Catacomb Resident Blog

Only in the Moment

07 September 2022

I've mentioned that we need to prepare for the redemption of all types of men.

Yes, redemption starts with confession and repentance. That is: We cannot hope to bring redemption into the lives of those who need it until they acknowledge their need of redemption. But redemption is not simply getting your holy fire insurance policy. It is confession of sin and repentance from this world. Redemption means embracing Covenant holiness.

We cannot possibly help men (or women) find a solid footing in the marriage market if we don't build that market with all the proper boundaries. I do not dabble in self-help psychology; the Word of God is feudal, tribal and covenantal. I cannot not do a darned thing to help men at large in this world. When they come inside the boundaries of the Covenant, I'm there ready to sacrifice myself to make it happen.

Thus, all the advice in the world means nothing. It is all the more meaningless if those giving advice cannot bring it to bear personally to those who need it. Redemption is persons mixing their lives in the Spirit. You cannot get it done through rote orthodoxy. You cannot propose rules and laws and expect men to jump through the hoops somewhere else in their own lives. You must be there, or you have told a lie. It's a lie because the Word of God is living and active, and requires men being men with each other. We have to get our hands dirty working with each other.

If I can't smell your sweat, then we did not fellowship, and the Word did not come to life in our communion.

Yes, I'm eager to have that kind of fellowship with men and women. It requires the Covenant. We know that's a tall order. As soon as I can encounter a community of at least one other person called to the Covenant, that's going to happen. Until then, there is darned little I can write that will breathe life into this vision. I can urge you long distance and hope that the Lord will bring it to life in your soul, but I know beyond all doubt that it's not the real deal. I know that I cannot write details of how to do it, because those details don't reveal themselves until we are talking face to face.

All I can do is echo the way Scripture offers historical examples. I can tell you something about how I have done it in my life in the past. I can give you some hint of what I'm doing with it now. But you'll never really grasp until you see it up close and personal. No, I'm not going to write a bunch of blather about how to do godly covenant manhood. I cannot offer a curriculum without being there with you. It sprouts in the context of committed hearts, not in my head or yours. It's caught, not taught.

Real manhood redemption grows from experience in a community of faith.


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