{"id":10293,"date":"2018-11-20T10:00:18","date_gmt":"2018-11-20T18:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/crossexamined\/?p=10293"},"modified":"2018-12-13T08:10:01","modified_gmt":"2018-12-13T16:10:01","slug":"what-is-a-real-man-according-to-the-bible","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/crossexamined\/2018\/11\/what-is-a-real-man-according-to-the-bible\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is a \u201cReal Man,\u201d According to the Bible?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

<\/p>\n

What makes a \u201creal man\u201d? We\u2019ve all seen light-hearted rules like real men don\u2019t cry, real men don\u2019t eat quiche, real men don\u2019t let other men<\/em> eat quiche, and so on. James Dobson\u2019s Family Talk site has a page<\/a> that claims to have God\u2019s rules for how to be a true man of God. The author summarizes the goal this way: \u201cMy wife and kids need a real man, not some wimpy guy that rides the ever-changing cultural tides of our times.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s that list, built on the rock of the Bible.<\/p>\n

God\u2019s Real Man List<\/strong><\/h4>\n
    \n
  1. Real men don\u2019t leave their wives. See Ephesians 5:25-32, Mark 10:9, Job 31:1<\/li>\n
  2. Real men honor their wives as co-heirs. See 1 Peter 3:7<\/li>\n
  3. Real men teach their children God\u2019s ways (both in word and in action). See Deuteronomy 6:6-7, Ephesians 6:4, Psalm 78:5-7<\/li>\n
  4. Real men build into the lives of other men. See Proverbs 27:17<\/li>\n
  5. Real men don\u2019t use their words to demean others. See Ephesians 4:29<\/li>\n
  6. Real men don\u2019t let their anger get away from them. See James 1:19-20<\/li>\n
  7. Real men lead best when they love most. See Ephesians 5:1-2; John 13:34-35<\/li>\n
  8. Real men are sacrificial for the sake of their Lord, family, and others. See John 15:13<\/li>\n
  9. Real men are servants. See Mark 10:45<\/li>\n
  10. Real men can show their emotions (this includes crying). See John 11:35, Matthew 21:12, Matthew 9:36<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \u00a0<\/p>\n

    But why this list? Don\u2019t forget that \u201call<\/em> Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness\u201d (2 Timothy 3:16). You really can\u2019t go wrong when pulling Iron Age biblical examples into the 21st century, amirite, Dr. Dobson?<\/p>\n

    So, with that wind of certitude filling our sails, let\u2019s look further in the Bible to see what else it says and make a new list, 10 More<\/em> Traits of Real Men.<\/p>\n

    1. Real men don\u2019t get married<\/strong><\/h4>\n

    The list above has at least two rules about men\u2019s relationship with their wives, but Paul had no use for marriage:<\/p>\n

    Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry (1 Corinthians 7:8\u20139).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    You can rationalize this one away by saying that Paul wrongly thought that the End was coming soon, but what\u2019s left of your faith when you must say that the books of the New Testament are seriously wrong?<\/p>\n

    2. Real men listen to God over common-sense morality <\/strong><\/h4>\n

    God made some crazy demands in the Bible. Christians, what would it take for God to convince you to accept a modern equivalent of these demands?<\/p>\n