How to Be a Godly Man
Intro:
1. What’s your idea of what a real man is?
2. Some think real men are strong, athletic, aggressive & assertive with women. I was none of the above!
3. According to the Bible, godly men are the ones who have the mind & behavior characteristics of the Lord.
4. This passage gives guidance to how Christian men should conduct themselves in 3 areas of their life.
Colossians 3:18-4:1
I. v19 - In Relationship to Your Wife
A. Love her.
1. Love (ἀγαπάω) = giving of yourself to satisfy someone’s need, (KJV) charity.
2. Love her by giving of yourself to satisfy her needs - take care of her. You are to do this continually (present tense). I Tim 5:8 - If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
3. Love her when she first gets up in the morning & looks less attractive than she could.
4. Love her when she’s irritable.
5. Love her when she feels unworthy.
6. Love her enough to be willing to die for her if necessary. Eph 5:25 - Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.
7. Love her like you do your own body. Eph 5:28-29 - In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church . . .
B. Don’t be harsh with her.
1. Harsh (πικραίνω) = to make bitter.
2. You have to treat her with respect & dignity if you want your prayers to be answered! I Pet 3:7 - Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
C. Be sure to fulfill your marital duties. I Cor 7:3-5 - The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
2. in v4 here - Your body belongs to your wife.
3. In v5 here - Your wife has a right to your affection.
II. v21 - In Relationship to Your Children
A. Do not embitter your children.
1. Embitter (ἐρεθίζω) = to stir up.
2. This is a different word than “harsh” in v19.
a. In v19 it is to embitter your wife so she will hold a grudge & be hurt.
b. Here it is to provoke your children to anger.
B. The reason is because your children could become discouraged with life.
1. Discourage means to lose their spirit.
2. It is the opposite of being enthused.
C. How do you discourage children?
1. When you aren’t pleased with them no matter how hard they try.
2. When you want for them what they don’t want for themselves. ILL: Wanting your son to excel in sports when he would rather sing in the choir.
3. When you are too severe with discipline. “Girl! You’re grounded for a month!”
III. v22-4:1 - In Relationship to the People You Work With
A. v22-25 - As an employee.
1. v22 - Obey (ὑπακούω) = listen attentively; do what your boss says.
a. Obey even when the boss is not supervising you.
b. Eph 6:5 - Obey with respect, fear & sincerity.
c. v23-24 - Obey your earthly boss because you are actually serving Lord Jesus.
d. Your Christian witness is enhanced when you work using God’s principles. Tit 2:9-10 - Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.
2. v23 - Do your work to the best of your ability all the time.
B. 4:1 - As an employer, live by the Golden Rule. Treat your employees the way you would want to be treated if you were one of them.
Real Christian men are not measured by the standards of this world but by the Bible. Real men are men of faith & character. To the degree that you are Christ-like in your relationship to your wife, your children & your work associates - to that degree, you will be a real man!
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