Every Man’s Call to Biblical Masculinity, Day 5

Part IX: The Spiritual Life of the Masculine Man (Mark Alderton)  

One of the distinguishing marks of authentic masculinity-and one that is far too often missing among Christian men-is an intimate, day-by-day relationship with Jesus Christ, Mark Alderton told men during The Pursuit.

"It is a carryover from the fall that we, as guys, don't necessarily always want to pursue God ourselves and lead in that way," he said. "It is very common in a marriage for the wife who is enthusiastic about devotional life and she is consistent in it and wants to bring the man to church."

Preaching from John 15:4-5, Alderton admonished attendees to abide in Christ, unpacking the concept of "abiding" and encouraging men to answer three fundamental questions:

• What does it mean to abide in Christ?
• Why do we need to abide in Christ?
• How do we abide in Christ?

Yes, Christian men are living in union with Christ and it is through that union that all blessings flow, Alderton pointed out, yet most believing men languish in their spiritual lives because they do not understand what it means to live in a continuous, dependent, daily relationship with Christ, he said. In John 15, Jesus illustrated this relationship by speaking of a branch's reliance upon the vine for vitality.

"In order for the grapes to grow on the branch of a grapevine, the branch must be attached to the stem," Alderton said. "It can't be tied on, it has to be a part of it. It has to be a vital contact because all of the nutrients that are coming up from the soil through the root system have to come through that stem into the branch where life is flowing and it has to be connected all the time if there is going to be fruit.

"Jesus calls that connection ‘abiding.' Abiding is an ongoing, vital, dependent relationship. That's what branches do to vines. Jesus says, ‘that that is the kind of relationship you must have with me...there must be ongoing vital contact where my life is flowing to you because you are dependent on me for life, for fruit.'"

Alderton serves as pastor of Sovereign Grace Fellowship in Bloomington, Minn.

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Part X: Applying Truth (C. J. Mahaney)  

Consider the importance and role of application and don't assume that listening will ensure that transformation will take place.  Be doers and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. James 1: 22

"At the end of any conference or any Sunday meeting, we must ask ourselves, ‘How can we, in the shadow of the cross, very specifically apply the content of what we have heard to our lives so that we can beginning this day be doers of the Word and avoid self-deception.'"

As David Powlison exhorts, "Connect one bit of scripture to one bit of life.  Apply one relevant thing from our redeemer to one significant scene in this person's story.  Bring one bit of the Bible to one bit of life." 

C.J. Mahaney leads Sovereign Grace Ministries in its mission to establish and support local churches. He pastored Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland for 27 years, and serves as the Vice-Chairman of the Board for CBMW.  He has written the book on Humility and also edited or coauthored four books in the Pursuit of Godliness book series: Why Small Groups?, This Great Salvation, How Can I Change?, and Disciplines for Life.

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