The last two weeks we have looked at a biblical identity of manhood. We know that identity has been tarnished from the sinfulness of humanity that began in Genesis 3. We also know men today are searching for meaning and purpose in the false male identities Satan offers them as easy and poor substitutes for the identity God has called them to, a biblical identity that will provide true meaning and purpose to their lives. 

I Corinthians 16:13 challenges men with this statement: “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”  Act like men! What does that mean? The worship of female deities in ancient Corinth was a significant aspect of the city’s religious life, which was quite different from most Greco-Roman cities. One of the prominent goddesses was Aphrodite, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility. Aphrodite was worshipped in various temples and shrines throughout Corinth, and the prominence of this female statue skewed the relationship between men and women. Like today, they tried to blur the genders, resulting in women seeking to be like men and men thinking they could be like women. As a result, men in turn shrunk to the shadows and everyone was hurting because of it. It is evident from even a casual reading of 1 Corinthians that this dynamic had penetrated the church, and Paul was writing to correct that problem. I suppose that, to address the issue, Paul could have cast a large blanket of blame on the government of the day or he could have rebuked the women, but he did not do that. Paul spoke directly to the men of the church to accept the responsibility God had given them by re-engaging the biblical male identity: “Act like men.” 

Calling men to act like men does nothing to diminish the significance and purpose of women. But what it does is challenges men to re-engage in their biblical identity, with the unique responsibility God has given to them. When men act like biblical men they will be fulfilled in their purpose, women will blossom, children will be nurtured and society will be a blessing to all the citizens of the community. Join me this Sunday as we conclude this series on The Male Identity.