What is Masculinity?

True masculinity isn’t what you may think of when you hear the word. It is not just being chivalrous or honorable nor is it about being physically strong. It’s being fulfilled in the God-given role we men have here on Earth. If you want to exhibit true masculinity then stop focusing on yourself and turn your attention daily to Christ’s example. As a result of being fulfilled in Christ, those elements we often couple masculinity with will come about in our character. True honor is not found in ungodliness and being chivalrous and physically strong means nothing if you are not first seeking obedience to God in Christ. Our focus should primarily be on God’s Divine Character and how we can strive to “be holy” like He is (1 Peter 1:16). When we are doing that, it will naturally follow that the men will become more masculine.

Paul tells us that God has given us “a spirit… of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). Since “God is love,” we should use that spirit we’ve been given that powerfully and boldly emulates Christ (1 John 4:8). God is not interested in pleasant behavior if it means being silent or passive in the face of sin. Rather, God desires “that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:17). One of the surest ways of being bold in Christ and growing spiritually is helping others, particularly helping to build up the spiritual fortitude of other men. This cannot be achieved outside the strength of the almighty Lord of the universe.

Our focus as men should not be centered around our finite existence. Because an all powerful God exists who created and loves us, we have purpose. God should always be first in all our endeavors. Being satisfied in God and delighting in His Person is true masculinity. It is what we are created for. And from that satisfaction in God comes a heart that delights in living righteously and strives for nearness with and obedience to Christ. Our identity is entwined with God’s existence and the praise of His character and glory. True masculinity and true femininity start with striving for godliness, which “is profitable unto all things” (1 Timothy 4:8).

Look Outside Yourself

The fact that our identity is found in an eternal and almighty God should light you on fire to live in obedience to Him no matter what the opposition may say. Godly masculinity is not limply swaying to music that is tantamount to hypnosis. Instead it is about defying the desires of the flesh and defying the desire to fit into the world around you. Masculinity is not about mood, but faith. The greater the faith you have, the greater the masculinity you’ll have. And it will show as Jesus says in Matthew 7:16: “Ye shall know them by their fruits.”

Only by first valuing the Divine Being of Christ can we truly value our identity in Him. Every day we must go to God and remember the purpose of all human existence is to glorify God. From that knowledge comes bursting forth the motivation for our desire to do anything. Live in obedience to Christ by living in the knowledge that God is fully aware of your imperfect state and the insufficiency of your actions alone.

7 Rigorously Practical Steps

  1. Carefully and intentionally read God’s Word every day.
  2. Radically emulate the Character of Christ, and make noise in the face of sin.
  3. Do whatever it takes to devalue the world’s deceptive lure to value fitting into society.
  4. Strive to value what God commands you to value.
  5. Practice living according to the Word in the meekness and boldness of the Lord in whose image you are made.
  6. De-compartmentalize your life. God is Lord over your entire life, not just some of it.
  7. Cut out anything from your life that distracts you from Christ.