By
Shelby G. Floyd
In his second letter the apostle Peter wrote, “Add to your faith…self-control” (2 Peter 1:6). Every Christian therefore is to learn self-control. Self control or temperance is “to control the mind and body with all of the lusts.” Satan is a wily foe and seeks to destroy our souls through the three avenues of temptation — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life (1 John 2:15-17). Self-control is of God because it is the fruit of the Spirit of God (Galatians 5:22-23).
Our society today is being bombarded with every motivation possible for the people to fulfill any and all illicit sexual desires. Just as some members of the church at Corinth were caught up in the immorality rampant in the ancient Greek society, so are some religious people today caught up in the old immorality displayed in the long-ago (Cf. 1 Corinthians 5:1-3; 2 Cor. 7:1-5, 8-9). It is important therefore that we learn to exercise self-control.
Pithy Proverbs
“Most powerful is he who has himself in his own power.”—Seneca
“The happiness of the men in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions.” —Alfred Lord Tennyson
“But the fruit of the Spirit is…self-control.” -Galatians 5:23
Gain the Crown by Self-Control
Unless we discipline ourselves and practice self-control, we will not receive the eternal crown of life and will be disqualified for the prize:
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27 No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
NIV
Let us all discipline ourselves that we might win the eternal crown of life offered to us by the love of God and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Copyright © 2012 2021 Shelby G. Floyd, All Rights Reserved
Shelby G. Floyd
Heartland Church of Christ
1693 West Main Street
Greenwood, Indiana 46142