fam37 Manliness: Acting like a Man

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fam37 Manliness: Acting like a Man is an examination of what God means when He wants men to act like men.

Manliness: Acting like a Man
What is “being manly” like?

By David Cox

[fam37] v1 ©2018 www.coxtracts.com
You may freely reproduce this tract for non-profit purposes.

1 Corinthians 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit[1] you like men, be strong. 14 Let all your things be done with charity.

What does “quit you like men” mean? In Greek this is a single word, a verb (G407 ἀνδρίζομαι andrizomai) which means to act like a man. It is a verbal form of the word “man” andros. For Paul, it was the way in which a person conducts himself very specifically corresponding to what God expects a man to be, and thus a man should act that way. Philippians 1:27 Only let your conversation (i.e., conduct) be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.

A Faithful Man, who can find?

Proverbs 20:6 Most men will proclaim everyone his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?

Faithful men, or manly men, are very scarce. God has no problem “being masculine”. The Bible presents God as a male in gender. God made man after “His own image” Genesis 1:26, 27; Colossians 3:10 says we are created “after the image of him (God) that created him (man)”. But God wants men to be manly, act like a man, and that has a very distinct idea in God’s Word. There are character elements that identify a person as being manly. This is not being “macho” where he puts down women. Women have their own commands as to their personality and tasks. But men are to follow God’s example in asserting themselves, and making things happen. But to be “manly” is in some way like being like God, as God is “masculine”.

A Faithful man is not Lazy.

Proverbs 21:25 The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.

Proverbs 26:14 As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed. A lazy man is always seeking excuses and reasons for his unfaithfulness.

Proverbs 26:13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.

The slothful man wastes his time and energy.

Proverbs 18:9 He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.

He thinks he is wise, but really, he is a fool.

Proverbs 26:16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.

All this clarifies that his problems (the unmanly man’s problems) come from his own character. God’s character is to be active, have initiative, be diligent, work hard, and get things done. Proverbs describes for us where the unmanly man is headed. Proverbs 12:24 The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute. His future is gloomy. Proverbs 20:4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing. He may become poorer. Proverbs 13:4 The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat. The opposite of lazy is to be a good worker, be diligent, and quickly do things, and do them well, fighting for life “as a man.” 1 Samuel 4:9 Be strong, and quit yourselves like men… quit yourselves like men, and fight. (“Act like men” in other words.)

A Faithful Man Orders his Life.

A man that “is a manly man!” He is the type of person that is proactive, somebody that acts without a wife or mother always behind him “pushing him forward”. He is a person that sees situations and takes the initiative and acts without waiting. He is a man who is prepared for the future. He is not lazy. Proverbs 6:6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. We can describe him as always “being on top of things”.

Family. The faithful man is the head of his house. From Genesis 1:28 and Genesis 3:17-19 when God commanded Adam to sustain his family (with the sweat of his brow) and to protect it, faithful men have taken this into account, and they obey God’s command.

Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

1 Timothy 3:4 (pastors…) One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;  12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

Genesis 18:19 For I know him (Abraham), that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

Joshua 1:7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. 8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Courageous. A courageous person is strong because he doesn’t fear anything, knowing God is with him, opening doors and giving him strength and direction. He is not a coward nor fearful but acts quickly and with decision. Psalms 31:24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD. 2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. In other words, a faithful man, a manly man, is a man who is a spiritual example for everybody else. A valiant person that doesn’t let difficult or impossible situations stop him. He fights on even in impossible situations.

Work. The faithful man is a good worker. He knows how to work well, and he works neatly with vigor all his days. He works to comply with his obligations of sustaining himself and his family, including the work of God.

1 Timothy 5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

Ephesians 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Church. The strength that men have comes from our spiritual life in Jesus. Our communion with Jesus is our spiritual strength, and to be manly is to act spiritually.

Ephesians 3:16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

The focus here is that God “acts manly” in his ways, and this is in reference to his love for somebody. This love means acting, acting strongly, quickly, decisively in benefit of that person He loves. By imitating God, men defend their wives and children, their homes. They provide for them. Manly men spiritually guard them from evil and sin. “Our strength as men,” or to act like a man, comes from God. Specifically, we take charge and do what is right, exactly like God does, like God’s character is. We live “these principles, these truths”. Our lives are one example, one after another, of God’s principles. The more we meditate on God’s Word, the more power and strength we can muster to do what is right.

2 Peter 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance (self-control); and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

These things are what builds your spirit so that you have spiritual strength.

2 Thessalonians 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

To be a faithful man is to maintain biblical doctrines like “a dog defends his bone.” God only uses faithful men to build His church and do His work to evangelize the world. It begins with us brethren, really what we are spiritually. Are you a faithful man?

A Man is one who overcomes, a Fighter.

1 Corinthians 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

A faithful man is a person who controls himself, suffering, if need be, but offers his own life and will (desires, comfort, even pain and suffering) in sacrifice to achieve what he seeks to be. He is a winner against the challenges of life. The great problem that he must conquer is his own self. He must have self-control. Galatians 5:22-23 “temperance” is self-control, the fruit of the Holy Spirit dwelling inside a person. (Also, in the 1 Corinthians 9:25 verse above “temperate in all things” is self-control).

Proverbs 25:28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

Proverbs 16:32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

He must break from the practice of a worldly walk of life and force himself to walk spiritually by putting his life and his family’s life under consideration, investigation, meditation, and prayer. He must be strong to implement the principles of God into his life. A person must control himself and act according to intelligence and precision, according to the “truth of God” (according to God’s commandments, Word, and principles).

Effeminate Men

1 Corinthians 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

We are warned not to be deceived; these kinds of people are not saved. Paul clarifies that these types of people will not enter heaven. When a person truly receives Jesus as his Savior, he abandons these types of behavior. These are the conduct of an unsaved person, not a saved man. So, what type of behavior is an effeminate man? It is a man that is not “manly”. It is to act like women typically act, like what women look like. It is frustrating that our Christian women refuse to give up their pants for dresses, yet these effeminate men know exactly how to look feminine, wear a skirt or dress. Neither is a manly man unfaithful to his wife. Paul also addresses homosexuality in this passage. See also 1 Timothy 1:10; Romans 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly… What God presents to us here are opposites, a manly man versus an effeminate, homosexual “man.”

1 Corinthians 16:13 Quit you like men

Watching. Men should watch and guard their personal lives, their families, and their churches. It is to secure these are marching in the will of God, good doctrine, biblical conduct.

To be Firm. Satan destabilizes us and ours, and we must not cave into his influence when things get difficult. We are to be the columns and strength of our society.

Be Strong. Only through much exercise is a person strong. We must train ourselves to be strong and act automatically (like a muscle reflex) acting in God’s will, because we have been constantly exercising in obeying and have a lot of “history” doing God’s will. We must “train” ourselves through Bible study, prayer, meditating on the Word of God), and just doing God’s will often or always (things like prayer, witnessing, giving Bible advice, etc.) if we are to be strong soldiers in God’s army.

Truthfully, we need men of decision, that “wear the pants,” and not milk toast men who are effeminate. What a day when we realize the only ones “wearing the pants” in our churches are the women!

Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

[1] “Quit” is like “acquit” which speaks of conduct. “Act like men.”

fam37 Manliness: Acting like a Man

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