Fruitful Self-Control

Introduction

Greetings…

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Self-Control Is…

Power & Might.

The Greek word for “self-control” found in Galatians 5:23 has at its root or foundation the Greek word κρατος.

This word κρατος means “power, might., strength”

Hebrews 2:14 (ESV)

14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil

Acts 19:20 (ESV)

20 So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.

Ephesians 6:10 (ESV)

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

So our Greek word for “self-control” literally means…

Power Over Oneself.

As Christians we walk in a newness of life having put to death that old man of sin (Romans 6:5-6) because God has made us into “new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

As a new creation we are to no longer be someone that lacks power over oneself.

Matthew 23:25 (ESV)

25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.

1 Corinthians 7:5 (ESV)

5 Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

As a new creation we are to have power over our “ungodliness and worldly passions.”

Paul would write to Titus in Titus 2:11-12…

Titus 2:11–12 (ESV)

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age

Colossians 3:5–7 ESV

5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.

Colossians 3:8–11 ESV

8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

And this power over self is not limited to the age of a person who has put on Christ.

Titus 2:2 ESV

2 Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.

Titus 2:6 ESV

6 Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled.

Summary

Self-control is fruitful in a Christians life when they understand that it is “their responsibility” to take control of their actions.

We live in a society that demonizes self-control for instant gratification, but God is clear, Christians must exercise power over those things that they are tempted in that are ungodly and worldly.

So the question is then, what exactly does…

Self-Control Takes…

Biblical Knowledge.

Simply put one cannot exercises self-control or power over oneself if they have no idea what they are to have power over in their lives.

This is why the apostle Peter, in the Christian growth process list, puts knowledge before self-control.

2 Peter 1:5–7 (ESV)

5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

No Christian can consistently bear the fruit of self-control in their lives without having knowledge of right and wrong, good and evil.

After all how can we distinguish between good and evil without “knowing God’s word” and not just the “milk of God’s word.”

Hebrews 5:12–14 (ESV)

12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

To exercise self-control we must be intimately familiar with God’s word through rightly handling it and not just assuming it.

Far too many Christians will stand before their God and be asked to give an account for the lack of self-control over certain evil acts and they will not have even known it was evil.

Self-control not only requires knowledge, but is always associated or takes place with…

Righteousness.

These two are going to always go hand in hand as Paul tried to explain to Felix.

Acts 24:25 (ESV)

25 And as he reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, “Go away for the present. When I get an opportunity I will summon you.”

Righteousness is of course the actions of Christians living by what is right or faithful.

Romans 1:17 ESV

17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Therefore, faithful living or righteous living is directly connect to self-control in one’s life.

I cannot be faithful or righteous before God if I am not seeking complete spiritual control of my life.

2 Corinthians 10:4–6 (ESV)

4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.

Notice, it is only when we are ready to “take every thought captive to obey Christ” and “punish every disobedience” in our lives are we able to make our obedience complete.

The point is self-control is more than just “not doing something wrong or evil” it is “making every thought captive to obey Christ” and being willing to “punish every disobedience” in our lives.

Matthew 7:5 ESV

5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Summary

Now let me be clear, we cannot do all this “on our own.”

As Christians we still will fall short of this control in our lives from time to time and continually need Christ’s blood.

1 John 1:7–10 ESV

7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

But if we do our part, there is nothing that will stop us from reaching heaven.

Conclusion

After all we read that great list list of how a Christian grows spiritually in 2 Peter 1:5-7.

I want us to seek what Peter then said in 2 Peter 1:8-10.

2 Peter 1:8–10 (ESV)

8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.

Invitation

Isaiah 59:1–2 ESV

1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.

Philippians 2:6–7 ESV

6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

Romans 10:17 ESV

17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Hebrews 11:6 ESV

6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Acts 17:30 ESV

30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,

Matthew 10:32–33 NKJV

32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

2 Thessalonians 1:8 ESV

8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

1 Corinthians 15:1–4 ESV

1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

Romans 6:3–5 ESV

3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.

1 John 1:7 ESV

7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.