44 min
Fruit of the Spirit: Self-control Wednesday in the Word
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- Christianity
Fruit of the Spirit Self-control: While self-control might sound like a call to perfection, at its core self-control values the gospel more than our desires of the moment.
Fruit of the Spirit: Self-Control Key Points
* Self-control is choosing to limit myself to follow God.
* Self-control is not being flawless in speech and action.
* As an example, Paul was willing to limit his freedoms for the sake of the gospel
* Word: Strong’s G1466.
* Passages: Acts 24:24-27; 1Corinthians 9:19-27; 2Peter 1:2-8.
Next: Fruit of the Spirit: Summary
Previous: Fruit of the Spirit: Gentleness
Series: Fruit of the Spirit
Fruit of the Spirit: Self-control
Today we're looking at the last of the fruits of the Spirit. We have been wandering through Scripture on a quest to understand what the words on this list meant to Paul.
One last time, I'll review the context in Galatians. Paul spends most of Galatians arguing we do not need to keep the law to be saved. Faith in Jesus is sufficient. In Galatians 5, Paul argues law-keeping does not make us more holy or good. Only faith in Jesus produces real moral transformation. Once we have been reconciled to God by the cross, He gives us His Spirit who changes us from the inside out, producing the qualities on this list.
Self-control can be a scary concept because we suspect Paul means the ability to control ourselves at all times. We think we must have the ability to say and do the right thing in every situation. But all of us wrestle with ourselves. Part of us wants to be kind and compassionate while another part wants to indulge our selfishness. Paul described this classic dilemma in Romans 7.
for I do not understand my own actions, for I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. - Romans 7:15
Paul describes a situation every believer experiences. Before the law, he was convinced if he decided to stop sinning, he would. His problem was simply ignorance or lack of willpower. When he gave law-keeping his best shot, he continued to sin.
If by self-control, Paul means the end of that struggle with sin in his life, then he's disqualified everyone, and contradicted what he says in Romans 7. By self-control, Paul can't mean ceasing to sin, but what does he mean? How do we reconcile self-control with the fact that believers continue to sin? We'll look at some passages to sort that out.
The Folly of Indulgence
Many cultures consider self-control a virtue. Philosophers like Plato and Aristotle praised self-control as being foremost among the virtues. It's obvious there's something valuable about self-control. While all human beings have the selfish desire to trample others and ensure our needs get met first, we can assess a situation and check on our selfish behavior.
If everyone gave their passions free rein, civilization would rapidly degenerate into anarchy. Following unrestrained passion tends to destroy human life.
Fruit of the Spirit Self-control: While self-control might sound like a call to perfection, at its core self-control values the gospel more than our desires of the moment.
Fruit of the Spirit: Self-Control Key Points
* Self-control is choosing to limit myself to follow God.
* Self-control is not being flawless in speech and action.
* As an example, Paul was willing to limit his freedoms for the sake of the gospel
* Word: Strong’s G1466.
* Passages: Acts 24:24-27; 1Corinthians 9:19-27; 2Peter 1:2-8.
Next: Fruit of the Spirit: Summary
Previous: Fruit of the Spirit: Gentleness
Series: Fruit of the Spirit
Fruit of the Spirit: Self-control
Today we're looking at the last of the fruits of the Spirit. We have been wandering through Scripture on a quest to understand what the words on this list meant to Paul.
One last time, I'll review the context in Galatians. Paul spends most of Galatians arguing we do not need to keep the law to be saved. Faith in Jesus is sufficient. In Galatians 5, Paul argues law-keeping does not make us more holy or good. Only faith in Jesus produces real moral transformation. Once we have been reconciled to God by the cross, He gives us His Spirit who changes us from the inside out, producing the qualities on this list.
Self-control can be a scary concept because we suspect Paul means the ability to control ourselves at all times. We think we must have the ability to say and do the right thing in every situation. But all of us wrestle with ourselves. Part of us wants to be kind and compassionate while another part wants to indulge our selfishness. Paul described this classic dilemma in Romans 7.
for I do not understand my own actions, for I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. - Romans 7:15
Paul describes a situation every believer experiences. Before the law, he was convinced if he decided to stop sinning, he would. His problem was simply ignorance or lack of willpower. When he gave law-keeping his best shot, he continued to sin.
If by self-control, Paul means the end of that struggle with sin in his life, then he's disqualified everyone, and contradicted what he says in Romans 7. By self-control, Paul can't mean ceasing to sin, but what does he mean? How do we reconcile self-control with the fact that believers continue to sin? We'll look at some passages to sort that out.
The Folly of Indulgence
Many cultures consider self-control a virtue. Philosophers like Plato and Aristotle praised self-control as being foremost among the virtues. It's obvious there's something valuable about self-control. While all human beings have the selfish desire to trample others and ensure our needs get met first, we can assess a situation and check on our selfish behavior.
If everyone gave their passions free rein, civilization would rapidly degenerate into anarchy. Following unrestrained passion tends to destroy human life.
44 min