Bible Question: What does it mean to be a man of God? The term is fairly common in the Old Testament but rare in the New Testament. Please answer the question by giving Bible examples and Bible definitions, not by saying something that begins, "I believe the term means...." --Hank |
Bible Answer: You're correct, there were only two verses where that specific phrase appears which are 1 Tim 6:11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 2 Timothy 3:17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. Since both of them are from Paul and they're directed to Timothy, we can infer that Paul considered him to be such a person or a man of God. So what were the qualities about Timothy that made him stand out and be selected by Paul for such an honor. We also know that Paul considered him to be "son of the faith" as indeed, Paul saw him as his only son on this earth. We know that Timothy had Godly parents and we know that he was a student of God's Word. He was endowed with miraculous powers from the laying on of Paul's hands but of course that's not really applicable to us today. We know that Timothy submitted himself as a grown man to being circumcised when he didn't have to but he did this with the same attitude of Paul. He apparently wanted "to be all things to all people to win some." From this I think it's a perfectly solid conclusion that to be a man of God is to "imitate Paul as he imitates Christ" from 1 Cor 11:1. So a man of God must spend much time in prayer to God; he must spend time in study of God's Word; and he must spend time dispensing in his life, what he reads in God's Word, like the Apostle Paul did before him. Finally, a man of God like Paul should be able to say throughout most of life Phil 1:20 according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. 21For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. Did I leave anything out? What do you think about this subject? God bless. --Rowdy |