Friday Deep Dive

The phone was practically melting in my hand. I was in my early twenties, standing in the middle of a busy workshop, and I was furious with my wife. I don’t even remember what the fight was about now—one of those trivial, life-or-death arguments that only young, married couples can have. What I do remember is the heat in my face and the reckless words tumbling out of my mouth—loud, rude, and dismissive.

In the middle of my tirade, a hand landed gently on my shoulder. It was George Pinter, an older gentleman who worked in the shop, a man with more grace and wisdom in his little finger than I had in my whole body. He was quiet for a moment, letting the silence do the heavy lifting. Then he said, in a voice that was both kind and firm, “That’s your wife, son. You don’t talk about your wife that way.”

My first instinct was to snap at him, to tell him to mind his own business. And I think I did. But his words, and the quiet dignity with which he said them, cut through my anger like a hot knife through butter. He wasn’t shaming me. He was reminding me of who I was supposed to be. He was calling me to a higher standard.

George Pinter has been with the Lord for some years now, but his words have never left me. He was a “man of God,” not because he was perfect, but because he was willing to speak the truth in love, to stand for what was right, even when it was uncomfortable. He was a living example of what the Apostle Paul was talking about when he wrote to his young protégé, Timothy.

Our culture screams at us about what it means to be a man. It tells us to be tough, to dominate, to win at all costs. But George Pinter, in that moment, showed me a different way. A better way. The way of a “man of God.”

Let’s dig into what that actually means.

🧭 Why This Passage Matters Now

We’re living in a time when masculinity itself is under attack. We’re told that men are toxic by default, that traditional manhood is oppressive, that strength is dangerous. Meanwhile, we watch men retreat into video games, pornography, passivity—anything to escape the confusion and criticism.

But biblical masculinity isn’t toxic. It’s also not passive. It’s purposeful.

This passage from 1 Timothy gives us a clear picture of what God calls men to be. Not based on cultural trends or political correctness, but on eternal truth. This matters because if we don’t know what we’re aiming at, we’ll never hit it.

Let’s look at the full passage, then break it down piece by piece.

📜 The Passage: 1 Timothy 6:11-16 (NIV)

“But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.”

🛠️ Breaking It Down: Verse by Verse

Verse 11a: “But you, man of God, flee from all this”

Paul starts with direct address: “you, man of God.” Not “you, successful entrepreneur” or “you, respected leader.” Man of God. This is identity first. Everything else flows from who you belong to.

“Flee from all this” refers back to what Paul just addressed—the love of money, greed, destructive desires. He’s telling Timothy (and us): run from that. Don’t dabble. Don’t negotiate. Flee.

Real strength isn’t resisting temptation while staying close to it. Real strength is getting as far away from it as possible. The culture says you’re weak if you can’t handle everything. God says you’re wise if you know your limits and don’t test them.

Verse 11b: “Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness”

Paul doesn’t just tell us what to run from; he gives us a direction to run toward. He lists six pursuits that define the man of God. These aren’t personality traits you’re born with; they are destinations you chase.

  • Righteousness: This is about having a moral compass that points to God’s true north, not the ever-shifting magnetic north of our culture. It’s the quiet decision to tell the truth when a lie would be easier, to conduct your business with integrity when no one is watching.

  • Godliness: If righteousness is about our actions, godliness is about our heart. It’s the pursuit of a life that reflects God’s character. It’s about spending so much time with God that we start to look and sound like Him.

  • Faith: This is more than just intellectual belief. It’s trust in action. It’s the husband who stays and fights for his marriage when his feelings are telling him to run. Faith is betting your life on the character of God.

  • Love: The culture defines love as a feeling; the Bible defines it as a sacrificial action. It’s the father who comes home from a long day and gets down on the floor to play with his kids, even when he’s exhausted. It’s giving when you want to take, serving when you want to be served.

  • Endurance: This is the grit to keep going when the initial excitement has worn off. It’s the long, unglamorous middle of the journey. It’s faithfulness when no one is applauding.

  • Gentleness: Our culture equates this with weakness, but biblical gentleness is strength under control. It’s the power to crush, but the will to care. It’s the man who can listen without interrupting, who can disagree without being disagreeable, who can be firm in his convictions without being a bully.

These are the pursuits of a man of God. They are a lifelong journey, not a weekend project.

Verse 12a: “Fight the good fight of the faith”

After telling us to flee and pursue, Paul tells us to fight. We flee from sin. We pursue godliness. We fight for faith. The “good fight” is the fight for faith—defending truth, protecting the weak, standing for what matters eternally. God tells us to fight our own doubts, fight cultural lies with biblical truth, and fight to stay faithful when faithfulness costs us something.

Verse 12b: “Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called”

This is the whole point. Eternal life isn’t just about duration—living forever. It’s about quality—living in relationship with God now and forever. We’re called to take hold of it. Actively. Intentionally. We don’t drift into godliness. We grab onto the life God offers and don’t let go.

Verses 13-14: “I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame”

Paul raises the stakes. “In the sight of God… and of Christ Jesus”—this isn’t about human approval. This is about standing before God and giving an account. Christ is our example of fearless faithfulness. We are charged to keep this command “without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This is a lifetime commitment.

Verses 15-16: The Character of God

Paul ends by lifting our eyes to who we’re serving. God is:

  • The blessed and only Ruler
  • King of kings and Lord of lords
  • Immortal
  • Living in unapproachable light

When we understand who God is, everything else makes sense. We pursue righteousness because He is righteous. We fight the good fight because He is King. We endure because He is eternal.

🎯 Our Calling: What This Means for Us

So where does this leave us?

If you’re a man reading this, here’s the truth: you were made for more than what culture is selling. You were made to be a man of God.

That means:

  • You flee from what destroys—pornography, greed, pride, whatever keeps you from God.
  • You pursue what builds—character that reflects Christ, not just success that impresses others.
  • You fight for what matters—faith, truth, protection of the vulnerable.

Your masculinity isn’t defined by how much you can lift, how much you earn, or how many people respect you. It’s defined by whose you are and who you’re becoming.

This is the hard part: this will cost you. Living as a man of God means going against the current. It means making choices that others will mock. But here is the promise: this is the life you were made for. This is what satisfies.

(Note: If you’re not a man, these pursuits—righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness—are still your calling. They are Christian-specific and lead to human flourishing according to God’s design.)

So what’s one thing you can do this week? Pick one of those six pursuits. Where do you need to grow? And then pursue it. Not perfectly. But intentionally. Actively. Like a person who knows what they are made for.

🙏 Prayer

Father,

Thank You for not leaving us confused about who we’re supposed to be. Thank You for Your Word that cuts through cultural noise and shows us truth.

We confess that we’ve chased the wrong things. We’ve measured ourselves by the wrong standards. We’ve let culture define us instead of letting You define what it means to be Yours.

Help us to flee from what destroys us—even when it’s comfortable.

Help us to pursue what builds us into who You created us to be. Give us endurance when the path is hard. Give us gentleness when we’re tempted to prove ourselves by power. Give us love when it’s easier to stay isolated.

Help us to fight the good fight. Not the petty battles. The good fight—for faith, for truth, for what matters eternally.

We want to take hold of the eternal life You’ve offered us. We want to be men and women of God, not just people who know about You.

When You return, may we be found faithful. Not perfect, but faithful. Not impressive, but Yours.

Thank You that You’re the King of kings. Thank You that You’re worthy of our whole lives.

Help us live like it.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.