Always Leading

From Credenda Agenda archives. As men and heads of household we are responsible. As husbands and fathers we are always leading. We will either lead well or poorly but we are always leading. Our culture has spent 50 plus years mocking, be-littling, and distorting the biblical order for husbands, it's time to repent and rebuild.

Volume 7, Issue 1: Husbandry

Men Without Chests
Douglas Wilson

At least one obvious difference stands between an ancient pagan home and one belonging to a modern pagan. In the ancient Roman world, for example, the paterfamilias was the head of the home. Because he was pagan, he led his family in error, and if the message of Christ came to him, he was used by God to lead his family out of that error. In the first century, the normal pattern was for the head of the house to be converted to the Christian faith, and his household would follow almost immediately after. The ancient heads of households could readily say with Joshua, "as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Josh. 24:15). This was God's pattern (Eph. 5:22ff.).

The modern world is quite different. Here it is every man for himself, and devil take the hindmost. The modern man is certainly very male , but when it comes to the biblical definition of masculinity , the husbands of our culture have fallen far short of God's standard. This means that any faithful presentation of the Christian message to them must include the necessity of repentance at the heart of the matter and the widespread rebellion against masculinity is at the heart of the matter. In any culture, a superficial demand for repentance will always be readily understood, and commonly applauded. A radical and biblical demand for repentance, in contrast, will frequently require a turning away from those things we all assumed to be good . "For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God" (Luke 16:15)....

In another era, a man could come to faith as the Philippian jailor did and rejoice as his family came with him. In our day, if a man were to say, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord . . ." his wife might stare at him as though he were insane, while a surly teenager would mutter under his breath in the background. This state of things requires repentance....

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