A few years ago, country music star Brad Paisley released a hit entitled “I’m Still A Guy.” While certainly not gospel (and perhaps a bit too graphic), it was amusing and spoke to the lamentable feminization of men in our country. I enjoyed the song and laughed along when I first listened.

Not too long after that, my brother was in a conversation with a young lady who insisted that such behavior as described in the song was “a cop out” for bad, unspiritual behavior. You see, she had been trained that a spiritual man must be a soft, mild mannered person who stands up straight, looks out on life with a stoic expression, and abstains from such immature and unsophisticated antics. Is that scriptural? By all means no, but it is a common thought in today’s time.

Not that I am in any way a standard, but there is a reason I drive a hot rod, grow facial hair, lift weights, and shoot guns. I am a man. God created me as a man and God made men and women different. Therefore, I enjoy doing things that are masculine. My father is a “man’s man,” and was in his younger days a Law Enforcement officer who hunted game, smoked cigars, enjoyed bodybuilding, and was a living terror to criminals and even some coworkers throughout his career. Some of our enlightened fellow citizens would consider this to be barbarous and by no means spiritual, but it is undeniably masculine. One wonders what the modern media would think of Charles Spurgeon with his booming voice, his bushy beard, and his love for cigars. Were he preaching today, no doubt his popularity would never have risen to what it did in his day.

Understand, I am not suggesting men engage in base, vile behavior. Quite the contrary; we should be chivalrous gentlemen. But I am insisting that men should be men. Sin is sin is sin; sin is wrong. But there’s nothing sinful about facial hair or hunting game. Hardly appealing as such may be to many females, there is nothing wrong with our masculine traits and hobbies from a scriptural perspective.

Male and Female

God made men and women different on purpose. Notice this from the creation account in Genesis:

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. – Genesis 1:27

God made two specific types of people. Male and female. The male is masculine; the female is feminine. These two forms of “programming” are natural to us. Sin entered onto the scene with Adam’s transgression which does result in the occasional marring of a person’s bent, but men and women were created in a purposeful way.

Let’s consider a few examples from the Bible.

First, in the Law of Moses, men and women were prohibited from crossdressing. Clothing styles are culture specific, but men and women are to dress in such a way as to distinguish between one another – masculine and feminine. Men dress one way, women another. This honors – or dishonors – God Almighty. (Deuteronomy 22:5)

Second, consider Paul’s remarks on hair in 1 Corinthians. He noted that it was unto a woman’s glory to have long hair but a shame for a man to have long hair. Please understand that “long” in the text didn’t place a ban on thick or bushy hair – the Apostle’s concern was over a man wearing a feminine hairstyle: hair down his back which was groomed like that of a woman. (1 Corinthians 11:14-15)

It is glorious for a woman to wear long hair. It is attractive. It enhances her natural beauty. As a happy husband of a wife with long hair, it is one of my favorite physical traits on my wife. But you see clearly the difference in the way God intended masculinity and femininity. The two are distinct and yet both good.

Finally, men and women are wired in different ways to do different tasks. This may come as a surprise to our supposedly enlightened culture.

Men are, in general, bigger with more physical strength. Sorry if that offends you but it’s true. Even a small man such as myself can lift hundreds of pounds of weight, if trained. But why did God create us this way? He did so, men, because we are to work for the provision of our families and fight in wars or defend our homes. We’re made this way for a reason.

Women are designed to be softer, possessing a nurturing spirit and gentle kindness for the purpose of raising children and keeping the home. They are designed this way; created by God, on purpose, to be a loving caregiver in the home while the husband is providing food or fighting enemies. That may offend any feminists who read this. If that be the case, my only reply to you is that you are denying plain, observable reality. Consider this fact: women carry a baby for nearly 40 weeks, nurse that child for over a year. Men cannot naturally do either – their place is in provision and protection.

Both are DESIGNED for these different tasks.

By Faith

To offer a few closing remarks, I want you to consider a point from Hebrews 11. This chapter is the “honor roll of faith,” summarizing heroes of faith throughout the Old Testament time period. Men and women did remarkable and outstanding things by their God-given faith. Three examples open a line of thought I would like to share – when men did masculine things BY FAITH.

David – As a mere shepherd boy, David killed a lion and a bear while protecting his father’s sheep (sound familiar? Think about Jesus). He then killed – killed – a giant with a sling, beheaded him with the giant’s own sword, and then carried the head to the king.

Samson – Far from perfect, this saint slew Philistines in the most creative of ways and he did it by faith. His carnal nature took his masculinity over, resulting in his death, but his triumphs were commended.

Men of Valor – Consider this for a moment. Hebrews 11:34 lists many countless saints who, by faith, waxed valiant in fight and repelled invading soldiers! Men took up weapons of war, rushed to fight in defense of their land, and they did so by God-given faith.

The point is that there is no disconnect between faith and masculinity.

To the point

Men, don’t be ashamed for your masculine traits. Ladies, please don’t henpeck your man for his natural inclinations, provided they aren’t sinful. I understand we live in a land full of men who want to be women and women who want to be men, but this calling from God we have received is to obey Him and live as He would have us. This includes being masculine or feminine. Men, perhaps a great part of our calling is to demonstrate true masculinity in a society which has blurred the lines between the two.

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 16:13 to “quit ye like men.” This is an old expression merely meaning “man up.” Let’s be men.