Colossians 3:18-25
As we noted yesterday, alarms are sounding all around us about the "broken-male culture". The only solution is by recognizing the foundation of re-created manhood that comes by grace through faith in union with Christ. Foundations are vital, since whatever is built atop such foundations will only be as strong as the base upon which the building rests. Practically speaking, when it comes to Christian manhood, what focal areas does such an identity have the power to affect? Consider briefly the following focal areas mapped out in Colossians 3:18-25
1. Marriages.  Colossians 3:18-19


2. Family. Colossians 3:20-21


3. Workplace. Colossians 3:22-24


4. Accountability. Colossians 3:25


Just as Colossians 3 begins with urging us as men of God to prioritize and draw from the power available to us as re-created men in Christ, those priorities are spelled out above. Notice how for re-created manhood, others are first and the self is last. 


In the cultural understanding of manhood, self is first with others maybe or maybe not getting what is needed. In the men's Bible study by Dr. Robert Lewis entitled: "33 the series: a man and his design" (here is a link describing the study: http://www.lifeway.com/Keyword/33+the+series+robert+lewis ), we read on page 32: It is sad and should be terrifying how easy it is for us as men to slip on the clothes of passivity, medioctrity and insignificance. Authentic men reject all that." Then on the next page of the same study the following challenge is written in bold print: "Let's 'Man Up' and make, create and cultivate our new normal in every phase and season of life." The term "new normal" is referring to the new life in Christ that is and should ever be both a real and experiential reality in every Christian man's life. 

In Christ the whole-man is rebuilt from the ground up. There is nothing recreational about the Christian life. Christ is not interested in renovating some rooms in the house of your life, but rather rebuilding you as a man of God. Imagine how a manhood re-created in Christ can affect our marriages, families and workplaces. Men of God, this is who we are called to be. Jesus Christ came to re-create true manhood. Our identity and our destiny as men can only be found in Him. Our marriages, families and workplaces will only be affected when we as men of God come to terms with who we are and whose we are.