The world crumbles and falls around us. Men (and women) of high regard and Christian leaders falling from grace in view for all to see, although grace abounds much. Why? How did they get to this point in life, only to forget the things that brought them strength and purpose?
Maybe we all forget to whom the glory belongs at some point in our life. Don’t forget.
Christian Manliness: The Courage to Stand Firm.
There are other problems when, out of fear, we live for the glory that comes from man rather than that which comes from God. It would have appeared to anyone that men like Lentz loved the glory that comes from man. If you would have watched him preach you would have
thought, “he really loves his people.” And in a sense, it was true. He loved them. But what was more important to him was that they loved him. You could see it in many things that he did and spoke. The man wants to be loved and praised by all. Again, I don’t know him, and I didn’t
research him too deeply, but I know the human condition all too well. Am I not also a man in a fallen world? Would I stand firm if I somehow become “popular”?
The sad fact is that often the only difference between most of us and a Carl Lentz or a Jimmy Swaggart is that we are not gifted or handsome enough to attract such a following and so much temptation. We do not have the capacity to sin on the level of those high-profile celebrities, so we think we are better. “Take heed, lest you fall” (1 Cor 10:12). For most men, it is not that
they succumb to the temptation of throngs of women throwing themselves at them, or thousands and thousands of people in a congregation lapping up everything they say. For most of us, it is smaller and more subtle. Perhaps it is an addiction to pornography, or allowing yourself to be manipulated by female colleagues, because you want them to like you.
— From the book: Christian Manliness: The Courage to Stand Firm
The fear of speaking up and speaking out in truth is destroying the modern Christian church in the United States. Christian men have lost courage.
Christian men are not being courageous in the home, church, or communities. This must Stop! Our King deserves courage as He had courage in the face of opposition. The enemy and fleshly comfort is being allowed to have an unchecked lead role as head of our lives.
The fear of losing the praise of men, the fear of losing our jobs, the fear of fully believing the Truth of who Jesus is. This first battle is within us, as men, to overcome our own doubt and start living like we genuinely believe in Truth!
My hope is that Christian Manliness: The Courage to Stand Firm is going to spur reflection and action and act as a reminder that we, as Christians, are on the side of Truth. We don’t dabble in far flung conspiracy, false teachings or hope in man, but we stand firm on the Truth of Jesus Christ.
We must be courageous in the face of opposition and be ready to accept the price of following Christ as we also must be willing to accept and repent of our own failures.
