Many things characterize a godly man. He is a man of integrity, honesty, kindness, courage, and faith, and he lives in many other honorable ways. Yet there is one quality, one identifier that covers all these and more: a godly man is a kingdom man.
A simple way to define kingdom is “the rule of God over all the universe and throughout all time.” The kingdom of God—sometimes referred to in the Bible as “the kingdom of Christ and God,” “the coming kingdom,” and “the kingdom of heaven”—is not restricted to a certain time or place. Wherever the King is, the kingdom is.
What, then, is a kingdom man?
A kingdom man lives under the rule of God by seeking first the kingdom of God. He’s not necessarily in vocational ministry; he may not hold a place of leadership in the church, and he may have become a believer just last week. What identifies this man is that knowing and doing God’s will in ways that display the reality of God is his highest priority in everything he does.
The priorities of a kingdom man’s life are God’s priorities. His identity, passions, purpose, and pursuits are all rooted in the kingdom of God. He lives in confident submission to the God who has redeemed him by the shed blood of Jesus. The apostle Paul described it in radical terms:
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20 ESV)
Those who live for the kingdom are consumed by it. They make their decisions, measure their words, manage their money, steward their time, and honor their relationships in terms of how these things will or will not please God and serve His purposes.
Check (in your mind) all the following that describe a role you currently have:
Husband ___
Dad ___
Son ___
Brother ___
Grandfather ___
Friend ___
Employee ___
Employer/supervisor ___
Neighbor ___
Leader in the church ___
Elected/appointed leader in the community ___
Every box you check is a place in your life where the kingdom of God needs to be the leading concern in how you fulfill that role or responsibility.
Now go back and rate yourself, on a scale of 1 to 10, in each area you checked, according to how you think you are living for the kingdom in each area.
Are there discrepancies between the different roles? If so, why do you think there are?
To be a kingdom man is to be a man who yields each of these areas to Christ daily.
Remember one of the great promises of Scripture: “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).
You are a work in progress. God is nowhere near finished with you. Perhaps this article has helped you to stop and consider a few things. Let the Spirit do His work in you to mold you into a kingdom man.
Your family
Your church
Your community
This world
needs kingdom men!