Ideal Man

~ The I.D.E.A.L. M.A.N. Acrostic ~

There has been much spoken and written about in Christian circles in recent years trying to describe the ideal man.  Here is my acronym for a Godly man. 

Initiator  ~  God is an initiator!  Think creation.  Think the plan of salvation and the Cross of Calvary.  God is an initiator and we are created “in the image of God” (Genesis 1:27, 9:6).  Jesus Christ, the Son of God, bears the image of God (2 Corinthians 4:4).  The Christian life is a time of being increasingly conformed to the image of Christ.  “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18). 

Doer of the Word (knows and applies Doctrine)  ~  “Be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.  But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:22-25). 

Exhorter, Encourager, and Engager (God’s witness on earth)  ~  “Preach the word!  Be ready in season and out of season.  Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2).  “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’  Amen” (Matthew 28:18-20).

Able and Apt To Teach Others (spiritually Alive and Active)  ~  “A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the Truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:24-26). 

Life-Long Learner (a disciple)  ~  A disciple is one who studies and learns from another.  Jesus said, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:29-30). 

Motivated  ~  “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.  All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats” (Matthew 25:31-32).  “All will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead” (1 Peter 4:5).  “For God says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.’  Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).  “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.  But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.  We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:18-19).  Jesus said, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work” (John 9:4).  “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3).

Authoritative (based on God’s word)  ~  “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.  Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority.  Let no one despise you” (Titus 2:11-15). 

Mature  ~  “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.  For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power” (Colossians 2:8-10).  

“But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil” (Hebrews 5:14). 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

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