Tag: Self-Control

Athletes hone their bodies into high functioning machines that can do a great deal of spectacular feats and strength and agility.  This result does not come without a price.  There are plenty of seasons where they skip perfectly good functions, foods, and events for the sake of crafting their skill and ability and shaping their bodies.  It takes an enormous amount of self-control to produce the results and the world takes notice of their ability.  We all strive to be like them, however, without self-control, we will never approach the results that they do.  This should be how the members of the church, specifically the elders and those mature in the faith should present themselves.  When outsiders see the church, there should be a notable difference that demonstrates the effects of a change and redeemed life.  Furthermore, when people new to the faith see those who are further in their walk, the person of Jesus Christ should be clear and evident in the lives of the elders.  This means there will be plenty of things that Christians do and do not that serve as a witness to our faith.  There will be places we frequent and places we abstain from that will show the world that Jesus Christ has rescued us from death.  Our self-control to obey the law roots itself in the first purpose of the law, which was to separate believers from non-believers.  In doing so, we train to obtain a prize beyond that which athlete can obtain.

It seems that our current day and culture does not value self-control.  Everyone is urged and encouraged to give in to their immediate desires in order to gratify whatever they are seeking.  Pleasure has become the god of our current day as we all desire to achieve the most amount of pleasure for what we seek.  Yet, throughout scripture, what mankind desires has proven itself time and time again to not be beneficial for their own good.  The things that God desires and directs His follows to do, while it may contradict the desires of the flesh, consistently remain better for mankind.  When the Spirit of God is alive and moving within us, self-control that refuses to give in to every desire will demonstrate the God within us.  Self-control involves taking an intense look at what our heart craves and choose to obey what ultimately will secure our salvation and sustain our soul.  It abstains when it’s easier to give in, it runs when it’s easier to walk, and it submits to the will of an infinite and Holy God who only wants what is best for His beloved creation.  

It seems that our current day and culture does not value self-control.  Everyone is urged and encouraged to give in to their immediate desires in order to gratify whatever they are seeking.  Pleasure has become the god of our current day as we all desire to achieve the most amount of pleasure for what we seek.  Yet, throughout scripture, what mankind desires has proven itself time and time again to not be beneficial for their own good.  The things that God desires and directs His follows to do, while it may contradict the desires of the flesh, consistently remain better for mankind.  When the Spirit of God is alive and moving within us, self-control that refuses to give in to every desire will demonstrate the God within us.  Self-control involves taking an intense look at what our heart craves and choose to obey what ultimately will secure our salvation and sustain our soul.  It abstains when it’s easier to give in, it runs when it’s easier to walk, and it submits to the will of an infinite and Holy God who only wants what is best for His beloved creation.