Stand Firm in the Faith; Act Like Men!

In this Cadet Sunday sermon on 1 Corinthians 16:13–14, Rev. Joel Wories addresses the biblical meaning of manhood in an age of widespread cultural confusion about gender. He notes that the Greek word for ("act like men") carries the sense of bravery and manliness, and he urges the congregation—particularly the young men—not to be swayed by either the toxic masculinity that suppresses all emotion or the feminist egalitarianism that denies meaningful distinctions between men and women. Instead, he points to Scripture as the standard for understanding what God designed manhood to be. Pastor Wories unpacks the four commands surrounding Paul's exhortation: be watchful (staying spiritually alert to both the enemy's threats and Christ's coming), stand firm in the faith (remaining convicted in God's promises rather than drifting into the skepticism prevalent in universities and culture), be strong (drawing strength from the Lord rather than stoic self-reliance), and do everything in love (the bond that gives meaning to all the rest). He emphasizes that these commands are given in the context of the church community, where young men are shaped by faithful mentors, fathers, and elders who model Christ-centered living. The sermon concludes with an urgent call for the church to take seriously its role in raising up godly men. Rev. Wories warns that the world offers young men counterfeit versions of meaning and purpose that leave them confused, bitter, and angry, while the church has something far better: a model of manhood rooted in the Creator and Redeemer who declared His creation "very good."