Self-Control

Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Self-control is an important Christian virtue as it is listed as one of the attributes of the fruit of the Spirit.

The fruit of the Spirit is the transformation within us that takes place due to the continual work of the Holy Spirit in us. It is God Who is at work in us, both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

The Webster definition of "self-control" is "restraint exercised over one's own impulses, emotions or desires."

Self-control is the quality that allows us to stop ourselves from doing things we want to do that might not be in our best interests. It is the act of denying ourselves and controlling our impulses, and the trait of resolutely controlling our own behaviors.

Self-control is the ability to control ourselves. It involves moderation, constraint, and the ability to say no to our improper desires and fleshly lusts. It is one of the proofs that God is working in our lives as He bestows upon us the ability to control our own thoughts, words and actions.

To overcome effectively the works of the flesh, we need to have this essential virtue.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27
24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.
26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.
27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

In a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the first prize. Therefore we must run our race to win. To win, we must not do things that hinder us from doing our best.

An athlete undergoes many trainings and troubles just to win a prize, but we do it for a heavenly reward that never fades away. We must run straight to the goal with this purpose in mind. In every step we take, we persevere without turning sideways or getting distracted. We put away anything that will slow us down or hold us back, especially those sins and temptations that so easily ensnare us and cause us to fall.

We run with patience the race that God has set before us, not beating the air or fooling around. As we are in this race, let us forget the past, and look forward to what lies ahead. Let us press on to run toward the goal, finish the race, and receive the heavenly prize for which God is calling us in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:13-14
13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Therefore we must exercise self-control in our life. Without self-control, it would be easy for us to indulge ourselves in things that will cause us to get off track and not able to finish the race. We must discipline ourselves everyday by having self-control so that we don’t get sidetracked, become distracted and unfit to run the race.

Proverbs 25:28
Whoever has no rule over his own spirit
Is like a city broken down, without walls.

Proverbs 16:32
He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

Without self-control, we are broken down and defenseless against any attacks or invasions. But when we have self-control, we will have more strength than a mighty man who has the power to take over a city.

For us to be fruitful and growing in our Christian faith, we need to have self-control. It is one of the characteristics of the fruit of the Spirit. True self-control is not about bringing ourselves under our own control, but under the power of Christ and His Holy Spirit.

2 Peter 1:5-7
5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,
6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,
7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

Though we are born again in Christ, our sinful nature still needs to be dealt with on a daily basis!

Luke 9:23
Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

1 Corinthians 15:31
I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

As our fallen nature is under the influence of sin, we can become enslaved again without the power of the Holy Spirit. We may be successful in overcoming some desires and addictions such as smoking, but we are incapable and helpless when other sins take precedence and enslave us. Even a godly man like King David committed adultery and murder in a time of temptations and weaknesses.

Besides renouncing all evil desires, we are called to keep our good desires in proper check so that we will not indulge in them inappropriately and excessively!

1 Corinthians 6:12
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

1 Corinthians 10:23-24
23 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.
24 Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being.

There are some things that are not against God’s laws. But that doesn’t mean that we should go ahead and do them. It may be perfectly lawful, but it may not be best or helpful. We should not only think of ourselves and for ourselves. We should think about others too, and what is best for them.

About self-control, there are two things to consider:

1. the presence of something within us that needs to be restrained, and
2. the presence of Someone in us whom we can draw strength and power to restrain those impulses, emotions and desires.

Self-control is complexly multifaceted. Beyond controlling our behaviors, impulses and emotions, we are also dealing with those forces driving them. Not just our outward actions, but also our internal beings. Deeply rooted inside our hearts, we will find what truly control our minds, emotions and desires.

Outwardly, self-control involves keeping our body under control, abstaining from:

• self-indulgence and gluttony (Proverbs 25:16)
• much wine (Titus 2:3–5)
• sexual immorality and lustful desires (1 Thessalonians 4:3–5)
• immodesty and indecency (1 Timothy 2:9)
• burning lusts and passions (1 Corinthians 7:9)
• unmanageable anger (Ephesians 4:26)
• uncontrollable tongue (James 1:26)

Inwardly, we must be careful and vigilant while serving God with spiritual gifts that He has bestowed upon us. We must guard our hearts and minds from spiritual pride that easily springs up here and there. We must discern soberly who we truly are, not esteeming ourselves better than others.

Romans 12:3
For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

Philippians 2:3
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.

Self-control will keep us from overly indulging ourselves in even those things that are permissible. For example, some food are wonderful, good, healthy, delicious and yummy. But it doesn't mean we need to eat until we puke.

Proverbs 25:16
Have you found honey?
Eat only as much as you need,
Lest you be filled with it and vomit.

Worst still, there are people who eat until they puke, and after puking, they continue to eat some more, just like the Cretans.

Titus 1:12
One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

Similarly, too much of the same spiritual activities, actions and programs may simply amount to self-indulgence. Thus many Christians remain spiritually immature and imbalanced after attending seminars after seminars and conferences after conferences for many years, and still not able to discern both good and evil. Afraid to lose or miss out the excitements and actions, they become like hamsters and keep spinning the wheels. They just do what they like without exercising any self-control or restraint. Outside the church walls, they are malfunctioning and out of order. They have a mind of their own, remaining as spiritual babes.

Hebrews 5:12-14
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.
14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

We need to exercise control in our lives by submitting ourselves daily to the Lordship of Christ, asking Him to help us in our times of weaknesses and temptations.

Hebrews 4:15-16
15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

As self-control doesn’t happen overnight, we must continue to abide in Christ so that we will eventually bear fruit in Him! Yes, the fruit of the Spirit! Therein is self-control. It is planted, nurtured and grown by the Holy Spirit.

John 15:4
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

Finally, we can develop self-control by reading, studying, meditating and doing the Word of God. Becoming a man of God, complete and thoroughly equipped for every good work!

2 Timothy 3:16-17
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

If we do not have self-control, we will still be enslaved by those things that daily control us. If we abide in Christ, we will bear the fruit of the Spirit, and we will have self-control. When we have self-control, we will be free to live a life of righteousness and selflessness that truly reflects Christ and brings glory to God.

Written on: 4 May 2018