"Gnothi se auton, Christiané"
Christian man, know thyself.
There are three verses in Scripture I can think of that warn men about the grave dangers of self-deception.
They remind us that when we are most full of ourselves, we are least full of the Holy Spirit. And when we insist in walking in our own strength and wisdom, we are actually at our weakest:
"Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before a fall."
- Proverbs 16:18
"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."
- 1 John 1:8
"Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified."
- 2 Corinthians 13:5
These aren't convenient verses. In fact, they’re the uncomfortable aspect of Christianity which encourages healthy self-doubt when the world preaches arrogance and unearned self-satisfaction. Especially to men and to women, as well.
That's the tension behind this verse:
"For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come."
- 1 Timothy 4:8
Paul is saying that bodily exercise does indeed profit… but not as much as godliness because of "the promise of the life that and of that which is to come."
Christian men today are hyper focused on immigrants and “the Jews” and the culture war. They’re being gamed by the algorithm, the media, and probably also bad actors on social networks.
As a result, men are losing sight of the life which is to come. They’re losing sight of ETERNITY in favor of the election cycle.
And too many pastors are guiding their eyes only as far as “taking the next hill” and forgetting about the Lord’s holy mountain:
“They shall not hurt or destroy
in all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.”
- Isaiah 11:9
This isn’t a “Jesus juke.” This is a reminder that without strength of character, a man has nothing. And he risks losing everything he does have, as well.
So I hope my brothers in the faith think about the gravity of these verses. I didn't write them, God did. Because God knows men.
The only question is, do men know themselves?
Are they even asking anymore?