Act Like Men

“Act like men.” These words from the Apostle Paul might sound offensive to people in our society who would argue that there are no significant differences between men and women. They would find Paul’s admonition nonsensical, maintaining that any variations between men and women are merely cultural constructs without any founding in differences in biology or gender.

Yet, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul wrote:

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 ESV

There’s also some debate over Paul’s words here. Bible students rightly argue that Paul is speaking to both men and women in the church. They maintain that the phrase refers to believers defending courage in their walk with Christ. The problem with this line of argument lies within the Greek. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, “be manly.” He referred to men’s courage in battle. This phrase can also point towards maturity, encouraging the Corinthians to be spiritually mature, acting like men and not boys. Whether Paul refers to maturity or courage on the battlefield, the fact remains that, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul pointed out a certain quality that he related to men.

Paul’s words imply men and women hold distinct qualities. In this passage, he expressed his belief that men should act a certain way. Readers may also infer that failure to follow the apostle’s guidance regarding manly action would be…well…unmanly. In our current cultural context, where people blur their definitions of gender, Paul’s words in this passage guide men regarding some common characteristics of being a man.

So, what would Paul say it looks like to act like men? The following are a few characteristics that Paul delineates.

Act Like Men (Be Men of Courage)

Too many boys live in men’s bodies in our churches. Most men are not shepherding their homes and discipling their wives and children. They spend more time watching sports than reading the Word of God. They can spout off stats from their favorite team but cannot quote a Bible verse beyond John 3:16 and “Jesus wept.” Rather than suiting up and showing courage in the battle over their family’s spiritual well-being, these men are AWOL at best or cowering boys huddled behind their televisions, Xbox, Play Stations, and computers. Rather than loving their wives and children well, they focus more on themselves. When interacting with their wives, they quickly point out Paul’s admonition for wives to “submit to their husbands,” yet ignore his command for husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the Church. (Ephesians 5:

Paul admonishes men to put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20) and fight their daily battle against the Enemy. His words in this passage call for men to muster their courage to fight for themselves and their families. He’s not calling men to watch from the stands as pastors, youth pastors, and their wives teach their children the Word of God. Paul is calling for men to “act like men” and take the fight to the Enemy on behalf of their families.

I would argue that “acting like men” also involves the other admonitions Paul gives in this passage.

Be Watchful

We had a saying in the Army, “Stay alert, stay alive.” This passage reminds us that an Enemy seeks to steal, kill, and destroy us. (John 10:10) We also live in a culture that opposes the gospel and tempts us to make its norms, values, and idols our own. In addition, our fallen nature and the old man we fight against daily draw us through our minds to give in to temptation. In a similar context, Paul reminded the Corinthians to stay alert in their fight for the gospel and against the Enemy.

The imminent return of Christ also motivates us to be watchful. We must ensure that we, our families, friends, and acquaintances are ready for His second coming. Have you surrendered your life to Christ through repentance and faith in Him? Do your wife and children follow Jesus? Are your extended family members Christ followers? Are you a witness with your words and actions at work? All these questions are ones a watchful person will ask in anticipation of Jesus’ return.

Stand Firm

Here Paul used another military term to “stand fast” or “hold one’s ground.” These words do not mean to stand on our opinions or ideas but “in the faith.” Our foundation in this spiritual fight is the gospel and the Word of God. We stand upon the doctrinal truths of Scripture. The Bible is our authority in all matters of faith and life. When tempted by the Enemy, we stand on God’s Word. (Psalm 119:11) The Bible is the only offensive weapon we have in our daily spiritual warfare. (Ephesians 6:17)

We have no offensive weapon to use in battle if you and I do not read God’s Word regularly. We cannot know the faith upon which we must stand if we are ignorant of the truths and doctrines found within Scripture. Our ignorance of Scripture also hinders our ability to disciple our wives, children, and grandchildren. Through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, we need to study God’s Word and stand on its truths in a culture that seeks to attack both. Pay attention to the posture, standing not attacking.

Be Strong

This command reminds us of similar words Paul used in his letter to the church in Ephesus. He wrote, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.” (Ephesians 6:10). Our strength does not come from ourselves but from God. We can do nothing apart from Him, yet all things are possible with Him. (Matthew 19:26) We are strong in our humility and dependence upon God. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

The Bible’s approach of recognizing our weakness and finding strength in the Lord is counter-intuitive to what our culture has taught about being a strong man. Men are often told to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps or just “suck it up.” We often showcase men who are athletic, proficient in fighting sports, or public servants, focusing on their strength and skills. While I would never take away from any recognition such men should get for their hard training and discipline, they would not be able to do anything apart from God’s common grace and mercy in allowing them to live and operate in their professions. I’m reminded of David’s words in Psalm 144:1-2:

Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle; he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.

Psalm 144:1-2 ESV

David recognized his dependency on God in his training for battle and in his performance in battle. We should learn from him and Paul regarding the source of our strength as men.

Do All Things In Love

If we desire to “act like men,” we must love God and our neighbor as ourselves. (Mark 12:29-32) This love is an unconditional love that is sacrificial and demands nothing in return. The first “neighbors” we must love well are our family members. Again, men must love their wives like Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. (Ephesians 5:25) Such love involves serving our wives as servant leaders rather than unloving authoritarians. Loving our families involves taking the time to gather them together to read Scripture and pray. Real men love their children and express that love verbally. In loving our families, we must exemplify the grace and mercy of Jesus that we see in the gospel. Our love as men must be a reflection of his love.

Acting like men means we reflect Jesus’s grace and mercy in our conversations and actions. Paul gave us a great description of such love earlier in this letter to the church in Corinth when wrote:

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV

We, men, must exhibit such love through the power and sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. Such love is a blessing to people we encounter daily and a testimony to the love of Jesus in the gospel.

Final Words

If we want to define what it looks like to “act like men,” the Apostle Paul does not leave us empty-handed. Men who follow Jesus must define what it means to be a man by looking to Scripture and not our culture. This passage shows us that it involves manly courage, being watchful, standing firm, finding our strength in God, and loving like Jesus.

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