Daily Devotional
Word of the Day
The Fruit of Self-Control
Pastor Scott
Monday, January 12, 2004
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"But the fruit of the Spirit is...temperance..." (Galatians 5:22,23)
True biblical faith produces the evidence that there is a new creature living within us. We're no longer under the dominion of sin in our members, which are the works of the flesh. What motivates us? After we become new creatures, do we still have the same ambitions? Even if we have the same ambition, we cannot have the same motivation. So we need to realize that old things have passed away; all things have become new (2 Cor. 5:17). There should be evidence that we're no longer under the dominion of sin in our members--"adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like" (Gal. 5:19-21).
"Of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in times past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God" (5:21). Those that do such things will not be blessed in this life. Those that do such things will have to suffer natural consequences. You may have to go through the grief of divorce and separation because of your adultery and your fornication. Lifelong relationships might be broken through the seditious spirit and the strife that's in your life. You may be kicked out of the church because of heresy. You may lose your business because of your drunkenness and debauchery. But none of that matters. What does that have to do with anything of eternal value? Every one of those circumstances--a loss of friends, fortune, fame, reputation--can all be done without. You can survive that. "But they that do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."
Do the natural consequences of our sin motivate us? Or are we motivated because we've broken the heart of God, that our communion with our Father is broken, and that we can't walk in the light because of our preference for darkness? Is what motivates you the love of God and the presence of God? Or is it your own reputation or your own fear of consequences through the sin that's in your members?
Paul, by the Spirit, then speaks of the positive and says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, temperance: [and] against such there is no law" (5:22-23). If this fruit is dominant in your life, there is no law that will find you guilty. You will be pronounced righteous. You are in right standing with God. You are an heir, a joint-heir with Christ Jesus. You are raised up and seated with Him in the heavenly places. You are an overcomer as He has overcome and will be seated with Him upon His throne, and hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
Are these aspects of the new creation working in your life? Are you at peace? Are you fearful that there's lack? Are you caught up with the cares of the world? Are you anxious for tomorrow? Is there fear of doing without? What are you afraid of? Tragically, we have such abundance that we've forgotten how to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread." What's your heart attitude? Having abundance isn't the issue. Temperance, in its simplest definition, is self-control. Do you have control, or does the stuff have control? That is the issue.
One of the problems in the study of temperance is thinking that if temperance is good, abstinence must be better, and that's not always the case. Many times abstinence is an indication of weakness, not strength. But many times abstinence is the best vehicle in weakness to bring us to temperance. How to balance these different areas in our lives will be important for us practically as we find out how to walk in the spirit.