Growing up to be a real man!

Following is an article I read from John MacArthur’s blog… and it addresses some misconceptions about manhood that are prevalent in our culture – and the antidote conception that will set us straight!  It’s a great article, worth your time…

Before I link to the article though, I’d like to address one thing MacArthur says that I think needs to be clarified by making some distinctions…

He says,

Compare the apostle’s vision of manly maturity with John Eldredge’s famous “sine qua non of manhood.” Eldredge says, “Deep in his heart, every man longs for a battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue.”

That is a little boy’s lie. That’s the stuff of children’s fantasies. You simply won’t find a description of manliness like that in Scripture. Instead, Scripture says what motivates real men is a love for the truth; a contempt for error; and a passion for being used by God in the work of snatching people from the grip of the father of lies.

I wonder if it is possible that MacArthur is misunderstanding Eldredge’s point?  I think what Eldredge says is exactly true… every man does long for battles to fight and a beauty to rescue, but Eldredge doesn’t go far enough to say exactly WHAT the battle IS that each man is to fight.  I think what MacArthur is positing as an “opposing” view… IS that battle.  And from my reading of Eldrege’s stuff, I think that’s what HE would say too.

So in my view, this is a case of the poet (Eldredge) describing what the theologian (MacArthur) believes, but in words that the theologian wouldn’t use himself.  I don’t see any opposing views, but complementary ones.

Anyway, here’s the link – enjoy!