Self-Control

Can you imagine any of today's personal workers reasoning with an unsaved person concerning righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come? He or she more than likely would talk about Hell, Heaven, grace, forgiveness, and possibly the "pre-tribulation rapture."

But self-control? Never!

Whatever happened to self-control? It is one of the evidences we are living in the Spirit of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is . . . self-control . . . . (Galatians 5:22,23—NIV)

I'll tell you what I think happened to self-control. We have had wrong preaching and teaching for such a long time we have forgotten about self-control.

Today we say Jesus did it all and we do not have to do anything; or the natural man is so sinful we have to wait until Jesus creates righteous behavior in us; or it doesn't matter how we behave because we are saved by grace; or God sees us through Christ so it doesn't matter how we behave; or when we receive Christ as our Savior we are clothed with Christ's own righteousness. Therefore any attempt we make to live righteously is an affront to the perfect righteousness of Christ. We are trying to add to that which already is perfect.

Which one of these lies do you believe?

Hopefully none.

What is self-control? Self-control is the control of one's self. Ta-dah! What a stupendous revelation.

Why and how are we to gain control of our self?

We must gain control of our self because our self behaves in a manner contrary to the express commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Apostles. The Lord and His Apostles did not give us numerous commandments so we can look at them and be amazed. We have been given the commandments to keep. If we do not keep them we do not love Christ and we will not become a new creation in Christ.

What did the Lord tell us to do? He told us to keep His commandments.

Why do you call me, "Lord, Lord," and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. (Luke 6:46-48—NIV)

Then the Lord spoke through His Apostles:

Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; To be made new in the attitude of your minds; And to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, And do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. (Ephesians 4:21-28—NIV)

Now look carefully at the above exhortation. These are the commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ through the Apostle Paul, are they not?

To be continued.