Self-control In the same way the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked Him and said, He saved others, but He cannot save Himself! He is the King of Israel! Let Him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in Him. Matthew 27: 41-42, HCSB The last of the nine fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5 is self-control. It is interesting that Paul puts self-control last. Other religions would put it first. Confucianism taught that self-control would help produce the superior man. Hinduism thinks self-control will produce the realized man. Stoicism thought self-control produced the detached man. Modern cults believe self-control produces the happy man. They all go about it the wrong way. We do not gain Christ through self-control; we gain self-control through Christ. Self-control is used here as a by-product of love. When you begin with love, you end up with self-control. If you attempt it the other way around, then you end up with a nervous breakdown. The self-control that comes by the Spirit is not a nervous, anxious self-control; it is a control that is unstrained, therefore beautiful. No wonder a great thinker said, Love Christ and do what you like, for when you do, then you will like what He likes. Thats the kind of self-control the Spirit gives. We delight to control what needs to be controlled because we desire to please Him. Daily Prayer Blessed Holy Spirit, I am so thankful that You are working in me to produce the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. May the aspects of His nature show through me more and more every day. For His names sake. Amen.
Posted on: Sun, 23 Mar 2014 12:06:51 +0000
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