Maximized
Manhood: A Guide to Family Survival (1982)
by Edwin Louis Cole
Personally I’m concern
about the image of manhood today, especially the rise and exposure of K-Pop to
Christian men. Korea have such a great and wonder culture, I like it – in fact
I’m going to Korea this year! – but the image of manhood portrait by K-artists
are awkward, ‘beautiful’ men rather than manly men (mostly, but not all). I
know personally few of my student-friends who are greatly influenced by the
K-pop culture, that their dresses and ‘beauty’ products are way too many than
any of my girl friends’, even my mother!
Will the real man please
stand up? What it mean to be a man today? This book is the answer I’m looking
for. It is a book that is unabashedly, uncompromisingly written to men. There
are many books about men, but precious few written to men – to us, to me. This
book is sole purpose is to maximized manhood. “Being male is a matter of birth.
Being a man is a matter of choice,” writes Ben Kinchlow, “This is a book about that choice.”
Edwin Cole listed 5
reasons taken from 1 Corinthians 10 why men today don’t get to maximized
manhood in life: #1 Lust. “Now this
lust is not necessarily sexual lust… This is the lust that is based on
satisfying self at the expense of God and others. It’s the preoccupation with
what self wants. This is the satisfaction or gratification of the flesh… Lust
today keeps men (and women) from maximizing their potential”; #2 Idolatry. “Idolatry is a value
system that we create, and in which we esteem something to be more worthy of
our devotion than devotion to God. Power, prestige, education, money, business,
religion, popularity, ego, pornography – can all become idols.”
#3 Fornication.
“Actually this includes every kind of sex sin… Both single and married men –
young and old – are subject to the desires, appetites, passions and temptations
that take their toll and prohibit them from becoming what God intends them to
be”; #4 Tempting Christ. “Tempting
Christ is demanding that God do what is contrary to His will, or inconsistent
with His character… Lying and cheating in relationship and business and
demanding that God bless and prosper it is tempting Christ”; and #5 Murmuring. “Murmuring in its
simplest form is nothing more or less than ‘negative confession.’” These are
five basic sins, and especially for men is this – sin of fornication.
As man (and woman) of God,
we must take sins seriously. “We don’t
talk about sins today,” explained Cole, “we talk about problems… If you only
have a problem, you can get sympathy for it… Sins, on the other hand, have to
be repented of, confessed, and forsaken.” Cole also urged men to be the
priest or spiritual leader in the family, lead wife and children in prayer,
study and obey God’s Word, decisive, be a peace-maker especially at home, and
to be tender and tough at the same time, “Leadership in the home by the man
requires toughness as well as tenderness.” Finally, men must also build a good
character. Edwin writes, “It is the longing of every woman to have a man with
character in the house. It is the need of every child to have a man at the
helm. It is the crying need of every church to have real men at work in its
ministry.” He continues, “You can derive spirituality from women in the church,
but you get strength from the men. Same in a home, and in a nation. Churches,
homes, nations, are only as strong as their men.”
One most memorable quote
from this book that I wants to remember for my lifetime: “Manhood and Christlikeness are
synonymous” (So are Christlikeness and womanhood). When the life of
Jesus comes forth in a man, they are maximized. The fullness of their
personality and character are brought forth. The highest good of every
individual is to be like Jesus! “Manhood and Christlikeness are synonymous.”
Be a man!
THINK BIG.
START SMALL. GO DEEP.
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