A Man's Man

What are the characteristics of a man in leadership? What does a man who is really a man look like? Generally, we look to 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 to consider that answer, yet 1 Cor. 16 also offers several qualities of the godly man (in leadership).

We know that Paul is talking about leader issues in verses 13-14 (though undoubtedly he is not referring directly of elders and/or deacons, because they are not mentioned or even implied) because of two things he says: 1) the readers of this epistle were to be in subjection (v. 16) to these men — i.e., they were to follow their leadership; 2) some men in the Corinthian church who were exhibiting such qualities were Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus — these devoted themselves to the ministry in Corinth (v. 15), supplied what was lacking in the Corinthians (v. 17), and were to be acknowledged (implying, "acknowledge their leadership") by the entire body (v. 18). Paul saw these men as fulfilling a role of leadership.

So what were to be the qualities of these leaders (vv. 13-14)?

• they were to be alert — often this word "alert" is used in the context of watching for the second coming; it also is used to refer to watchfulness against sin and temptation (Mt. 26:41; 1 Pt. 5:8).
• they were to stand firm in the faith — generally "stand" is used to refer to guarding and protecting the faith — making sure the gospel is uncompromised.
• they were to act like men — the word "act like men" occurs only here in the New Testament, but according to one source also has the meaning of "conduct oneself in a courageous way," that is, "be brave!"
• they were to be strong — not just “be strong,” but "be strengthened (by the Holy Spirit)" — cf. Lk. 1:80; Eph. 3:16.
• they were to do all things in love — everything (emphatic in the clause) was to be born (which is the sense of the verb "do") out of love.

So what kind of man are we called to be as we attempt to lead others around us? Men who are alert to the temptation of sin (in our own lives!), who are faithful to the faith and defensive of it, who are brave in our actions, being renewed by the Holy Spirit, and demonstrative in love.

Lord, our hearts are sleepy instead of alert, faithless when we should be faithful (or abrasive in our defense of you), cowardly when we should be brave (Eph. 6:18), too often “renewed” according to the power of the flesh rather than the power of the Spirit, and self-loving rather than Christ-exalting in love towards all others and all things. Help us to be real men of God!

Piper on Biblical Masculinity

In a recent message, "Some Sweet Blessings of Masculine Christianity," John Piper defined Biblical masculinity this way:

By “masculine Christianity,” I mean (though words are inadequate): The theology and the church and the mission are marked by over-arching male leadership and an ethos of tender-hearted strength and contrite courage and risk-taking decisiveness and readiness to sacrifice to protect and provide for the community—the feel of a great, majestic God making the men lovingly strong and the women intelligently secure.

From that statement, he made the following observations and conclusions (which I've abbreviated):

1. Men are freed to have feminine traits without being effeminate and women are freed to have masculine traits without being tomboys.

2. Men are more properly attracted to the Christian life when it does not appear that he must become effeminate to be a Christian.

3. Women are more properly drawn to a Christian life that highlights the proper place of humble, strong, spiritual men in leadership.

4. We are freed to celebrate strong, courageous women of God who love the biblical vision complementarity, without and sense of compromise.

5. Men are awakened to their responsibilities at home to lead the family and protect the family and provide for the family.

6. Youth leaders and parents will catch a clearer definition of how to answer the question of a boy: “Daddy, what does it mean to grow up and be a man and not a woman?” And a clearer definition of how to answer the question of a girl: “Mommy, what does it mean to grow up and be a woman and not a man?”

7. The meaning of masculinity and femininity in singleness will be clearer and a lifetime of singleness without sexual intercourse will be more understandable and livable.

8. The corporate worship teams are not dominated by women and the songs chosen are not dominated by a one-sided feel of intimacy or majesty.

9. The God of the Bible will be more fully portrayed and known than where the tone is more feminine.

10. Preaching is more readily prized.…The fear of strong preaching is part of the effeminizing of the church, and the full range of the way God is and appears on the Bible is not known where preaching is simply casual and conversational.

11. A wartime mindset and a wartime lifestyle will feel more natural. And that is what the world needs from us—a readiness to lay our lives down for a great and global cause making all the sacrifices necessary to push the word of Christ into the most inhospitable places.

The entire sermon is worth hearing for men who want to be Biblical in their manhood.