The Masculine Mandate: God's Calling to Men [Kindle Edition]

Richard D. Phillips (Author)

Book Description

There is a crying need in the church today for men to be men. But competing visions for what a man is to be some growing out of popular culture and others arising from flawed teaching in the church are exacerbating the problem. Richard Phillips believes it is possible to cut through all of this confusion by consulting the Bible. Only in the pages of Scripture, he asserts, can men find a clear explanation of their God-given roles as leaders, husbands, fathers, and churchmen.


Beginning in Genesis, Phillips shows that God commissioned Adam to work and tend the Garden of Eden. In these twin tasks, he perceives a template for manhood, one that, when carried out with diligence, provides dignity to men, service to mankind, and glory to God. He then goes on to show that men are called to lead, to love their wives, to discipline their children, and to serve the church of Jesus Christ. Here is biblical exposition of the most practical sort teaching that reveals not only what men are to think but what they are to be.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Richard D. Phillips is the senior minister of Second Presbyterian Church in Greenville, S.C., and he also serves on the board of directors for the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. He has written numerous books including What's So Great About the Doctrines of Grace, Jesus the Evangelist, Holding Hands, Holding Hearts, and The Reformed Expository Commentary: Hebrews.

Product Details

• File Size: 1329 KB
• Print Length: 191 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 156769120X
• Publisher: Reformation Trust Publishing (January 29, 2010)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B003AU5DRM
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Not Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #112,998 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Biblical and Helpful January 29, 2010

By John A. Bird

Format:Hardcover

If you have read Rev. Richard Phillips' earlier book, Jesus the Evangelist, you know that instead of developing his own theories, passing on worldly wisdom, or even quoting great theologians, he teaches straight from the Bible. His new book is no exception. There is almost enough Scripture in The Masculine Mandate for it to be called a commentary.

What is the masculine mandate? Phillips says that, "Rather than following the American stereotype of cold, macho masculinity, Christian men should seek to grow in their ability genuinely to bless others." He points to this mandate in Genesis chapter 2, which "shows that God created man for a purpose. God ordained that Adam would bear His image both in his person and in his work, and God put Adam in the world to work it and keep it--to be a cultivator and a protector."

Men today, like Adam in Genesis chapter 2, are called to "work" and "keep." "God put Adam in the garden `to work it and keep it' and the only difference between Adam's calling and ours lies in the details of how we seek to fulfill it." What are some of the areas where men are called to be workers and keepers? The author concentrates on five: employment, marriage, children, friends, and the church.

Men have the responsibility to work hard to glorify God through employment. They are to be good husbands, loving their wife "as Christ loved the church." They are to be godly fathers who both disciple and discipline their children. They are to be friends to the men whom God has put in their lives. And they are to serve and lead in the church.

Though all are good and helpful, my favorite chapters are the two that deal with a man's responsibility toward his children: "To Work: The Discipling of Children," and, "To Keep: The Discipline of Children." Notice the difference in discipling and discipline. A man should, as the leader of his house, disciple his children. The most important matter is to win their hearts. Love, affection, and attention are essential:

"The great issue of parental discipleship is directing the hearts of our children to the Lord. Instead of a mere focus on behavior or bodily presence, wise and loving parents seek to touch and win the hearts of their boys and girls....Our children must gain from us what they most desire: our affection, our approval, our attention, our involvement, and our time."

Another favorite chapter is the one on friendship. Phillips puts this easily overlooked aspect of faith in its proper perspective:

"One of the best ways for us to serve the Lord, to reflect His glory in the world and fulfill God's calling on us as men, is to step off the sidelines of life, to offer our time and compassion to friends in need, and to speak words of truth and grace that lead them to (or back to) the Lord. In this way, we will also grow more and more in the likeness of Jesus Christ ourselves."

The Masculine Mandate has several strengths. The author is clear about where he stands on issues. He writes with authority. If men want to learn to be leaders, they need strong leaders. Richard Phillips fits that role. And he does so with humility. It's clear where Phillips derives his authority. Nearly every idea is backed up by and flows directly from Scripture. There are few quotes from other books (only 25 total footnotes), but there are Bible passages on nearly every page (the Scripture index is four pages long). And Phillips has the gift of teaching and applying them.

There are specific applications. The pastor teaches the theology, but he also gives the reader clear, specific ways to apply the teaching. It is a practical, helpful, and realistic book. Phillips realizes that men are, after all, men. We have limitations. We aren't fully sanctified. And he admits that he isn't, either. But he sets the goal before us. Another plus: at the end of the book are questions for reflection and discussion from each chapter, making this book ideal for a men's group study.

This is a good, needed book. I recommend it to men, young and old. And I plan to read it again. I've already identified several areas of manhood that I need to work on.

In our culture, we have a messed up idea of what it means to be a man. We need books like this to point us back to what's important:

"A Christian man should live, work, and play with an eye on the coming glory of Jesus Christ. His return in glory is not a fable, a fantasy, or science fiction. It is certain future history--it is going to happen, and relatively soon. How should we then live? How should we measure things happening in our lives? The answer is that we should live now in the light of the future that is certain to come."

I received a review copy of this book from Reformation Trust.

67 of 76 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Unbalanced September 19, 2011

By Gary Templin

Format:Hardcover

While greatly benefiting from Richard Phillip's fine exposition of The Fourth Gospel as it applied to Christ's Gospel witness in his book Jesus The Evangelist, I was quite disappointed in his topical treatment of God's design for men in The Masculine Mandate.
After laying down a theological foundation in the first 5 chapters, based primarily upon Genesis 2, the author then addresses the practical implications in chapters 6 through 13. This section of the book contains many solid truths and wonderful practical applications on being God's man in roles as a marriage partner, father, friend and servant in the local church.

The problem is within chapter 6 where he attempts to convince his readers that marriage is paramount to Godly Manhood. In my view, the title of the book should be properly changed to: The Masculine Mandate for Married Men. The author needs to drop all those extra biblical imperatives to single men in chapter 6. Instead of addressing singleness in an extremely marginal and biased way, he should have left this subject to another treatise or author.

Here are some quotes from the author and my take on them:
"it is imperative for your well being that you be married, to move beyond the "not good" status of single adulthood" (pg59).
This entire presentation in chapters 7 through 13 is based upon the false assumption that marriage is the foundation in becoming God's man.

"And the first step for many of us in becoming the men God wants us to be is to become married, so that we will leave behind our selfish ways and begin fulfilling our masculine calling through our relationship with our wives." (pg64)
He has this wrong, we should leave behind our selfish ways before marriage.
Character makes the marriage, being married does not automatically make character.

"It does not work very well when a man remains unmarried" (pg57)
What an untrue statement. Do we not know many single male Christians who bear much fruit, growth in character, have healthy relations with both sexes and love The Lord?

"to realize how vitally important it is (in the vast majority of cases) that you become married" (pg59).
Here is an imperative command that is extra Biblical.

"Today, when God looks on single males and says, Not good, He undoubtedly has in mind a long list of truly unfit helpers, among them the pornography, video games, sports obsessions, and empty pizza boxes that are intrinsic to so many young adult male lives, even among Christians" (pg60).
While I totally agree with the author that our society promotes a free, anything go, Christ-less lifestyle without personal responsibility, I would suggest that these struggles are not unique to singles, but can be true of married men as well. What we actually have here, in his attempt to combat the problem, is an overreaction to the state of our current culture.

"The best thing a young Christian man can do... is to marry a godly woman" (pg59)
Is not the best thing a young Christian man do is totally immerse themselves in the person and work of Christ?

"If you have shied away from marriage, let me urge you to reconsider and (perhaps)
to commit to the necessary growing up" (pg59).
On a personal level I find these comments quite disconcerting since its effect is to shame. It is not balanced in affirming Paul's teaching that both sanctified singleness and marriage are good in God's sight. Biblically sound books on singleness respect marriage, why could not this author respect singleness the way Christ (Matthew 19) and Paul did (1 Corinthians 7). Instead of expounding on the virtues of a clean and holy single life he just makes token mention of the gift of singleness as if it were possessed by the super especially gifted few.

"God says the same thing about single adult men today. He looks into their apartments and refrigerators and sighs, Not good" (pg57)
I find such a comment to be prejudicial insinuating that single males live in apartments not in houses. All single males are not losers.

"But it is especially good to have to rise up in masculine virtue and strength for the sake of my wife, leaving behind a self-focus that was, at best, only intended for a temporary season of singleness" (pg64)
Is selfishness exclusive to singles only? Are married males really less self-centered?

In questions for Reflection & Discussion at the end of the book the author asks "If you are single, what is keeping you from marriage? Pray for God to enable you to take a wife and for God to provide you with a wife." (pg158)
Such a comment stands in opposition to the Pauline teaching on contentment (Philippians 4: 11-13) in view of the total sufficiency of Christ.

Are we seeing here some parallels to foundational Mormon doctrine?
*A cultish elevation of marriage where singleness is a most undesirable condition.
*A second-tier citizenship for singles, which ultimately results in a denial of eternal rewards.
*That Christ himself ultimately failed in his mission on earth, in that he failed to physically marry and therefore failed to propagate his physical seed to further generations.

This doctrine opens the door to many practical questions including:

Is it therefore wrong to thank God in prayer for one's singleness, if this is an incomplete state?

Is completion found squarely in The Person & Work of Christ alone (Colossians 2:10) or is it found in a marriage partner or in a combination of both?

If marriage is the "first step for many of us becoming the men God wants" would it not logically follow that one should do everything in one's power to make this a reality, and happen as quick as possible including leaving a smaller congregation for a larger church where more opportunities for a partner may be available?

Are all widowed men instantly now incomplete?

Is it "vital" that widowed or divorced men, obviously men who do not have the gift of singleness noted by Paul in 1 Corinthians 7, remarry & remarry quickly?

Is not the 2nd Adam, our Lord Jesus Christ, being fully God and fully man, our ultimate example?

If a partner is so vital and the foundational step in manhood, why do we never find in Paul's prayers, Paul praying for marriage partners for completion?

Why are their no explicit New Testament imperatives to marry?

Is the female, whether called to the mission field or called to her professional career, wrong in being content in her singleness, since she might be depriving some man an opportunity for his completeness?

Does the gift of singleness just apply to those in full time Christian work?

Are there not many single Christians who due to circumstances, physical issues, and personal make up find that marriage is not the best option for them?

Has Genesis 2 become prescriptive for all instead of being descriptive for Adam and
many?

In an age where evangelicalism struggles with the role of singles in the local church and where many singles perceive themselves as 2nd class citizens, that they don't fit the mold, are less-than, or even worse, that something is wrong with them it is most disappointing that The Masculine Mandate only contributes to this false viewpoint in a most explicit way.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Refreshing Alternative to the "Wild At Heart Fallacy" January 12, 2011

By John Gardner

Format:Hardcover

Dr. Richard Phillips' book, The Masculine Mandate, is a refreshingly biblical addition to the genre of books on Christian manhood. Right off the bat, Phillips sets his book over against what he calls the "Wild at Heart Fallacy", referring to popular books by John Eldridge and others which reduce "manhood" to a quest for adventure and free-spirited independence. While there is some truth in these other books, they tend to be long on pop psychology and short on support from Scripture.

Wild at Heart begins by claiming that Adam was created outside the garden (because Genesis 2:8 says that God "put the man" into the garden), and that therefore a man's soul belongs in the wilderness and not in the cultivated garden. Phillips, on the other hand, reasons that it is precisely because God put Adam in the garden that we are able to discern our calling as men. When God put Adam in the garden, He gave our first father covenantal relationships and duties by which he was to "act out his God-given identity". We see these responsibilities stated in Genesis 2:15: "The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it."

It is from this verse that Phillips extracts the "Masculine Mandate". The book is largely spent defining the verbs "work" and "keep" and applying them to every aspect of masculine living. By their most simplistic definitions, "to work is to labor to make things grow", and "to keep is to protect and to sustain progress already achieved".

The motif of working and keeping is developed by first of all building a healthy theology of work, and of our role as image-bearers of God. Men were created to work, and to bring God glory and ourselves enjoyment through the fruits of our labor. By exhibiting a good work ethic, and bringing our God-given talents to bear within whatever context we are placed (we are not all placed in a garden, after all), we cultivate the things and people in our lives to produce growth. As Phillips says, "we are to invest our time, our energies, our ideas, and our passions in bringing good things into being".

In addition to our role as cultivators (the "working"), we are also to be protectors (the "keeping"). Men have a responsibility to safeguard the fruits of the work of ourselves and of others, which includes far more than merely physical safety.

"To be a man is to stand up and be counted when there is danger or other evil. God does not desire for men to stand by idly and allow harm, or permit wickedness to exert itself. Rather, we are called to keep others safe within all the covenant relationship we enter. In our families, our presence is to make our wives and children feel secure and at ease. At church, we are to stand for truth and godliness against the encroachment of worldliness and error. In society, we are to take our places as men who stand up against evil and who defend the nation from threat of danger."

After building the foundation for our understanding of this mandate, Phillips quickly moves to practical application, which makes up the bulk of the book. Three chapters focus on marriage, "one of the great callings in all of life and the relationship in which our Masculine Mandate has its most intimate and potent expression". Much care is taken here, because of the general lack of understanding most Christian men seem to have of "what marriage is about, how it is designed by God, or what its purpose is to be in our lives".

The author then moves on to fatherhood, and of our great responsibilities of "working and keeping" in the lives of our children. The practical outworking of the gospel and the Masculine Mandate in our marriages pours over into our parenting; in order to be good fathers we must first be good husbands. In the first chapter on parenting, Phillips focuses on the "work" aspect of raising children: discipling them. The second chapter then looks at "keeping" them through the means of discipline.

The final three chapters explore a man's need for friendships with godly men, our lives and responsibilities in the church, and living a life of humble, servant leadership. All along the way, Phillips shows us in God's Word how we are to work and keep the world the Lord has given to us, and to point people to Him by the work we do and the manner in which we do it.

A relatively short but excellent book, The Masculine Mandate is well worth the few hours it will take you to read it. I highly recommend it for all Christian men who are not satisfied with what the world tells us about what it means to be a man.

More About the Author

Rick Phillips was raised in an Army family an grew up on posts around America. After graduating from the University of Michigan, he followed his father and grandfather by serving as a tank officer. While in graduate school in Philadelphia, his mother urged him to start attending church again, so Rick visited nearby Tenth Presbyterian Church. The message he heard that night changed his life, a sermon from the Old Testament book of Hosea about God's redeeming love for sinners through the cross of Jesus Christ. Surrendering his life to the love of Christ, Rick became active in Officer's Christian Fellowship during the years he was teaching leadership at West Point. He began leading a Bible study for students, then was asked to write a daily devotional, and then to preach at Christian meetings. Through these experiences, he and his wife concluded that God was calling Rick into a full-time pulpit ministry, so they left the Army and embarked on fulfilling God's call to the ordained ministry.

Rick tries the write the kind of books that have ministered so powerfully in his own life. Mainly, these are books of biblical exposition. His writing heroes are James M. Boice, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, and similar writers of biblical teaching. Some of his books seek to provide clear biblical teaching to important matters of practical living, such as manhood and relationships. He is grateful to God for the privilege of ministering to so many people through his books, desiring above all that God's Word would be clearly, faithfully, and passionately set forth.

Dr. Phillips serves as senior minister of Second Presbyterian Church in downtown Greenville, SC. Previously, he pastored in Coral Springs, FL and Philadelphia, PA. He usually preaches morning and evening and his sermons can be heard on Sermon Audio and on the church website: www.secondpca.org. (Live services are also available on video.) Rick frequently speaks at conferences on the Bible and theology and is active in overseas missions, especially in East Africa. In addition to his ministry duties, Rick likes to spend time with his wife and five children. He is a loyal follower of his alma mater, the Michigan Wolverines, and is an avid fan of the Boston Red Sox.