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Quit Ye Like Men
Tuesday, January 18, 2011 at 9:40AM 
The average person today might have little idea what to do if told, “Quit ye like men.” If that sounds like language straight out of Jacobean England, it is, and from the King James Bible. Although it might seem like the passage is encouraging people to give up like cowards, it is really admonishing them to stand fast like soldiers, and it is that degree of courage and loyalty that we seek to inspire today.
I. Admonition
A. Act Like Men
1. the final chapter of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian disciples consists of a number of unrelated greetings and admonitions, the most memorable of which is found in verse thirteen of our modern, delineated Bibles: “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”
2. it is not that the passage is useless to women or children, but that every Christian – regardless of gender, age or experience, is being called to duty as a soldier of the cross
a. “act like men” does not mean to burp out loud or wear garish neckties, but to behave with the kind of courage and strength necessary to soldiers
b. from the Greek word, andrizomai, it accentuates the positive aspects of manhood and encourages every Christian who reads the letter to do such things
3. and so we imagine ourselves as soldiers fighting battles and engaging the enemy in combat, as we strive against temptation and to gain the final victory (Psalm 27:1-3)
B. Vigilance, Steadfastness, Strength
1. Paul recommends four qualities common to the soldier in the field and the warrior for Christ, beginning with vigilance, the ability to remain watchful and focused upon the battlefield of life, guarding what has been gained and protected against incursions and loss; it is easy to become distracted by the details of daily living and the disappointments that sometimes interrupt spiritual warfare
a. “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2).
b. “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (First Peter 5:8).
c. “Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming” (Matthew 24:42).
d. “No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him” (Second Timothy 2:4).
2. steadfastness is the way in which the soldier stands guard deep into the night, or refuses to cooperate with an enemy who would tempt or torture him
a. “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1).
b. “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27).
c. “For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord” (First Thessalonians 3:8).
3. soldiers undergo rigorous physical training to ensure they will be up to the challenges of the battlefield, but the Christian’s real strength is not in his muscles, but his heart
a. we are “strengthened with power through his Spirit in [our] inner being” (Ephesians 3:16)
b. wearing the full armor of God, we can be “strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might” (Ephesians 6:10).
c. “May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light” (Colossians 1:11-12).
C. Love
1. vigilance, steadfastness and strength are easily associated with armed warriors, but the last quality that Paul attaches to his counsel is not – “Let all that you do be done in love” (First Corinthians 16:14).
2. the pursuit of an affectionate attitude for the people who serve beside of us and for the God who calls us to duty is just as necessary as the more conventional qualities of soldiering
3. just as John advised the soldiers in Judea not to intimidate or take advantage of the unarmed, so the Holy Spirit would have us speak the truth in love with our neighbors and do all things without grumbling, but with self-sacrifice and eternity in mind
4. as that twenty-seventh psalm closed, we are reminded that we are soldiers, on active duty, and must behave as such: “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord” (14)!
II. Courage
A. Necessary
1. Joshua was a great military leader, thrust into the considerable sandals of Moses as Israel began its conquest of the Promised Land; he was told, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).
2. courage is so very necessary when the battle is pitched before us, because we are being tempted to sin, enticed to resign, or confronted with error; folding up or just doing nothing seems like a reasonable response, but to the soldier, that is nothing but defeat
3. it is rare today, but was common long ago, that Christians were so fiercely persecuted that some lost their lives; it may come to that again in America as attitudes about the faith grow more suspicious; first century saints were instructed, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer …. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).
4. writing from a prison cell, the apostle did not back down (Philippians 1:18c-21)
B. Preparation
1. one reason that we do not react with courage is a lack of confidence – perhaps in God, or in the church, or most likely, in our own abilities to resist or give answer
2. Jesus advised the believer to pray, especially if he doubted his ability to resist evil or stand fast in the face of temptation and error (Mark 14:32-38)
3. we prepare ourselves for battle by mustering with the troop, that is, assembling in fellowship with those of like mind
4. we can never hope to secure a single victory over error without “having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15) – study (First Peter 3:13-16)
5. “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person” (Colossians 4:5-6).
C. Cowardice
1. the Proverbs suggest that lazy people invent stories about runaway lions in the streets to keep from having to go to work, but the righteous do not back down from difficulty
2. victory is always on our minds, as well as the penalty for defeat; it is a question of Heaven or Hell (Second Corinthians 5:5-10)
3. the spiritual warrior is male or female, physically vigorous or practically crippled, educationally excellent or prematurely dropped out, “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, … their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8).
4. cowardice compromises convictions and amends the doctrine of Christ when convenient; it bends to the tempter and bows to the idol
Conclusion
"Quit ye like men" means the opposite of how it sounds – no Christian should be ready to give up until victory is secured at the judgment bar on high. Courage will get us there.
Questions For Review
- How might you translate the phrase, “Quit ye like men” into modern English?
- How are Christians like soldiers? How are they not?
- Define vigilance, steadfastness and strength as they pertain to spirituality.
- What does love have to do with our soldiering?
- To what extent must the Christian be faithful?
- How do we prepare ourselves to show courage?
- What is the penalty for spiritual cowardice?
Jeff Smith
