MANLINESS
BQ: What sort of thing does God consider to be manly? This seemed like a fun topic, so off we go! I'll just run through some examples.
Manliness in the OT times was often seen in battle against ungodly enemies, and it was always marked by being "strong and courageous." Below are some examples:
"Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him in front and in the rear, he selected from all the choice men of Israel, and arrayed them against the Arameans. But the remainder of the people he placed in the hand of Abishai his brother, and he arrayed them against the sons of Ammon. He said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you shall help me, but if the sons of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come to help you. Be strong, and let us show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God; and may the Lord do what is good in His sight.” (2 Sam 10:9-12)
“I am going the way of all the earth. Be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man." (1 Kg 2:2)
Tomorrow: what's manly these days?
BQ: So we saw that manliness in the Old Testament times involved fighting physical enemies and being strong against them. What's manliness according to God in our day and age?
"You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." (2 Tim 2:1)
"Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong." (1 Cor 16:13)
Manliness, we see, now comes from doing spiritual warfare. Ephesians 6 describes the importance of putting on the full ARMOR of God, because we need to be soldiers. Men especially need to be leaders of the charge and not quiet pushovers!