Act Like Men

MAN UP

Part 3 of 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Why are there so few men left in the world?  As a culture the growth from boyhood to manhood has taken a detour through the maze of adolescence; adolescence (as a word or descriptive phrase) was not even heard of or used in the development of children until the twentieth century and at that time was used to describe a child between the ages of 13 and 19, presumably the age of one in high school.  Today, in stark contrast, some argue adolescence starts at the age of 10 and may not stop until the age of 24 or older.  Even more shocking is that today more women are in colleges then men and boys are staying longer and longer in an adolescent state and fewer men are emerging.  Perhaps today more than ever Christian young men need to be reminded to act like men, not boys, and certainly not adolescents, but men.

Paul called out the men in church of Corinth and said ACT LIKE MEN.  The understanding of the word here is not merely in the meaning as much in the useage of the word itself.  Act like men is the greek word ἀνδρίζεσθε (andrizesthe).  What we might need to see here is that the word andrizesthe in the greek is being used here in the middle-passive voice.  The usage of the verb in that specific tone means Paul is not just telling them to act like men but he has expectation that they eill respond to what he is saying and take action to act like men.  Paul expects the men in Corinth to become the men in Christ that they are called to be and live that life out in the church.  He expects this to happen, not just for them to ponder it and talk about it, but to immediately start acting like Christian men.

Christian men, grounded in the gospel, are needed today in the church, in their homes, and in all facets of the community where they live.  The Bible is ripe with men stepping up acting like men.  Men like Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David, Nehemiah, Peter, Paul, Timothy, and many others.  These men were not astonishing in stature, education, looks, but they were willing to follow the LORD wherever He led; to live courageously for their Savior.  They were not perfect men, but they were men who lived their faith and acted like men.  They loved the LORD and believed what He had called them to and they did not sit idly by and watch others, they lived out their faith and acted like men!

Are you acting like a man?  Do you cower behind your desk in fear of sharing Christ and being called out?  Do you go home and watch your wife do the “housework” while you watch?  Do you serve in your church?  Are you still living in adolescence instead of embracing the call that Christ has placed on your life?  Paul had it right and he calls all of us out that are Christian men.  Calls out all of us men who sit on the sideline and watch others.  Calls us out who know there is more than just living and walking through life as Christians.  He says its time to act like men – be the man to your wife at home that loves her as much as Christ loves the church – be the man at work who boldly stands on the truth instead of giving in to water-cooler gossip – be the man to your children who need to see what a man of God looks like in a culture saturated with a lack of truth  - be the man Christ died on the cross for, the man who lives understands that selflessness is more powerful than anything the world has to offer – it’s time to man up and act like men!