9.15.24 Sermon @ Tulip CC - Fruit of the Spirit: Self-Control
Sermon Outline
Intro/Review:
Transition to Message:
Fallen Condition Focus (FCF):
Dominant Thought (DT):
Passage Focus & Teaching:
Closing/Call to Action:
Sermon Planning & Notes
DT Restatement:
Complements:
Self-control
Most of us like to be ‘in control’—of other things and other people! But the Bible says that the only thing we should be controlling is—ourselves! Self-control is the means by which we keep ourselves, and the acts of the sinful nature, ‘in check’. It is more than saying ‘No’ to excessive eating or wrong desires (though that is part of it! See e.g. Proverbs 23:1–3; Colossians 3:5). It is saying ‘Yes’ to God. It is ‘taking captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ’ (2 Corinthians 10:5); it is saying ‘Yes’ to the way of the cross (Matthew 16:24–27).
Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.
(Proverbs 25:28)
The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.
(1 Peter 4:7)
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(2 Peter 1:5–8)
See also 1 Thessalonians 5:6–9; 1 Timothy 6:6–11; 2 Timothy 1:7; Titus 2:6–8, 11–12; Hebrews 13:4–5; 1 Peter 1:13–16
The Fruit of the Holy Spirit—What Is Self-Control?
The last characteristic listed in Galatians 5:22–23 as a fruit of the Spirit is self-control. The fruit of the Spirit is the change in our character that comes about because of the Holy Spirit’s work in us. We do not become a Christian on our own, and we cannot grow on our own. Philippians 2:13 says that “it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” Every good thing we do is the fruit of the Spirit’s work in our lives.
Self-control (“temperance” in the KJV) is, of course, the ability to control oneself. It involves moderation, constraint, and the ability to say “no” to our baser desires and fleshly lusts.
One of the proofs of God’s working in our lives is the ability to control our own thoughts, words, and actions. It’s not that we are naturally weak-willed. But our fallen nature is under the influence of sin. The Bible calls it being a “slave to sin” (Romans 6:6). One definition of sin is “filling a legitimate need through illegitimate means.” Without the power of the Holy Spirit, we are incapable of knowing and choosing how best to meet our needs. Even if we knew what would be best, such as not smoking, another need, like comfort, would take precedence and enslave us again.
When we are saved by Christ’s sacrifice, we are free (Galatians 5:1). That liberty includes, among other things, freedom from sin. “Our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin” (Romans 6:6). Now, as the Spirit gives us self-control, we can refuse sin.
Believers need self-control because the outside world and internal forces still attack (Romans 7:21–25). Like a vulnerable city, we must have defenses. A wall around an ancient city was designed to keep out the enemy. Judges at the gates determined who should be allowed in and who should remain outside. Soldiers and gates enforced those decisions. In our lives, these defenses might include avoiding close relationships with sinners, meeting with other believers, and meditating on the life-giving Word of God. We don’t exhibit self-control if we continually dally with that which would enslave us.
Self-control naturally leads to perseverance (2 Peter 1:6) as we value the long-term good instead of the instant gratification of the world. Self-control is a gift that frees us. It frees us to enjoy the benefits of a healthy body. It frees us to rest in the security of good stewardship. It frees us from a guilty conscience. Self-control restricts the indulgence of our foolish desires, and we find the liberty to love and live as we were meant to.
What Does the Bible Say about Self-Discipline?
Self-discipline is essentially the same as self-control, one of the nine fruits of the Spirit listed by Paul in Galatians 5:22–23. The KJV translation uses the word temperance in place of “self-control” which, like self-discipline, generally refers to our ability to control or restrain ourselves from all kinds of feelings, impulses, and desires, which includes the desire for physical and material comfort. Now, even though self-control is the last of the spiritual fruits mentioned by Paul, and even though it is a term not used extensively in the Bible, self-control is clearly an indispensable attribute of the Christian life, especially as our unredeemed flesh sometimes causes us to succumb to the persistent tug of our sinful desires.
The apostle Paul calls us to “purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God” (2 Corinthians 7:1). And in his letter to the Romans, he exhorts us to “offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God,” and not to be conformed to the pattern of this world (Romans 12:1–2). Yet most Christians would agree that subordinating the constant pull of these worldly desires in order to please our Lord is not always an easy thing to do. Paul discusses his own inner conflict and struggle with sin in his letter to the Romans, “What I want to do I do not do … the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing … it is sin living in me that does it” (Romans 7:15–20).
It is clear that our seemingly insatiable human appetites and needs can easily lead to sinful excesses if not controlled. Especially in affluent societies, the lack of self-discipline is rampant, as evidenced by the number of obese people and the extensive use of stimulants, depressants and over-the-counter medications. Further, the enticements of the material world have caused many to yearn for and acquire material goods far beyond their needs and their ability to pay for them. Indeed, the nations of the world have fallen into the same trap, borrowing trillions of dollars to finance bloated budgets that result from the inability to exercise self-discipline. For Christians, without self-discipline, our appetites for comforts and pleasures can easily become our master and lead us into sin or otherwise hinder us in our spiritual walk. If the spiritual does not govern the physical, we can become easy targets for Satan due to our lack of self-control (1 Corinthians 7:5).
Paul discusses self-discipline in his letter to the Corinthian church. As the Greeks had the Olympic games and the Isthmian games, they were very familiar with the rigors of athletic training, especially if one wanted to win the “prize” or the “crown.” Paul analogizes living a disciplined Christian life to an athlete in training: “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training” (1 Corinthians 9:25). When Paul says “I beat my body and make it my slave,” he is saying that his body is under the dominion and control of his mind, not the other way around. Paul is showing us how self-control is needed to win the race that is before us and to live the life that is “holy and pleasing to God.” For Paul, the “race” was winning souls for Christ, a goal which he states four times in verses 19–22.
It is important to understand that self-control is a work of the Holy Spirit, not a work of the individual. After all, Galatians 5:22–23 lists the fruit of the Spirit, not the fruit of the Christian. As we are merely the branches upon which the Vine (Christ) hangs the fruit He produces (John 15:1–8), it is the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit that gives Christians the power and ability to exercise self-control so that we will not be mastered by the “cravings of sinful man.” As Paul said, “God did not give us a Spirit of timidity, but a Spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). Indeed, Christians are controlled not by the sinful nature, but by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9), who helps us in our weakness (v.26), which makes us able to say “no” to sin.
The wise King Solomon wrote many proverbs for the purpose of helping us to live a “disciplined” and prudent life (Proverbs 1:3). Certainly, we will be more victorious in our Christian walk when we exercise our Spirit-given self-control, that which helps us respond in obedience to the commands of Scripture and allows us to grow in our spiritual life.
Illustrations:
Self-control is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands—and then eat just one of the pieces.1196
Self-Control Is Contagious
Proverbs 16:32; 25:28; 1 Corinthians 9:24–27; Galatians 5:22–23; 2 Peter 1:5–7
Preaching Themes: Character, Discipline
A 2010 study found that self-control can be contagious. The study, conducted in a laboratory setting, found that watching or even thinking about someone with good self-control makes others more likely to show the same restraint. The study also found the opposite to be true. A person with poor self-control can influence others to act negatively. The effect is so strong that flashing a picture of another person for only 10 milliseconds changed the behavior of study volunteers. People tend to mimic the behavior of those around them, and bad habits tend to spread through social networks. The study is the first to show self-control is contagious regardless of the behavior modeled. The lead author of the study, Michelle vanDellen from the University of Georgia, said, “The take-home message of this study is that picking social influences that are positive can improve your self-control.” She added, “And by exhibiting self-control, you’re helping others around you to do the same.”
—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell