There have been many and varied books written on manhood and masculinity generally, and on Christian masculinity specifically. Many have come at the subject from different angles with different ends in mind. In the era post-COVID, this subject has arisen repeatedly. Many young men have left historic Protestantism in favor of Roman Catholicism or Eastern Orthodoxy in hopes for a more grounded atmosphere for cultivating masculinity. There have been other notable drifts as well toward a cultural masculinity that sadly neglects the fruit of the Spirit or lacks a firm foundation in the gospel of free grace in Jesus Christ.
At the same time, there have been some helpful books written on the subject coming from within traditionally Reformed Protestantism. One such example is the recent book The Redeemed Man, edited by Joel R. Beeke, Richard D. Phillips, and Paul M. Smalley. This volume includes contributions from multiple authors, including the editors, as well as other authors such as Kevin DeYoung, Jason Helopolous, David Strain, Terry Johnson, and many others. The book serves as a wide look at the Christian life. In the introduction, Richard D. Phillips writes,
The editors produced this volume because we perceived the need for a comprehensive and up-to-date guide for Christian men that is distinctively biblical in its approach. Like Caleb, who centuries ago called forth the men of Israel, our aim is to summon Christian men to embrace their calling in service to the Lord. A book like this is made necessary by the prevailing confusion of our times; men who turn to Jesus Christ today will often be coming from a world that has sown in their minds corrupt ideas of life and manhood. We therefore desired a single comprehensive book that could be handed to a believing man and speak to the whole of his life. Our prayer has been that this volume would be a treasured companion throughout the lifetime of a host of godly men, its worn pages serving as a blessing to them, to the people they know and love, and to the glory of the God of grace who redeemed us through Christ’s blood. (2)
This book certainly does provide a comprehensive treatment as it looks at the whole course of the Christian life. It is divided into four main sections. Part 1 is “A Godly Man’s Relationship with God.” This is a fitting place to begin, as this is the grounding for the whole scope of the life of the Christian man. One must know God in order to be a Christian; one must embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ. One of the most refreshing aspects of this book is its grounding everything in the biblical gospel. The gospel is not something that is set aside to focus on only the “practical” elements of manhood; rather, the practical is rooted in the gospel itself, and nothing is more practical than believing in Jesus and his gospel—hence, the title The Redeemed Man. With that said, the very first chapter, by Joel R. Beeke and Paul Smalley, is “The Redeemed Man Repenting and Believing.” This section of the book also posits a strong grounding in the gospel of grace for sanctification. The chapter “The Redeemed Man Growing in Grace” by Sinclair Ferguson, is much needed, as the doctrine of sanctification is often misunderstood. It can even be forgotten that much of being a godly man is indeed bound up in growing closer to God and living before his face. But Ferguson is clear that we must be grounded in the gospel message. He writes, “Our first priority, therefore, if we are to grow in grace, is to appropriate the multiplied grace of Christ in which we are to grow. Only when our roots are sunk deeply into the soil of the divine indicatives will we be able to grow in the joy of obedience to the rigorous and vigorous divine imperatives that follow” (47).
Ferguson is clear about these “imperatives” but rightly reminds us that we must be grounded in the truths of the gospel, or the “indicatives.” He is also clear that we should seek to live as Christians: “But we must not think that growth in grace is accomplished by adding together fifty percent of our activity to God’s fifty percent, thus making up the whole. No, God is one hundred percent engaged, and so are we. . . . He is saving us; but that salvation means we are beginning to live out, willingly, freely, personally, and universally, a saved lifestyle” (49).
Here is an accurate presentation on sanctification. Men can be all too tempted toward either antinomianism (marked by a lack of concern for Christian growth) or legalism (marked by wanting something to do in order to be saved). Ferguson clearly grounds us in the gospel of free grace and speaks to our responsibility.
Part 2 is “A Godly Man’s Relationships with People.” It is fitting that the first section addresses first-table concerns, and this section addresses second-table concerns. Just a few subjects included in this section are “The Redeemed Man Honoring His Parents by Terry Johnson,” “The Redeemed Man Loving His Wife by Joel Beeke,” and “The Redeemed Man Leading His Family by Jason Helopolous.” In my opinion, standout chapters in this section were Curt Daniel’s “The Redeemed Man Living in Singleness” and David Strain’s “The Redeemed Man Witnessing to Unbelievers,” as these are often overlooked subjects. As someone who has been involved in the work of church planting, I was particularly struck by David Strain’s encouragement to Christian men to pray for the salvation of the lost with a firm trust in God’s sovereignty. While we should be clear about right and wrong, it is all too common to hear denunciations only and not prayer for lost sinners. He writes,
You can pray for your unconverted friends’ salvation only because you trust the God who has the power to save. He alone calls sinners from death to life. Salvation is His alone to give. . . . Grasp the sovereignty of the true God and pray for Him to bring your friends and loved ones into His kingdom! Pray in the confidence that the One you address is mighty to save, and at His voice, many a Lazarus will step alive again from the tomb. (155)
Also helpful is Strain’s emphasis on the love that we should have for the lost. It is right for us to weep and to grieve over the lost condition of our neighbors and our loved ones and of the many who are living without Christ and eternal hope. He writes,
Jesus loved us and endured the hell of the cross that we might live. Surely, in the heart of every redeemed man there ought to be something of an echo of the Savior’s love for us, moving us to be willing to sacrifice self for the good of others. . . . Can’t we give up our comfort, risk a little embarrassment, step out of our comfort zone once in a while to tell people whom we profess to love about their great danger without Christ, and share his free invitation to them to find mercy in Him? (152)
The third section, “A Godly Man’s Work,” is particularly useful as it is all too easy to fall into the temptation to complain about work or to view work itself as an evil. This section includes material on work itself (e.g., see Richard D. Phillips, “The Redeemed Man Viewing His Work Rightly” and Daniel Doriani, “The Redeemed Man Laboring at His Work”) as well as a chapter on rest and recreation by Gerard Hemmings. One noteworthy chapter is Kevin DeYoung’s “The Redeemed Man Serving His Church,” as it is a needful reminder of the duty and privilege of the Christian man to serve in the body of Christ and to use his gifts for the glory of God and for the good of others. Particularly helpful in this chapter was DeYoung’s explanation of the New Testament’s exhortations (specifically from Titus 2) to both older and younger men (189–93). He shares this excellent reminder toward the end of his chapter: “The men in our churches need not make any apologies for being men, but they do need to keep their eyes on Jesus to see what true manhood looks like” (196).
The final section, part 4, is “A Godly Man’s Finishing Well.” This deals with the challenges for men in the later years of life and deals with subjects such as “The Redeemed Man Persevering in His Faith” by Geoff Thomas and “The Redeemed Man Preparing for Death by Ian Hamilton.” The Redeemed Man is consistent in directing the Christian man to Jesus Christ as his true hope, and this is especially seen in this last section. For example, Ian Hamilton writes on the final page, “The redeemed man, the man in Christ, has a glorious and living hope. Death will not, indeed cannot, extinguish that glorious and living hope. Jesus Christ will not lose one of those given to Him by His Father” (285). What a powerful truth with which to conclude this book—that we are held in the invincible grip of our Savior. This truly is a much-needed reminder—the hope that we have as we live the Christian life from start to finish. As men also lead, whether in the church or in their families, this is the hope to which they can point others repeatedly as it is their own hope.
This book is commendable for many reasons. For one, it accomplishes the goal set out in the introduction by providing a comprehensive treatment of the life of a Christian man. This does not mean that it says everything that could be said, nor does it mean that it covers every aspect of the life of a Christian man. But it does certainly address issues from the beginning of the Christian man’s life to the end of it. You could give this book to a young man early on in his life, and he could return to it again and again as he goes through his life on earth. Not only this, but the book has an abiding relevance to men of every age and stage in their Christian lives. It does not only target younger men or older men or those in middle age, but it has something to say to Christian men in every stage of life.
Second, the book is to be commended for its Godward focus. Nothing less should be expected from the editors and the contributors who were chosen. Too much literature and material on manhood are primarily “this worldly.” The Redeemed Man provides a grounding in “other worldly” truths and realities that produce practical import for life in this world as a Christian. This Godward focus also prompts a reverent and respectful tone throughout the book. It is noteworthy that the material on relationships with others flows naturally from the material on a relationship with God. This is as it should be, and it follows a biblical pattern.
Third, this book is to be commended for its consistent focus on the gospel and its encouragement toward humility. Much of godly manhood is found in recognizing our own need for the grace of the gospel. Understanding the grace we have been shown drives humility before the Lord. Godly humility will lead to a godly life lived in dependence on our great Savior.
The Redeemed Man is both timely and contains timeless truths because it is grounded in the timeless Word of God. Many young men are unsure of what it means to live as a Christian man in the world, and there are a lot of ideas competing with biblical truth, whether they are found online or in other literature. Here is a book that provides a comprehensive introduction to the many facets of the Christian life dealing with a wide array of topics. Again, not every subject is covered, but many of the most important subjects are. If you seek a book on godly manhood that is truly grounded in Reformed theology, piety, and practice, this is such a book. You will be edified and reminded of truths that endure in every generation.
© James Ritchey. All Rights Reserved.
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James Ritchey
James Ritchey is originally from Birmingham, Alabama and studied at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, MS (2018). James serves as pastor at River City Reformed Presbyterian Church (ARP) in Little Rock, AR.
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