Manliness

We have a mandate:

We are to Work and Keep

Genesis 2:15 ESV

The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.

We have a mission - a creation mandate, to exercise dominion, to multiply… TO KEEP AND WORK...

It is a COMISSION - it was commanded by the Lord (so be faithful) and Adam was PLACED in the Garden to do the work! We each have a DOMAIN… an area in which to be faithful..

It is ACTIVE - it involves work… we have things to do.. they are expected, they are needed!

There is an expectation… there is a goal, a reason for our work… to reflect our KING, to fill the earth with believers

What is the problem?

Yes, the fall… sin… but more specifically.. more personally… Why aren’t we WORKIG and KEEPING our domains more faithfully??

Idleness

- lazyness or unproductiveness… slothfulness… sluggishness...

What reasons do we have for our idleness, our passive inactivity?

My genes… my genetic disposition…

I’m hot tempered because...

I’m an alcoholic because...

My emotions… I was molded this way...

I was always told...

I over-eat because...

My circumstances are against me

It’s not my fault it’s...

Well I would but...

But sometimes we overachieve, our problem isn’t idleness it is

imbalance...

We have 3 main domains:

family - church - society

Family - including SELF

Church

Society - including work

Sometimes we get these out of order, we get imbalanced and wrongly focus on one to the neglect of the others...

WHICH ONE? WHY?

HOW can we stay engaged and in balance?

1 Thessalonians 5:14 ESV

And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.

Hebrews 10:23–24 ESV

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,