The Christian Letter, Volume One: Chapter 54
“And for this reason do your utmost to add to your belief uprightness, to uprightness knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control endurance, to endurance reverence, to reverence brotherly affection, and to brotherly affection love.” (2 Peter 1:5-7).
Self-control? That’s not staying out of the cookie jar, is it? This isn’t the fruit of the Spirit that keeps you thin and healthy, is it? Well, I suppose that could be part of it. After all, your body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit. However, there are other aspects of this fruit besides willpower to pass down a candy bar for … fruit.
Self-control is controlling one’s self. Riveting, I know, but in truth, self-control is knowing your place. What is the primary reason we lose self-control? Why do we lose control and yell at our pet, scream at our spouse, tell our children mean things, and so forth? Is it because we forget we are children of the Most High?
If we have no fruit of the Spirit self-control, then even with a little temptation we fall into sin. Self-control is spiritual armor. The more you have, the safer you are. If you have none, all it takes is one shot, and it’s all over. The cat scratches you, and you lose your temper. Your spouse does something you see as wrong, and you blow your top. The kids instantly drove you mad, and now you want to be mean to them in return. However, with self-control, not only do you stay away from the cookie jar, but you also do not lose your credibility, and thus can truly present the fruit of the Spirit.
All right. How do we get this fruit? Prayer? Reading His Word? That is always the beginning part of the answer, but you also need practice. That doesn’t mean throwing yourself into temptation or problems to get exercise at showing self-control; rather, it means every time that something arises, you remember your place. We belong to Yahoweh, thus let this fruit be His Control. You are a servant. Practice being a servant!
“So also you, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants, we have done what was our duty to do.’” (Luke 17:10).
The largest strain on self-control is our own desires urging us to yield to them, while neglecting others. It is greed. Many of us face this when looking to how we live. Sure, we are supposed to give our time, prayers, and money, to those in need, but do we? Who wins the arguments in our lives most often? Us. But what about Yahoweh? When He asks us to do something, be it ministering, or to be forgiving and playful with our children and pets, then do we go with other plans? Whose plans are those, if they are not His?
Submission. That word will get you into so much trouble, but for me, well, no, I cannot say I am used to it, but it is at least familiar. Wives, submit to your husbands. Husbands, submit to Messiah. There have been very few things said in the history of the world that is as powerful as those words Paul said. Women? Do you have the fruit of the Spirit self-control so you may submit as a bride to your husband—who loves you more than his own life—until death do you part? Men? Do you have the fruit of the Spirit self-control so you may submit as a bride unto the Messiah—even if it is Jewish to do so—until death do you never part? The fruit of the Spirit self-control, is a measure of the spirit that prevents adultery, encourages prayer, stops greed, and allows us to be moved to the Teachings of the Messiah, be they about tithing, tzitzit, or Sabbath.
Gluttony, gossip, gambling, grievous greed, gnaws gentlemen’s gregarious gratitude greatly. Sorry. I don’t know what came over me. Sometimes I just have to make everything start with the same letter. It’s a game my wife and I play. Seems silly to mention it here, but I suppose I shall, because self-control does not mean becoming as interesting as a piece of plywood. Playing is a wonderful part of life that ought to be equated with all stages of life, and all types of people. Maturity that doesn’t know how to laugh, and cause others to be joyful, is not maturity, rather immaturity.
Self-control is like the rest of the fruit of the Spirit. It isn’t just a fruit, it is a Commandment. The fruit of the Spirit is love, and yet believers are commanded to love Yahoweh with all their heart, mind, and soul, and to love their neighbor as themselves. Another fruit of the Spirit is joy, and yet believers are commanded to continue rejoicing always in all circumstances. The Spirit is indeed speaking of Torah, and as we listen, He writes it upon our hearts, but if we do not hearken, deafness will ring.
“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the matters of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the matters of the Spirit. For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace. Because the mind of the flesh is enmity towards Elohim, for it does not subject itself to the Torah of Elohim, neither indeed is it able, and those who are in the flesh are unable to please Elohim.” (Romans 8:5-8).
Be Blessed and be a Blessing
Shalom
-Valentine Thalken Billingsley
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Additional Scripture References:
Matthew 22:37-39, Galatians 5:13-14, Leviticus 19:18, Deuteronomy 6:5, Hebrews 12:10-11
