Introduction

“When your church grows, my church grows, because we are all part of the one church.” (John Bond)

The Holy Spirit is working to release men into their God – given vocation[1]. I want to focus on one element of this, masculine competitiveness[2]. I am seeking in this article to trace this issue back to its very roots. Only when “the axe is laid to the root of the trees” (Luke 3:9) can men become free to be the full persons God has designed them to be. We will never see the level of unity in the church that is a prerequisite for a sustained move of God without the problem of competitiveness being directly addressed and healed.

Who has the Biggest?

Judging by the number of spam emails promising penis enlargement a large phallus is still seen as a sign of adequacy, virility and manliness. Of course Christians are never so crude; their masculine insecurities simply emerge in more subtle and “sanctified” ways.

When a group of pastors get together for the first time the question “what size is yours” (church of course) seems unavoidable. The “Who has the Biggest?” question seems unavoidable among men. We all know the fish stories! Why are men like this? Testosterone is not the answer.

The God who created Adam is the one who said, ““Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”” The God in whose image we were made is a perfect unity of love, Father, Son, Holy Spirit (John10:30; 2 Cor13:14), inside God competitiveness is impossible. Testosterone was designed to be a motivator, not for competing with other men, but for pioneering the domestication of the planet together – ““Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”” (Gen 1:28)

This Problem Goes Back to the Beginning

The dysfunction of competitiveness[3] can be traced back to the first generation of males on the earth. This problem has been going on since the times of Cain and Abel. Various other famous competitive sets of brothers come to mind: Ishmael and Isaac, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers. Other examples of rivalry include Saul and David and the twelve apostles who argued as to “who is the greatest” (Luke9:46).

The writer to the Hebrews provides an insight into the first struggle between brothers[4]. “By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain… God commending him by accepting his gifts.” (Heb 11:4). The issue which precipitates the first act of violence on earth concerns acceptance by God (Gen 4:1 -16). Aware of God’s disapproval, “Cain was very angry, and his face fell.” (Gen 4:5). As this expression is also used of God (Jer 3:12), Cain is reflecting God’s attitude towards his offering. An angry man images an angry God[5]. Cain strikes out and kills his brother.

Through sin, everything has been reversed. Originally, “God blessed them…and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion…over every living thing” (Gen 1:28). Now, deprived of the assurance of the blessing of the Father[6], men seek dominion over one another for the resources of the earth. Humans contend with one another for the blessings that flow from the hand of God[7]. This however does not fully explain why competition is so fierce amongst males.

Struggling for the Inheritance[8]

The struggle between men is over the inheritance of the earth. In biblical times inheritance was invariably limited to men[9], with the lion’s share going to the first born. The key question is, “Who will have the larger share?”[10] Men compete for anything – women, land, money, military power, prestige, acknowledgement, which gives them a sense that they are indeed the true heirs of the earth. All such striving comes from insecurity over worthiness to receive the fullness of the blessing of God. Few men sense deeply, “I am the favoured one of the Father.” Since this problem is foundationally in a man’s relationship with God, it cannot be healed by any human achievement, only by God himself. This leads us to the indispensable place of the person of Christ.

Jesus our Inheritor

As the “only Son” of God (John 1:14; 3:16, 18; 1 John 4:9) the fullness of the Father’s favour rests completely on Jesus, ““You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”” (Luke 3:22). By the very nature of things, as Christ is “God from God”[11], he has no possible competitors. As Paul puts it, “all things were created through him and for him” (Col 1:16). The blessing of the Father on the Son as God only helps us humans through the eternal Word becoming one of us (John1:14).

Jesus teaches us about his human heirship in the parable of the wicked tenants. The tenants, representing the religious leadership of Israel, seek to usurp the property of the owner (God) by plotting to destroy his “beloved son” (Jesus). “This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’”(Mark 12:7). Christ makes it clear that he is the Father’s sole heir as a faithful human being[12].

Unlike Adam however, who was given this earth, Jesus is primarily the heir of “the world to come” (Heb 1:5 – 9). As Hebrews says, “in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things” (Heb 1:2). A heart understanding of this makes competitiveness over present resources impossible.

Sharing the Inheritance

As the Father shares all things with Jesus, he shares the inheritance with us. “For all things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23 and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.” (1 Cor 3:21– 23). In his reply to the sectarianism in Corinth, Paul points out that if everything is part of my inheritance in Jesus, than the brother who seems to be my competitor is actually part of Christ’s gift to me.

If only the Catholic church had believed this about Luther, if only Luther had believed this about Zwingli, if only the Anglicans had accepted this as true of Wesley, if only the Methodists embraced William Booth as a gift of Christ and the Holiness Movement seen the Pentecostals as the answer to their prayers. If only the church could accept that in Christ we are all of one blood then we would be visibly one in a way the world could not ignore[13]. The past history of Christianity is tragic, but something new is emerging.

The Father who Accepts Us All

The “one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Eph 4:6) is proud of his “glorious inheritance in the saints” (Eph1:17). Since the first born Son

“is not ashamed to call them (believers) brothers”(Heb2:11), we need feel no embarrassment before our Father. The line of Adam through Cain is broken and the face of God in Christ is always gazing towards us in friendliness, never in anger.

The F/father refuses to listen to the shame filled testimony of the confused prodigal, “‘F/father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’” (Luke15:21), but rather embraces him in total accepting joy. This environment of shamelessness is the true environment of the church. Now we “offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1Pet 2:5); the curse of Cain is gone from us forever so we never need fight our brother.

Back to the Cross

Nothing I have said will stop the in – fighting, unhealthy comparisons[14], and ego drivenness in the church unless we again embrace the way of the cross. “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” (Rom8:17). Our awareness that we are joint heirs with Jesus of the coming world is in direct proportion to our dying to our claims to this one. As Jesus died to his rights over this perishing world we die to die our “rights” and our awareness of the inheritance beyond this life becomes increasingly intense. We are no longer invested in grabbing our share of the present – our share of finances, attention, ministry, women or whatever.

The Spirit of the anti – Father

As God is working to raise up a new and godly generation of men, Satan is setting up a fraudulent fatherly presence. Jesus said of the religious leaders of his time, “you are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires” (John8:44) Just as there is a spirit of the antichrist (1 John 4:3) there is also a spirit of the antifather.

Paul warned the church, “For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers” (1 Cor4:15). Where men claim to be spiritual fathers, and receive acclaim, status or finance from the people of God they openly violate the first law of fathering, “For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.” (2 Cor12:14). They are exposed as false fathers and their ministry, however outwardly impressive, is to be discounted (2 Cor11:12-15). Voluntary suffering for one’s children is the sole authentic measure of fatherhood (1 Cor 4:8 – 12). .

Where the Spirit of the Father is present, all rejoice at the well being and prosperity of other brothers. When men focus on their own achievements in wealth, knowledge, church growth, sporting success etc., this too is the working of the spirit of the antifather.

Conclusion

For lasting change to come in Australiaseveral things must happen. Firstly, there must be a revelation of the joint inheritance of all the sons of God[15]. Only when the Holy Spirit pours out the power of the cross will disciples cease to strive as to who is “the greatest” (Mark 9:34). Secondly, this must flow out in affection that seeks to promote others above oneself[16], “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.” (Rom12:10). Third, this affection amongst men will be visible to our culture. A new type of emotionally bonded masculinity will prove a radical testimony to the power of Christ. Fourthly, this community of men will transcend the old barriers of denomination, age, education, social class etc. Finally, I am anticipating that the primary location of this revolution in male identity will not be behind the walls of the local church, but in the public space of the marketplace.

“And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.” (Rev 21:5 – 7)