All of our lives are lived before the face of our all-knowing and all-seeing God. One day He will hold us accountable for every word that we’ve spoken, ever thought we’ve had, and every deed we’ve ever done.
As men, we are called to love our wives. In the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:39-40) we are taught to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, mind, and soul. Paul applies this truth to married men four times in Ephesians 5:22-33. Loving God and others is only possible because God has taken our hearts of stone and replaced it with a new heart, with new desires, and affections for Himself.
As men, we will be held accountable to the Lord for our speech. In James 3:1-12, James teaches us about the power of the tongue. In Matthew 15:18 and Luke 6:45 Jesus talks about how out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. As men, we’ve been called to be good stewards of our words. Ephesians 4:29 and Colossians 4:6 both teach that we are to build up one another, for our speech to be gracious so that we might know how to answer each person.
Whether it’s in private or in public, Christian men are called to display the love of God. It’s easy to say, “I’m doing well at loving my wife” but when was the last time you asked your wife how you were doing at loving and pursuing her heart?
It’s one thing to say you love God and your wife. My question is, “How are you progressing on this journey? and “Where are you showing progress?” As Christian men, it’s not enough to say we believe the right things. Sound doctrine must affect the way we live.
I encourage you to find out if your church has a men’s ministry. Find out what events are forthcoming in the men’s ministry and plan on attending. Consider checking out whether your local church has Men specific Bible studies and joining one of them. The men in your church need you, and you need them. Consider prayerfully linking arms with the men in your local church for the purpose of becoming the man God wants you to become for His glory.
Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah. He is a writer, editor, and speaker living in beautiful Southern Oregon. Dave is a lover of Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology. He serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine, the Host and Producer of Equipping You in Grace Podcast, and is a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word. He is the author of The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024). You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, or read his newsletter. Dave loves to spend time with his wife, going to movies, eating at a nice restaurant, or going out for a round of golf with a good friend. He is also a voracious reader, in particular of Reformed theology, and the Puritans. You will often find him when he’s not busy with ministry reading a pile of the latest books from a wide variety of Christian publishers. Dave received his M.A.R. and M.Div through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.