2 Peter 1:5-7
"Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self control..."
Step 1: Faith
Step 2: Moral excellence
Step 3: Knowledge
Step 4: Self control
None of these things come naturally but, to me at least, this one is a bit more of a struggle. Self control is pretty self explanatory. I actually looked it up and all the dictionary did was add one and a half words. It said "control of oneself."
Easy to understand, but not so easy to put into practice, and Galatians 5 tells us why.(vs 17) "For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another". One of the deeds of the flesh listed in Galatians 5 is outbursts of anger. The fruit of the Spirit is Self control. The natural thing to do when someone slaps you on the cheek is to slap them right back. But Jesus said "whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also." (Matthew 5:39)
The key to self control is learning to keep our bodies in subjection to the Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 9:19-22 Paul Says, "For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some."
Paul understood and practiced self control. He let the Holy Spirit have full control over his body so that, even though he could have, by right, done certain things, he didn't worry about his own rights but rather became a slave to others.
He continues in Verses 25-27 by saying, "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."
It takes discipline to bring our flesh under subjection to the Spirit.
We need to follow Christs example in 1 Peter 2:21-23 -"For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously".
God is the righteous Judge. We don't need to defend ourselves or speak up about our rights. We simply need to entrust ourselves to Him. "So far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men."
Proverbs 25:28 -"Like a city that is broken into and without walls Is a man who has no control over his spirit."
Proverbs 16:32 -"And he who rules his spirit,(is better) than he who captures a city."
"Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self control..."
Step 1: Faith
Step 2: Moral excellence
Step 3: Knowledge
Step 4: Self control
None of these things come naturally but, to me at least, this one is a bit more of a struggle. Self control is pretty self explanatory. I actually looked it up and all the dictionary did was add one and a half words. It said "control of oneself."
Easy to understand, but not so easy to put into practice, and Galatians 5 tells us why.(vs 17) "For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another". One of the deeds of the flesh listed in Galatians 5 is outbursts of anger. The fruit of the Spirit is Self control. The natural thing to do when someone slaps you on the cheek is to slap them right back. But Jesus said "whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also." (Matthew 5:39)
The key to self control is learning to keep our bodies in subjection to the Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 9:19-22 Paul Says, "For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some."
Paul understood and practiced self control. He let the Holy Spirit have full control over his body so that, even though he could have, by right, done certain things, he didn't worry about his own rights but rather became a slave to others.
He continues in Verses 25-27 by saying, "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."
It takes discipline to bring our flesh under subjection to the Spirit.
We need to follow Christs example in 1 Peter 2:21-23 -"For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously".
God is the righteous Judge. We don't need to defend ourselves or speak up about our rights. We simply need to entrust ourselves to Him. "So far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men."
Proverbs 25:28 -"Like a city that is broken into and without walls Is a man who has no control over his spirit."
Proverbs 16:32 -"And he who rules his spirit,(is better) than he who captures a city."
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