1 Corinthians 16:13 (ESV)
Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

Over the years I have met with a lot of men in formal teaching settings, informal retreat settings, and even less formal interactions around hunting, eating, building, and playing. Inevitably the conversations turn to one of three things: 1. Things we conquer (hunting, war, politics, etc.). 2. Things we love (sometimes this takes the form of our toys; sometimes our women; often sex, in the conversations of unbelievers). 3. Things we build (this might take the form of plans, businesses, buildings, or organizations). I have been in other countries and other cultures, but it seems like everywhere I have been these three areas of conversation turn up among men.

This coming Sunday is Father’s Day. It is appropriate then for us to ask: What is a godly father? What is a godly man? What does it mean to be a man of God? What does Paul mean in 1 Cor 16 when he says, “act like men?” In the Greek that phrase is actually a single word, andrizó. It means “act like men.” Since men seem inclined toward things they conquer, things they love, and things they build, what might that mean for a believer who wants to be a godly man?

Let me suggest three possible implications. As conquerors God calls men to step up and be great spiritual warriors. Spiritual battle is done in prayer and faith. Godly men do battle through prayer. Unfortunately, in most churches I have been in the men have totally missed this. It is more often the women who are the prayer warriors of the church. Yet, in the Bible all the great pray-ers of the Bible were men. Think of Elijah, Moses, and Jesus, just to name the most obvious ones, but there are many more. Godly men are conquerors through prayer and faith.

Second, God calls men to step up and be great lovers. Being a great lover doesn’t mean sexual exploits. We are great lovers when we learn to love as Christ loved, from pure hearts for the good of those we love. We are instructed in Ephesians to love our wives as Christ loves the church and purifies her. Great lovers emulate Christ.

Third, God calls men to be great builders. We are “living stones ... being built up as a spiritual house” (1 Peter 2:5). As men of God we are not only part of God’s building, but we are involved in the building as well. The Kingdom is built on the foundation of Christ. Paul wrote, in 1 Corinthians 3:10, “According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it.”

But there is a fourth implication that needs to be added. It is fourth in our list, but precedes the other three. If we are to be great conquerors, great lovers, and great builders, we must first be men of principle. In the movie Pirates of the Caribbean the characters in the movie are discussing the Pirates Code. At one point they act contrary to what they claimed was in the code. Their justification was that, “It’s not really a code. It’s more like suggestions.” God’s word is more than suggestions. What does it mean to be men of principle? It means that we learn to delight in the Word of God (Ps 119.17-20, 97). It means that we learn to rest in the Word of God (Ps 119.21-22, 98-100). It means that we learn to walk according to the Word of God (Ps 119.23, 101-102). As believers we need to be men who live by a code. The Word of God is the code. We cannot be great conquerors, great lovers, or great builders unless we are men of the code. What needs to change in your life if you are going to live by the code of God’s word?