What Happened To All The Men?

 

“For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.”-Genesis 18:19

 In addition to the militant effort to undermine manhood, the necessity of manhood, and the responsibility of the man; our culture in America today seems determined to prolong adolescence.  Going to the extreme to say it is not even a fixed gender, but a fluid concept.  This ideology from the pit of hell is serving to veil the crime of destroying the hierarchy of the home.  The home is the primary institution of education (in connection with the church), and the foundation of spiritual training, guidance, and even society itself.  At the head of the home is the man.  Today, we stand in great need of the right sort of men.  Not men of the world, men of pride, or human might, but men of the gospel.  The Bible gives us a clear picture of what sort of man all men should aim to be.  He should be holy, self-sacrificing, honorable, blameless, responsible, sober minded, courageous, faithful, humble; he should be an imitation of Christ.  A sanctified man.  

 God chose Abraham because he would “command his children after him.”   In contrast, God judged the high priest Eli’s house because he “restrained not his sons.”  God designed the hierarchy of the home to be principled by the father. There is a drastic difference between a sanctified man, and a man of the world.  There is an even greater chasm between a sanctified man of the Word, and an adolescent “man” of the world.  Adolescents collapse under responsibility, they lack sober mindedness, they are not acquainted with sacrifice, nor understand the importance of discipline.  Particularly spiritual discipline.  They mind earthly things, and give themselves over to fleshly lusts which war against the soul.  Lust of the flesh, and lust of other things (binge watching, social media, sports, entertainment, etc.) that choke the Word.  All the while they are ignorant of the cost of falling to this lust, and failing at their true calling as men.  A boy cannot understand or relate to the rigors of adult life.  They are not prepared to raise children because they are still children themselves (although it doesn't stop them from having them).  They are not prepared to take a wife, or lead a home.  Worst yet, they are not always equipped to understand where to go to become prepared.  In place of seeking God they seek guidance on TikTok and find only “blind leaders of the blind.”  As one crowd cries out to be more feminine and leave off “toxic masculinity", the other embraces carnal strength and pride, calling it “manhood.”  Now we have thirty year old boys, living in perpetual adolescence under the banner of living their truth.  Denying the authority of their Creator, and the wisdom of His divine calling for men.  Which is to be sanctified, sold out, men of the gospel.  Men of the stock of Abraham and lineage of Christ.  Not in blood but in spirit.  Filled with the Holy Ghost and called to be saints.  Surrendered to Christ and resolved to lead as chief servants of the household.  Modeling sacrificial love, and devotion to the commandments of God.  Fathers, husbands, brothers, men; these are not just labels, they are divine responsibilities that come with serious consequences if forsaken.  Godly men have a much wider and deeper understanding of the expectation, leadership and authority that they are tasked with.  Men are clothed with a much greater responsibility than that of a boy.  Or that of the woman, because God has placed the direction, accountability, and duty of being the head of the household squarely on the shoulders of the man.  While the woman is the “help meet” she does not bear the ultimate responsibility; that remains on the man.  Can we not see that the battle ground is not for gender, social standing, or equity?  The battle ground is for the understanding, conviction and resolve to embrace and live biblical principles.  To stand to the truth of the gospel and keep the way of the Lord.  Against all opposition.  Keep it so that God may be glorified, and his purpose propagated in earth as it is in heaven.  If we remain entrenched in the here and now; blinded by the smokescreen of the world and all its politics, we cannot see with the eye of faith.  Therefore, this condition of perpetual adolescence will continue to handicap us, and generations to come.  Children will lack fathers.  Wives will lack husbands.  The church will lack leaders, and the pulpit will want for spirit filled preachers.  The prayer closet will be left vacant, and the forces of Satan will march on unopposed to ravage the home because those tasked to oppose it are absent.  They are distracted, self absorbed, and juvenile.  

            To this generation the scripture cries “If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses?”  Will others look back in the annals of history and wonder of this generation: what happened to all the men? When will enough be enough?  When will we lay down childish things, and take up arms for battle?  When will we get serious about serious matters that are before us?  Resolve to resist unto blood striving against sin.  Lord God, raise up more men.  Men who will stand in the gap.  Men who are conditioned in spiritual warfare and acquainted with the leading of the Holy Spirit.  Devoted, holy, sanctified men.  Lord raise them up, and help me to be among them.