Growing – Self Control

2 Peter 1:6, “And in your knowledge, self-control…”

With an ever expanding foundation of faith, layered with growing moral excellence, both supporting knowledge we come to the next layer of spiritual quality. That layer is self-control.

The Christian arriving at the place where the Holy Spirit is working on self-control for the first time has experience a revelation of the person of Christ and His role as King and Master. He/she has felt the love of God as Moral Excellence is created in the soul. Driven internally, the same Christian seeks knowledge, and in learning Christ objectively the attempt to emulate actions is imminent. Perhaps that objective knowledge leads to the Ten Commandments. Love God, don’t lust, don’t steal, don’t envy, etc. and yet time and time again we as Christians fail in one or  even all of the commandments. Jesus in Matthew 5:22 says that if we are angry with a brother, or call them fools or good for nothings then we are guilty. And so the utopia of early Christianity comes head long into the reality of life.

The Bible says this, but I do that. God didn’t you cure me of all this when you saved me? Aren’t I supposed to me miraculously different and holy after salvation? Shouldn't God have changed me, and if I am not changed does it mean that I am not saved? And so life as a Christian looks largely the same as a non-Christian. This is because we have a part in “working out our salvation.” We must willingly participate in our character transformation. A transformation that is the qualities of this chapter of 2 Peter becoming and increasing within the character of our soul.

Coming to self-control for the first time is to reach the epiphany that I actually have to make a decision for God and not fall to the greedy, self-willed, lazy, conniving self. Anger does not disappear except when applied with a healthy dose of self-control. Addictions, back biting, lying, stealing, and all the other sins do not miraculously disappear from our character, but rather God does require self-control. We must surrender to the Spirit of God and overcome the flesh with self-control.

But as important as self-control is; it is equally important what it is not. Self-control is not control of others. We, individually, in relationship to Christ work out our own, and only our own salvation. This is not to say that ministry and Ministers do not have a role. This is to say keep your judgments, doctrines, and rules to yourself. No matter how much knowledge you have, no matter how much self-control you exercise, you have not been put on earth to be Christ’s replacement on earth. If you want to lead then lead by example. And if you want to be like Christ then we will eventually find out that Christ is love and only love.

Lastly, if you fail in the area of self-control allow that crisis to return you to the foundation of faith. When there is sufficient faith, sufficient virtuous thought, sufficient knowledge, then sufficient self-control will be supplied to overcome. And you will pass into the next quality improvement stage as self-control will supply perseverance.