#BibleStudy Timeless Truths. The Miracle Tree – Fruit of the Spirit. #9 Self-Control

¹⁹ The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; ²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹ and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:19-23

9. Self-Control

This is the final post in this series on the Fruit of the Spirit.

Self-control is a concept that's easy to understand but hard to live out.

Self-control has been a human problem since the beginning.

6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

Genesis 3:6-7

Eli's sons had no self-control, and Eli was grossly overweight.

Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they had no regard for the Lord. 1

 Samuel 2:12

When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was an old man, and he was heavy. He had led Israel forty years. 

1 Samuel 4:18

David/Bathsheba. Lack of control of his thoughts leads to the weakening of David's Kingdom.

In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.

2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof, he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful,3 and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” 4 Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her.                                                    2 Samuel 11:1-4

Samson had issues with controlling his anger.
Samson said to them, “This time I have a right to get even with the Philistines; I will really harm them.” 

Judges 15:3

Samson said to them, “Since you’ve acted like this, I swear that I won’t stop until I get my revenge on you.” 

Judges 15:7

Solomon. Family (wives!) issue, along with self-control in general.

 Solomon had four thousand stalls for chariot horses and twelve thousand horses. 

I Kings 4:26 

He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray. 4 As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. 

1 Kings 11:3-4

Peter. Control of his speech.
Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.) Mark 9:5
But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same. Matthew 26:35


Titus. Self-control includes
Teaching: You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. 2:1
Training: In everything set them an example by doing what is good. 2:7
Encouragement: encourage the young men to be self-controlled. 2:6; Encourage and rebuke with all authority. 2:15b

Discipleship is also important. ...hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. 1:9

1 Peter. Although Peter often lacks self-control, he writes 
Be prepared for difficult situations. Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 4:12-13

2 Peter.
Participate in the Divine. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 1:2-4

God wants to use you!

Self-control boils down to an issue of 

God's control in you.

Isaac/Rebekah (Genesis 24-25), Moses/Pharoah (Exodus 3-14), and Esther (Esther 1-9) all show how God's control leads to self-control.

When you allow God to work in and through you, you have all the Fruit of the Spirit.

God's design is not "just scraping by." 

You are to live the Fruit of the Spirit as participants in the Divine.

Thanks to Dr. Scott Peterson for the primary teaching in this series.