Be a Man

Introduction

(Read Text) Paul’s 3rd command is a great one to consider on Father’s Day. God says, “Act like men.” He assumes you know how a man should act. And he assumes it is good, something we want to achieve, and something we can achieve. “Act like men.” Unfortunately, many Americans don’t know what it means to act like a man, and many are certainly not proud of biblical manhood. It’s toxic; it’s bad. 
Then we are shocked to learn that men in America are struggling. There’s been a lot of conversation lately about how men in America are becoming increasingly lonely, depressed, unproductive, angry, and even violent. 
Recently, I came across a massive, liberal-leaning study on the “State of American Men.” It’s concerning. For example, “65% of men aged 18 to 23 say that ‘no one really knows me well.’” “40% of all men show depressive symptoms.” “44% of all men had thoughts of suicide in the prior two weeks; younger men show the highest levels of depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation.” And they’re acting on it. 80% of suicides are men. 
“(48%) say their online lives are more engaging and rewarding than their offline lives.” “Six in ten men visit porn sites at least weekly.” 92% have “accessed pornography in the past month.” That’s bad! FWIW, 60% of women have too. Finally, there have been 142 mass shootings since 1982. Men committed 138 of them. It’s all very disturbing. 
But frankly, it’s not surprising considering how biblical manhood has been under attack for decades. The only time many people talk about masculinity is to condemn “toxic masculinity.” To be clear, we should despise masculine sins like rape, domestic abuse, violence, and neglect. But much of the world considers you toxic, men, if you simply feel a duty to make enough money so that your wife can stay home or if you feel a duty to protect women and to act chivalrous. I came across one academian who listed “toughness” as an attribute of toxic masculinity. 
Many men, especially young men, are fed up and angry that the world despises how God has wired them. But they’re not running toward biblical masculinity; they are running far past it toward a perverted, narcissistic, and abusive imitation. Influencers like Andrew Tate have seized on men’s anger and some genuinely good impulses in men, mixed it with lust and pride, and created the so-called manosphere. It’s huge, and it’s very influential. 
Will Spencer gives a good summary of what it teaches our boys. “In the Manosphere’s ‘red pill,’ (an image taken from the Matrix movies) the truths men learn concern the nature of women’s sexual desire. The central lesson is that harmless ‘nice guys’ are destined for heartbreak, because deep-down their girlfriends and wives prefer sexy, reckless ‘bad boys.’
That might not be a shocking allegation, but the ‘red pill’ takes things a step further. It teaches that men only embody the nice guy archetype because they’ve been manipulated by their feminist mothers and culture. Men who never question their programming end up as ‘blue-pill betas,’ effeminate suckers deprived of their masculine birthright. They’re guys that women settle for and marry but never desire. These are supposedly the predominant type of man today.
By contrast, men who enter the Manosphere ‘take the red pill,’ which awakens them to these hidden truths. Imbued with secret knowledge, men of the Manosphere then train to grow in physical, financial, and sexual power. The promise is that by shedding ‘beta’ programming and becoming ‘alphas,’ the men will transform into objects of women’s sexual desire. This will activate dormant feminine submission, empowering men to triumph over the feminist spirit of the age.”
That’s horrible! But there’s just enough truth mixed in to hook people, even some Christians. For example, Joel Webbon is a pastor and online influencer who has built a big following He says, Andrew Tate is “sinning in the right direction” by recovering some form of masculinity. I’m tired of all the talk about toxic masculinity too, but there’s no such thing as “sinning in the right direction.” We don’t fix one sin issue by swinging the pendulum to another. We stand on the Bible, and we condemn all evil.
So, our world is very confused about masculinity. People on the far left despise the whole concept as necessarily oppressive and abusive. People on the far right are glorifying Satanic corruptions of manhood. It’s doing terrible damage to our boys and young men, and to everyone they touch.
But on the positive side, the rise of the manosphere tell us that men are hungry for a positive vision of masculinity that resonates with their nature. And we have the inspired, authoritative vision in the Bible, laid out by the one who designed men. So, today, I want you to see God’s vision of manhood, fall in love with that vision, be that man yourself (if you are a guy), and help others become those men (that’s all of us). I’d like to start with our text and with the basic biblical assumption that…

I.  Masculinity is a good gift of God.

Our text is part of Paul’s conclusion to the letter. As he often does, Paul rapidly fires off several closing commands. So, our text is built on 5 present imperatives (read). Paul’s primary concern is that the church is constantly under attack from deception, lies, and sins like the ones Paul addressed in 1 Corinthians. So, the church must be alert, it must stand firm in the faith, and it must act like men in the face of these attacks.
His 3rd command is especially fascinating. What does Paul mean by it? The Greek verb is andrízomai. It’s built on the Greek term for a man, anār, andrós. It means to “conduct oneself in a manly or courageous way” (BDAG). This is the only time the verb is used in the NT, but it is fairly common in secular Greek. 
Rogers & Rogers say, “Aristotle uses the word to indicate the display of courage which he describes as the mean between fear and confidence.” “Josephus uses the term to describe the courageous fighting of the Jewish defenders of Jotapatha, and in his description of Titus telling his troops to be courageous, but using forethought and not running personal risks. It also appears in Titus’ speech of encouragement to his soldiers as they are discouraged in their siege of Jerusalem.” The LXX (ancient Greek translation of the OT) uses it in Joshua 1:6, 7, 9 where Joshua urges Israel, “Be strong and courageous.” 
Paul also imagines a hostile, military context. He commands the Corinthians to be strong and courageous in the face of Satanic and worldly attacks. 
Because of this some translations simply say “be courageous.” That is the sense. But it’s not precise, and it misses an important assumption. Paul assumes, along with everyone else who used this term, that this sort of courage is a uniquely masculine quality. 
So, “act like men” is a good translation. Paul is saying, “Be a man! Stand up to the enemy and fight.” Now, he’s not saying woman aren’t also courageous. Paul is addressing to the entire church, so women should be courageous too. And the Bible says they can be. Yael risked her life by driving a tent peg through Sisera’s skull. 
Yet, Paul assumes that courage to take on an enemy is a special quality of masculinity. It’s not toxic or inherently misogynist. It is good, and we should celebrate it because God gives men strength and the courage to face danger and protect others from it. 
The evidence is everywhere. Who generally takes on the dangerous cockroach in the bathtub? The man does, or even the little boy. Women are generally inclined to recoil, but men are inclined to attack. Yes, there are exceptions. Some girls like bugs. But exceptions don’t make rules. 
No, last year on Sunday nights, we walked slowly through Genesis 1–3, and we saw repeatedly that God made men and women with distinct and complementary strengths and weaknesses. God didn’t give Adam another man. No, God gave him “a helper suitable (corresponding) to him.” They complement; they complete each other. 
Our world wants to pretend that’s not so, that girls can and should do everything boys do and that boys must cut out that masculinity stuff. They claim masculinity is inherently oppressive and authoritarian. But at the end of day 6, Genesis 1:31 says, “God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good.” That includes masculinity, at least as God made it. 
The curse corrupted everything including masculinity, and we should despise every curse-ridden expression masculinity. But we should celebrate every blessing of God’s original design in the men around us. Men, you should take the right kind of pride in being that man. And we must encourage that masculinity in the boys around us. 
We have a great message for all the confused, lonely, and angry young men around us. God made them to be men. They don’t need to be ashamed of it; they should be proud of it. And God’s Word can guide them toward being great men who make a difference, earn respect, and enjoy friendship. 
We have a far better message than what’s on either the left or the right because it comes from the all-wise God who made us. But what exactly has he designed men to be? What does it mean to act like a man?

II.  Act like a man.

I’d like to highlight 5 attributes that God has especially entrusted to men. Again, that doesn’t mean women shouldn’t pursue them. They should, just like men should aspire to uniquely feminine qualities. 
Paul says, “We proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children” (1 Thess 2:7). That doesn’t fit the manosphere. Andrew Tate tells men to dominate women harshly, but 1 Timothy 3:3 says a man is disqualified from being a pastor if he is not gentle. 
So, ladies, you’re not off the hook. You should aspire to all these in a uniquely feminine way. If you are not married, look for a man who has these marks. And don’t listen when the world tells you to be threatened by biblical masculinity. No, encourage boys and young men toward God’s design. That said, godly men are 1st known for…
Courage: This is the primary point of andrízomai in our text. God designed called men to be courageous in the face of danger. Therefore, in Judges 4 when Barak said he would not lead Israel into battle unless Deborah went with him, she rebuked him and said the honor would go to a woman. Barak failed to act like a man. His job was to stand up with courage to the Canaanites. His job was to defend and protect the people of Israel. 
Thankfully, God has generally wired us to do that. Men enjoy risk. They relish facing danger head on. That’s not something we should drive out; it just needs to be managed with wisdom. The Pentagon doesn’t need to even the numbers of men and women who go into combat. No, we should celebrate the men ready to go. And men, you need to grow courage. We all have fears, but God has called you to press through them, make tough decisions, and face threats. Be courageous. 2nd, men should have…
Ambition: Genesis 2 teaches that God has made men to ambitiously leave the home provide for their families. When Adam sinned, God punished him by cursing the ground since it was uniquely his job to till it and provide. So, men should be industrious, hard workers who show initiative. 
Unfortunately, young men increasingly sit around and play video games all day. There’s a lot of discussion today about delayed adulthood. Boys are not growing up and embracing adult responsibility. Our culture celebrates youth and irresponsibility, but Paul boasts, “When I became a man, I did away with childish things” (1 Cor 13:11b). Men should aspire to work, not play.
So, Solomon constantly urges his son not to be lazy, “As the door turns on its hinges, so does the sluggard on his bed” (Prov 26:14). A lazy man is as obnoxious as a squeaky door. Men, there’s nothing weirdly manly about being lazy and unproductive. I’ve heard it said, “Men are like Mack trucks. We do better with a load.” Cultivate the right kind of ambition. 3rd, men should cultivate…
Strength: Obviously, God has generally made men physically stronger, faster, and bigger than women. Sadly, some men use that to hurt others selfishly, but strength was originally a blessing from God to help men lead, provide, and protect. Guys, make sure you use that strength appropriately. God made you strong to serve others, not to feed your lust and pride.
But when Paul says, “act like men,” in the face of danger, he assumes that God has made men to have a special mental strength and toughness. Again, the LXX uses the same verb in Joshua 1, where Joshua urges Israel, “Be strong and courageous.”
Again, we all know some really tough ladies, and we all know of fathers who run from making hard decisions and leave mothers to pick up the pieces. One of the worst cancers in our society is childish men who are too scared to take responsibility, face pressure, and make hard decisions. 
But the core of manhood is leadership. Men, don’t leave your wives out to dry on the hard decisions and the tough stances. Embrace the responsibility to calmly take it on and to lead through it. You can because God made you to do it. But if you are going to do that well, you must cultivate the a 4th quality…
Wisdom: Most commentators believe that the natural contrast to “act like men” in our text is not femininity but childishness (1 Corinthians 13:11). Sadly, a lot of men are not growing up. They’re irresponsible, lazy, afraid, and foolish. 
Solomon understood that boys have those tendencies and that they are generally impulsive and reckless. So, one of the biggest emphases he gave his son in Proverbs was to pursue wisdom. “The beginning of wisdom is: acquire wisdom; and with all your acquiring, get understanding” (Prov 4:7). God made men to charge toward danger, but not recklessly. Men, be wise. And there are few things our boys need more than wisdom. The 5th quality is…
Love: The final command in our text is (v. 14). I love that. Love must govern and drive all the manliness of v. 13. Without it, you end up with the abusive, narcissism of Andrew Tate and the manosphere. But with it, you get the blessed leadership of Jesus or Paul. 
Lest you think that love is not at the core of biblical masculinity, consider the fact that Paul gives husbands one command, “Love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her” (Eph 5:25). 
The manosphere leans hard on your selfishness and pride. It tells you to love yourself, worship yourself, and serve yourself. Jesus didn’t tell you not to be great. He told you be great, but the path to true manly greatness is to serve as Christ laid down his life for us.  
Jesus described himself as “gentle and lowly,” but there was nothing soft and effeminate about the cross. Jesus ran toward danger with courage, conviction, and strength. He took all the pain like a man. And he did so out of a deep, manly passion to lovingly, lead, provide for, and protect his sheep.
The gospel radically transforms how we think about masculinity. We have a much better example than all the broken ones of this world. And the gospel gives hope that by God’s grace you can be a godly man like Jesus. Men, we don’t have to slaves to our passions. You don’t have to angry or insecure, always feeling the need to assert your power. You are complete in Christ. You can be strong, courageous, and compassionate in him. So, act like a man. Be like Jesus. From there, my final challenge is…

III.  Encourage biblical manhood.

I have a challenge here for both men and women. 1st…
Men, take responsibility for the next generation. Elon Musk has boasted a lot recently about how he has fathered 14 kids, maybe more. He thinks he’s doing something great for the future of society. The trouble is that he is not daily engaged with any of them. 
Many men are happy to have offspring and then to hand childrearing over to the mother. We don’t like all the emotion, we get bored with some of the responsibility, and we aren’t good at many of the things moms do. But the Bible will not let you delegate your job. “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Eph 6:4). The command is first to fathers, to lead in parenting. 
God knows what he’s talking about. There are many studies that demonstrate that nothing is more predictive of a child’s success in school, in relationships, and in life than an engaged, good dad. 
I know that’s a sore subject for many of you. But give thanks for the church because our men can fill a lot of gaps. They are crucial gaps. Men, you bring something unique and vital to a children’s growth. Your masculinity is vital to the development of boys and girls. Don’t try to be mom. Be a dad. Teach them to be tough. Teach them how to take responsible risk. Provide strong boundaries. Show them how to be confident and how a real man acts. 
I am so thankful for my dad, my grandfather, all the great men I grew up around at church and in our farming community. They profoundly influenced my life. Men, you can make the same impact. Life Point’s children do not have to be victims of all the nonsense of our day. We can set an example that will change their lives. Let’s do it together. As well…
Ladies, encourage boys to be men. Some of you have had horrible experiences with ungodly men. Sometimes, we are simply ignorant of the different needs and learning styles of boys and girls. And, especially where dads are not present but even when they are, it’s fascinating how often a mother’s own anxieties and insecurities get in the way of her boys growing up to be godly men ready to take on life. 
Ladies, many of you spend a lot of time with your boys, doing children’s ministry, or teaching in schools. It’s really important that you love biblical manhood, that you embrace the differences in how God made us and called us, and that you have a heart to encourage boys to be men. You can make a vital difference.

Conclusion

There’s no question that sin has ravaged masculinity leading to great harm. But what God made in Genesis 1–2 is good, wise, and great blessing for all of human society. Love what God designed for both men and women. Whether you are a boy or a girl, love who God made you to be. You may not fit all the normal expectations, but you won’t find joy running from God’s will but toward it. Trust the Lord and obey the Lord. Then let’s all work together to raise up another generation of godly, healthy men and women.