Self-Control
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) | Categories: Growth, Obedience, 1 Corinthians, Galatians
"against such things, there is no law"
Paul wrote to the churches of the Galatian region regarding the “fruit of the Spirit” and listed love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness. The last of these Christian qualities listed is self-control. Perhaps more than all others, this one is critical. Why? If one cannot control self, can they really add to any discernable degree the other attributes???
Self-control is at the heart of Christian character. A lot of perceived problems of Christian living are actually failures to control self. Failure with regard to this quality manifests itself in all sorts of areas. Christians (and everyone else for that matter) who do not have self-control will have problems with their temper, with their tongues, with their lusts, with their finances, with their family relationships, with their jobs, with their everything. Thus the bible requires the exercise self-control in “all things” 1Corinthians 9:25. So when we don’t control ourselves, these problems just continue cropping up. Unchecked, they can destroy our happiness, our lives, and our spiritual well-being and destiny.
Unfortunately, we often spend all of our corrective energies on the symptoms rather than the problem. This is like trying to turn a horse we’re riding by grabbing his hind leg– it generally doesn’t work to well and may get us hurt! To keep with the illustration, in order to turn a horse we have to change his mind. We do so by putting a bit in his mouth as a convincer to demonstrate that it’s in his best interest to turn (or stop). Likewise, instead of making excuses or constantly asking forgiveness for saying, thinking, and/or doing things that stem from a lack of self-control, let’s fix the problem. We have to first get in control of self.
How do you and I get in control of self? Jesus told us. Please note:
“first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.” Matthew 23:26
“But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. For out of the heart come evil hearts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.” Matthew 15:18-19
Thus, the key to controlling self begins on the inside...with the heart or mind. This is the key to controlling all other manifestations of the lack of self-control which become evident through the other members of our bodies. When we can control our minds, we likewise control our tongues, lusts, tempers, envies, etc. OK, so how do we control ourselves from within– our minds? Again, look to the scriptures for the answer:
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2
Renew you mind. Don’t feed it with the ideas, notions, and reasonings of the rest of society about what is right (or even acceptable) thought, action and reaction. Jesus said we are to “turn the other cheek” and Paul added that is better to be defrauded than to think, act and react like everyone else. Both require self-control. If we don’t have and utilize self-control we are wrong. And that means sinful. Look, self-control is required of Christians, not suggested. Let’s all do a better job of it– shall we?