Bearing Self-Control That Glorifies God

      We have arrived at the final God-glorifying fruit of the Spirit listed by Paul in Galatians 5:23 – Self-control.

      Certainly this crowning fruit denies the Calvinistic error of predestination.  God has not controlled our will and work before time began but has left us to control ourselves based upon His revelation.  When we do so, He is glorified.

      Paul began his list with love, the fruit that was inclusive of all the others.  He ends with this fruit that governs all the others.  Without bearing self-control, we will not bear love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness or gentleness.

      Self-control means not allowing external forces to dictate our actions.  Satan may hurl temptations at us, but we still maintain our control.  Our friends, family, co-workers and society may put pressures on us, but we still maintain our control.

      A stellar example of self-control is certainly Joseph.  When tempted by Potiphar’s wife, Satan had stacked the deck against him.  But he maintained his control saying, “How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God” (Genesis 39:9)?  When she continued tempting him, he fled, even leaving his outer garment behind.

      Now that is self-control.

      Another great example of self-control is, of course, Jesus.  When speaking of Jesus’ control we first think about His temptation recorded in Matthew 4:1-11.  Three times He was tempted and three times He withstood.

      Peter well describes Jesus’ control in I Peter 2:21-24, in which he reminds us that Jesus suffered, was reviled and threatened, but did not return these violent acts.  Instead, He committed Himself to God.  He would allow the Father to deal out vengeance and punishment as needed.  Then, in the midst of His suffering, He died to save those who were doing these wicked things to Him.

      Now that is self-control.

      If we are going to glorify God, we must also bear this level of control.  Certainly we recognize from these two examples that self-control is not living righteously when everything is going our way.  Self-control means living righteously in the midst of pressure to do otherwise.

      When the heat is on and temptation is present, that is when we have to be in control.  When others are mistreating us or pressuring us to sin, that is when we must exercise control.  When Satan is hammering away at our weak spots, that is when we must practice control.

      When we bear the God-glorifying fruit of self-control, the other fruit will follow.  How much self-control will we bear this week?

Edwin L. Crozier