How Should a Man Live?

How Should a Man Live?

By Reagan Rose & Miska WilhelmssonReligion & Spirituality
Download on the App Store

How Should a Man Live? episodes

  • The Most Valuable Resource on Earth

    In this episode, we look at the phrase “redeem the time” from Ephesians 5:16 and how having an appreciation for the preciousness of our time changes how we live. From the writings of Jonathan Edwards, we examine four reasons why time is the most valuable resource on earth and what that means for how we spend it.

    Show Notes
    Welcome
    • Welcome to the 5th episode…
    • If you have questions, suggestions for topics or just want to say hello. Send me an email at [email protected].
    • Be sure to check out the companion blog post
      • 1:21 - Episode Introduction
      • What makes things like gold, diamonds, oil, or other natural resources valuable?
      • The most valuable resources are useful, rare, and nonrenewable.
      • Given these principles for value, the most valuable resource on earth is time.
      • With the help of Jonathan Edwards, we will take a look at Ephesians 5:16 and that phrase, “redeem the time.”
        • 4:20 - Context for Ephesians 5:16
        • In Ephesians 5:15, the apostle Paul begins a section on “walking in wisdom” so we need to understand the instruction to "redeem the time" in that context.
        • This is one of the ways in which believers are to walk in wisdom. We walk in wisdom by, as it says in the ESV, “making the best use of the time.”
          • 5:26 - Explaining the Phrase
          • That phrase “making the best use of” in the ESV is actually just one word.
          • Some translations render is simply “redeeming.” And that is a good translation because it carries the idea of buying, especially buying back or buying out.
          • Paul uses the same term in Galatians 3:13 when he writes, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us….” And he uses it similarly to our passage in reference to time in Colossians 4:5, “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.”
          • Making the most of the time is the opposite of delaying, it is taking full advantage of every opportunity.
            • 10:48 - Edwards on The Preciousness of Time
            • American Puritan Jonathan Edwards addresses this important issue in his 1734 sermon “on the preciousness of time and the importance of redeeming it”.
            • In it, he gives four reasons why time is precious.
              • 13:05 - First, time is precious because eternity depends on it.
              14:20 - Second, time is precious because it is very short.
              17:02 - Third, time is precious because we do not know how much we have.
              22:40 - Fourth, time is precious because once it’s gone it’s gone.
              24:40 - Application
              Links
              • 4 Reasons Time is Precious - Jonathan Edwards
              • Jonathan Edwards - The Preciousness of Time and the Importance of Redeeming It - PDF
                • ---
                Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/redeemingprod/support
                30 min
              • Flirting with FIRE: The Idol of Financial Independence

                Ever dreamed of retiring early? How about retiring at 25 or 30? In this episode, we talk about a movement that is inspiring young people to be very productive now, so they can be far less productive later.

                The financial independence, retire early movement, or FIRE for short, has continued to gain traction among millennials, including some believers. But how should Christians think about this? Is financial independence a worthy pursuit? And most importantly, what does the Bible have to say about it?

                Links
                • 7 Things You Can Learn From The ‘FIRE’ Early Retirement Movement – Huffington Post
                • Financial Independence subreddit
                • More on Vicki Robin, the Godmother of FIRE
                • More on our time living in an RV – What Living in an RV Taught Me About Minimalism & Contentment
                • Article I wrote for The Master’s Seminary Blog on the deceitfulness of riches – 3 Lies Money Tells
                • This Week on the Redeeming Productivity Blog – 10 Spiritual Benefits of Journaling
                  • ---
                  Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/redeemingprod/support
                  33 min
                • RPS #3 – What Makes Christian Productivity Unique?
                  In this episode, we talk about why the foundation for a Christian’s approach to getting more done is distinctly different from the world’s. And why that means we must take greater care in how we approach the secular productivity advice we read and listen to.
                  1:50 – Introducing why we need a distinctly Christian approach to productivity
                  Why this is different than “Christianizing” secular productivityThere is a unique theology to a Christian’s understanding of productivityIt is dangerous for believers to simply take whatever the world teaches on productivity.These books have helpful advice and guidance, but must be approached with discernment.
                  5:30 – Every philosophy of productivity has a theology
                  Most productivity books and podcasts eventually leave the practical and begin to tread on religious themes—why we are here, the nature of man, the goal of life, etc.
                  11:08 – Examples of secular productivity books presenting religious themes
                  Quotes from The War of Art, The Compound Effect, The Power of Habit, and more.
                  20:30 – What makes these things dangerous, and how it relates to the sufficiency of Scripture
                  If we don’t listen carefully, we inadvertently imbibe unbiblical theologies and build our life on them.Explanation of the sufficiency of Scripture and how that assures us of a better foundation for our productivity as Christians.
                  25:20 – Examples of Scripture speaking directly to the issue of productivity
                  The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-28), The mandate to work heartily unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23)To not waste time (Ephesians 5:15–17) To live with self-control (Titus 2:12)The entire book of Proverbs and its emphasis on wisdom.All of these point to not just the possibility, but to the necessity, of a truly Christian productivity.
                  26:55 – Christian productivity is only for Christians and an explanation of what it means to be a Christian
                  Christian productivity doesn’t work for everyone, only for those who have put their faith in Jesus ChristChange in the Christian life is the work of God, but that change is accomplished through the means of diligent effortR.C. Sproul quote, “… we think that because we’re…Christian…we do not have to be concerned about productivity. On the contrary, our calling as Christians is the highest calling there is, and the idea of being productive is not the invention of capitalism, it is the mandate of Christ.” (R.C. Sproul, John, St. Andrew’s Expositional Commentary, 286)
                  Links
                  This episode was based in part upon my article Why We Need a Distinctly Christian Productivity, which was itself based on material I used for my course on Stewardship & ProductivityOn the Mormon roots of 7 Habits for Highly Effective People – A Closer Look at Stephen Covey and His 7 HabitsBooks mentioned on today’s episode: The War of Art, The Compound Effect, The Power of Habit, Atomic Habits, Deep Work.
                  ---
                  Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/redeemingprod/support
                  31 min
                • RPS #2 – How to Use Email Like a Christian
                  In this episode, we talk about how what it looks like to email like a Christian and how personal efficiency is not necessarily at odds with having a good witness in the workplace.
                  2:41 – Discuss article on “Emailing Like a Boss”
                  How the author says her life was changed by responding to emails with shorter answers because it made her more responsive, and let fewer emails slip through the cracks.The author was inspired by seeing emails from top CEOs and politicians when they became public after high-profile email hacks.Mark Cuban is known for this practice.Like to article from BuzzFeed (warning: Language).
                  7:30 – Discussing the merits of this terse approach to email
                  Allows you to get more emails answered.But there is a trade-off in personal warmth.Is this practice a good idea for Christians in the workplace?
                  8:30 – Emailing like a Christian—not a CEO
                  The Bible has a lot to say about how believers communicate:Quoted Matt. 15:11; 12:34.Regardless of the medium through which Christians communicate, our communication should be markedly Christian.Explained Colossians 4:5–6.The way in which you email is part of your Christian witness in the workplace.
                  16:41 – Personal efficiency in email is not at odds with loving people in our communication
                  Often, the most caring thing you can do with email is get back to someone right away, even if that means a shorter, more terse response.Long-winded emails do not equal better emails.
                  20:12 – The principles behind emailing like a Christian
                  Be ResponsiveBe ClearBe BriefBe Kind
                  24:05 – Some examples of emailing like a Christian
                  29:26 – Conclusion
                  Personal efficiency is not at odds with painting a good Christian witness. Often it can assist in that. So when it comes to emailing like a Christian the goal is simple: I want to have a good witness for Christ, by being a person who communicates well through email.That means I need to respond in a reasonable time frame. And it means I need to make sure my emails, like all my speech, are always gracious, seasoned with salt.
                  Links
                  BuzzFeedNew article referenced: I Tried Emailing Like A CEO And Quite Frankly, It Made My Life BetterOn the blog this week: More information about this podcastAnother blog post on email – How to Handle Ministry Email OverloadReagan’s Stewardship & Productivity Course at The Institute for Church Leadership
                  ---
                  Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/redeemingprod/support
                  32 min
                • Show Intro and 10 Tips for Seminarians

                  In this first episode of the Redeeming Productivity Show, Reagan introduces what the show and blog are all about, tells a little bit about him, then the bulk of the program is about tips for seminary students to be successful in their studies while staying close to the Lord.

                  Links
                  • 10 Tips for Success in Seminary – Blog Article – Redeeming Productivity
                  • Note-taking software – Evernote, Microsoft OneNote, Ulysses App
                  • How to Stay Christian in Seminary by David Matthis
                  • Stewardship & Productivity Course – by Reagan Rose – from The Institute for Church Leadership (Use promo code RedeemingProd for $20 off).
                  • The Master’s Seminary
                  • Grace to You
                    • ---
                    Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/redeemingprod/support
                    34 min

                  About How Should a Man Live?

                  From the publisher's feed

                  In each episode, Miska and Reagan open the Bible to explore themes of biblical masculinity, man's relationship to nature, and exactly what it means to live as a man in God's creation.