THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT: Self-Control

Memorial Drive 8/4/19 THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT: Self-Control Various Texts “BUT the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, SELF-CONTROL.” (Gal. 5:22-23a) … AN INITIAL CONSIDERATION • What We CAN and DO Produce “In Ourselves” Is EVIDENT and DIFFERENT “But” highlights the contrast between being “Spirit-empowered” and “flesh controlled” “Now THE DEEDS OF THE FLESH are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outburst of anger, disputers, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like this, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Gal. 5:19-21) • What CHARACTERIZES Our Life Speaks to the Destiny We Can Expect If “deeds of the flesh” are my “norm”, a heavenly destiny is questionable • The Close Proximity (In the Life of a Christian) of Two Sharply Contrasting Means of Living (Spirit or Self) Make Spiritual Battle Not Merely A Possibility But a Reality, and Self-Control Is At the Heart of the Battle “The very concept of “self-control” implies A BATTLE BETWEEN A DIVIDED SELF. It implies that our “self” produces desires we should not satisfy but should instead “control.” … SELF-CONTROL: When It’s Missing • Lack of Self-Control Will Increasingly Characterize A Time and Culture In “the last days” self-control, among other things, will ramp up (2 Timothy 3:1-5) • Lack of “Self-Control” Will Accentuate and Aggravate All the Deeds of the Flesh The power and impact of “fleshly deeds” will grow ever greater (Galatians 5:19-21) • Lack of Self-Control Creates Uselessness In the Lives of Believers Exercising self-control WILL render a believer useful and fruitful (I Peter 1:8) To BE a Christian but LIVE for yourself is just about the worst position you can be in! • Lack of Self-Control Will Open One Up to Severe Destruction Broken, defenseless, plundered, finding ourselves to be a shell of what we hoped for (Proverbs 25:28) … SELF-CONTROL: What It Is • Related to the Exercise of Sexual Purity (I Corinthians 7:9, Acts 24:25) “But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.” (1 Co 7:9) “But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, FELIX BECAME FRIGHTENED and said, “Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you.” (Acts 24:25) • Related to Either Abstinence or Moderation: (Drunkenness, Substance Abuse) Self-control is listed as oppositional but corresponding in place to drunkenness (Galatians 5:18-25) • Related to Control of Our Emotions and Responses Joseph is a good example of “self-control” in relation to our emotions (Gen. 43:29ff, 45:1ff) Self-control has to do with our emotional state of being as well! Sometimes great emotion is appropriate! Sometimes not! Sometimes as Christians we literally allow our emotions to exercise more control over us than our thinking about truth! “This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be QUICK to hear, SLOW to speak, and SLOW to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” (Js. 1:19-20) … SELF-CONTROL: Fighting for It “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who COMPETES in the games exercises SELF-CONTROL IN ALL THINGS. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I DISCIPLINE MY BODY AND MAKE IT MY SLAVE, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” (1 Co 9:24–27) Jesus was in “AGONY” as He prayed in preparation for His death on the cross (Luke 22:44) The root word for “agony” is the same word that refers to the one who “competes” so as to win an imperishable reward If that’s the price an athlete will pay for something that doesn’t last, what should we be willing to pay for that which comes from God and lasts forever?!! Saying no to sin, to fleshly deeds, is hard! It’s costly! It’s agonizing at times! But this is self-control! And it has to be fought for! “As the Hebrews were promised the land, but had to take it by force, one town at a time so we are promised the gift of self-control, yet we also must take it by force.” (Ed Welch)