Somewhere Between Jesus & John Wayne, 3

Continued from "Somewhere Between Jesus & John Wayne, 2"

For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. (Eph 5:23-32)

In the marriage covenant, males represent Christ and females represent the Church. Thus, the Church is Christ's bride. He is the groom, and we -- collectively -- are the bride.

In the whole scheme of things, then, Jesus is the ultimate masculine. He is the archetypal Man (ICor. 15:45), the quintessential male.

By comparison, merely human men occupy a more feminine position. We are not females, and it would constitute an abomination to try to act the female role (Romans 1:27). But still, no human male can attain to the masculinity of Jesus, the King.

So, what does that have to do with the concept of being somewhere between Jesus & John Wayne? Simply this: Next to Jesus, the John Wayne screen persona looks like Shirley Temple.

So, how do men become more masculine? Righteousness!

Righteous living makes men more manly and women more womanly, because righteousness cooperates with God's calling and standards for His people.

Perhaps America's crisis in manhood stems from the false notion that there is something inherently masculine in profane language and behavior. Now that liberated women can cuss and carouse with the worst of them, men feel threatened in their manhood.

Some try to abandon their manhood altogether in the homosexual lifestyle. Others may try to assert their masculinity by abusing women. However they try to compensate, they will always feel inadequate because their original model of manliness was all wrong.

Profanity is not manly, and righteousness is not feminine. Profanity makes both men and women hard and ugly. Righteousness enhances both masculinity and femininity.

And whether you're a man or a woman, if you seek to follow Jesus, I think -- for the most part -- your masculinity or femininity will take care of itself.