fam30 what does it mean to be a man of God?

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fam30 what does it mean to be a man of God? explores what is a man of God, looking at his character and faithfulness.

What does it mean to “be a man of God”?

Por David Cox

[fam30] v2.1 ©2023 www.coxtracts.com
You may freely reproduce this tract for non-profit purposes.

1 Timothy 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

What is a man of God? Even though many people today speak of being a “Christian” or “saved”, there are very few that want to be identified as “a man of God.” To be a man of God clearly identifies the person and his life as “belonging to God”, as something important.

It means that this man has turned his life over to God. It means that he now is not his own, but rather he totally recognizes his Redeemer as his Lord. This is not a little thing, but every saved man should be a man of God.

1 Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.  

Settling yourself in Sound Doctrine

1 Timothy 6:3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; 4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, 5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

The first mark of a man of God is his conduct and attitude. While many “Christian people” will argue, fight, and in other forms have customs and habits in what they boast as Christian, the true man of God settles himself (bases his life) in the sound words (teachings, doctrines, practices) of the Bible. We observe that sound doctrine always produces piety in the person that really has it. In place of seeking signs of spirituality that they will carry on their shoulder; divine doctrine truly and deeply affects the man of God. He seeks to be and is changed to be holy, like Jesus Christ is holy. This is seen in his relationships with others because he will not enter social sins, nor strive so that the world and others honor him. His compass is set in another way, that of piety before God. He is not concerned so much with what others think, but rather what God thinks of him.

2 Timothy 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Paul advised Timothy of the presence of false “Christians” that would try to appear as holy men of God, but were not so. Their rotten character is what marks them as being false prophets. They have the appearance of holiness, but they deny this by not actually being godly. The corruption of their character is very notable here. Holy people are holy, and there are no exceptions. The worldly and carnal person is not a man of God.

1 Timothy 4:7 But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. 8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

The man of God is a person that has dedicated his life to being holy, that is, to live Christ daily through his life. Living in holiness in this life, but also having the promise of God in that of the coming age. He puts much value in being holy.

1 Timothy 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

There are people that see all religion as a way to “get ahead” economically.  They “use” their Christian conduct to advance their economic “agenda”. There is a great distinction between a man of God and a citizen of this world.

Hebrews 11:14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. 15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

The man of God, as Abraham, has his vision firmly placed in the eternal, the heavenly, and not in the things of this earth. You see this in how he lives his life, in what he seeks as pleasures and hobbies, and how he is dedicated to the things of eternity, not participating in many activities and worries of this world.

He is not Worldly in Finances

1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

A man of God also understands that it is of great success and of infinite value to be holy and be happy and content with it. Everything we have accumulated in this world we will lose in a blinking of an eye. We will carry nothing of this world with us into eternity. A man of God is a person that constantly meditates on this point, and he invests all his life into eternity. With the most meager of this life, he is content. He understands that the desire of things of this world is of little importance, and his life reflects this understanding. He does not allow the desire of possessions and money to control and dominate his life. Furthermore, he sees the evil that plagues the men of this world, and he understands that neither riches nor the pleasures of this world will make a person truly happy nor content.

2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness.

Everything worldly is temporary, transitory, and without eternal value. The belief that God will judge the world with destruction is what causes a person to live piously and in holiness. Because of this, the man of God makes the things of this world unimportant and focuses his life on living for eternity.

A Vision for the Heavenly

1 Timothy 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

The true man of God is a person who flees from the things of this world, and instead, make the things of God important. These strivings, and what he ignores or puts lesser importance on, is what marks the man as someone who belongs to God, or in other words, he is “a man of God.”

Justice

“Justice” is to do what is just or correct. The person who guides his like in the ways of justice is somebody who seeks with all his heart to do the will of God, and this he does do. Also, we can understand here, if sin is the negative or opposite of the will of God, then justice is the positive, and it is the very will of God.

Piety

1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

“Piety” is defined as the divine character of Jesus Christ manifested in our actions and attitudes. The man of God is a reserved person in his likes and pleasures, living according to an internal moral guide.

Faith

Titus 2:9 Exhort servants to… 10 Not purloining but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

When somebody says that their life is a lie, that means that they are not constant, they are not always faithful, always the same. What one hears from the person is not what they really are. They say many things, but they are not faithful, reliable, always constant, stable. The concept of “having faith” is to always live what they believe. Their actions testify to their beliefs. Your words may make you appear pious, but your constant conduct is what confirms that what you say, you are. The concept is faithfulness, to be such that others and God can confide in you.

Love

1 John 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

Love is the essence of God (1 John 4:8, 16), and God instructs us that we can confide in our salvation when we live loving our brethren in Christ. The man of God fulfills his spiritual burden in developing his character to be like God’s character. You simply will not find a true Christian without seeing them seeking fellowship with fellow Christians in the same love that Christ showed with his brethren. By building a life of support and help for their fellow Christians, serving them, they make themselves spiritually rich for eternity. Their spiritual investment is always seen in relation to the church (the work of God) and the rest of the redeemed, especially those of their local reach, their local church.

Patience

Part of the development of their character is the moral strength that is seen in patience. “Patience” means that they “do not throw in the towel” when things don’t go as they hope that they would. Even with problems, affliction, suffering, or simply the aggravation that Satan does in his life, the man of God continues as if nothing important is happening. He builds patience and perseverance on the foundation of faithfulness and constancy.

Meekness

Ephesians 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love.

Jesus Christ lived a life of high conflict and aggression against his person. Being extremely holy and pious, his persecution was very much more severe because the aggression of sinners against him did not have any reason nor excuse. Even suffering unjustly, Jesus always showed tenderness and meekness towards others in his life. His humility and meekness were very noticeable. Meekness is also what motivates peace and unity between brothers, and from this flows a deep profound spiritual love.

Titus 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.

V1 2011, v2 2018, v2.1 2023

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