Man Of God
Matt Walsh wrote an inciteful blog about men in our culture. He says the Evil One’s campaign against men and boys has been successful. We have been bad mouthed diminished, dismissed, and forsaken. Men have become reprobate: condemned and unworthy. Seventeen million families live today in homes without their fathers. The mother is now the leader of the families and the head of the home. Men and boys learn masculinity from their mothers and from TV shows. Manhood has been described as toxic, dangerous, demoralized. Boys are emerging from school damaged and degraded. Sixty percent of college students are women. Our culture is having its way with men as men buy into the popular culture’s demoralized view of manhood.
What’s the answer for men? It’s a spiritual battle. Men’s ministry in the churches is an uphill climb. Men in our culture have earned many of the negative stereotypes. Alpha-male “chauvinists” are considered privileged, abusive, and arrogant. As Ecclesiastes says, “there is nothing new under the sun.” In the Old Testament culture, most of the Kings of Israel and Judah were corrupt. Many men can bear up under pressure, but to know a man’s true character, put him in a position of power.
The pendulum in our culture has swung in favor of women. As in today’s world, Jesus stepped into a culture of fallen men. He turned down the zealots who wanted him to throw off the oppression of the Roman government. Jesus declined their offer when they wanted to make him their leader.
God always raises up men of God “for such a time as this.” The term “man of God is used 70 times in scripture. It’s only used twice in the New Testament: Once in 1 Timothy and once in 2 Timothy. The phrase “man of God” is the “genitive of possession.” A man of God is God’s man. It’s not about who we are but rather whose we are.
According to 1Timothy 6:3-5, “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.”
These are the things that Paul exhorts Timothy to flee from. In verse 11, as a “man of God,” he says instead to pursue godliness.
“But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.”
Pete recalls that he met with his fraternity brother who questioned whether his life has been worthwhile. Although he built a successful business and accumulated wealth and property, he had sacrificed his family on the altar of worldly success.
In 2 Timothy Paul lists characteristics of men in “the last days.” They will be lovers of self and lovers of money. They will be abusive, unloving, and unforgiving, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. Having a form of godliness but denying God’s power. Therefore do not sign a “peace treaty” with such men.
The adversary will tempt men to sin and then shame them when they fall. He appeals to a man’s pride and “macho” sense of revenge in the guise of “just retribution.”
One of the devil’s biggest lies is that financial, monetary gain is great success. However, the love of money is the root of all evil. What is it that you love? What you love, you will gladly serve.
To win the battle, we must seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. Paul says that contentment with what you have is great gain. The exhortation is “take heed and beware of covetousness, for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of things that he posesseth.
Therefore humble thyself under the mighty hand of God. To walk in fellowship with our lord, is to acknowledge that Father knows best. God is the one who pursues us to make us his own. He is the “hound of heaven.” All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone unto his own way. Jesus himself leaves the flock of 99 sheep to pursue the one lost sheep.
Paul’s exhortation to Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:13-14 says, “I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus… That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:”
Are we willing to “put one one the scoreboard” for our Lord Jesus Christ? As Romans 12 says, quit ye (conduct yourselves) like men, be strong in the lord. Our identity is in Christ. For I was crucified with Christ nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me. And the life that I now live, I live by faith in the one who loved me and gave himself for me.
Therefore fight the good fight of faith. May our prayer be, Lord make me a man of God. Your man who lives to glorify you and to represent you as a living epistle in a world of darkness among whom we shine as lights. That our lives may be to the praise of the glory of your grace.
May God richly bless you,
Your brother in Christ,
Michael