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27th October 2024
SundayReflection
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'Eddie Foster offers'
'passionate about sharing "how to" methods'
"Fruit of the Spirit: Self-Control"
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Imagine a small child throwing a tantrum - complete with throwing toys and shrieking - when she doesn't get what she wants.
Now fast-forward that same child into the workforce twenty or so years into the future.
This version of her future self, one without self-control, is yelling in the face of her (soon-to-be former) employer for making her rewrite a report.
A different version, one with self-control, would take the criticism from her boss and comply without retaliation.
Examples such as this highlight, even from a secular point of view, the need for self-control.
The apostle Paul wrote about bringing "every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ".
Since thoughts lead to actions, this includes controlling ourselves completely, despite the pulls of temptations.
Romans 7:23 describes it in this way:
But I see a different law at work in my body - a law that fights against the law which my mind approves of.
It makes me a prisoner to the law of sin which is at work in my body.
Paul is describing this pull of human nature that makes us think it is "natural" to sin.
We have to remember that the "natural" is part of this world, temporarily run by Satan, the devil.
Therefore, as Christians, we recognize that self-control includes abstaining from the evils of the world.
Notice 1 John 2:15-17:
Do not love the world or anything that belongs to the world.
If you love the world, you do not love the Father.
Everything that belongs to the world - what the sinful self desires, what people see and want, and everything in this world that people are so proud of - none of this comes from the Father; it all comes from the world.
The world and everything in it that people desire is passing away; but those who do the will of God live forever.
What is self-control as a fruit of the Spirit?
It is the active effort we put forth to resist the temptation to go back to the ways of the world around us once we've been shown God's spiritual way of life.
It is demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit instead of committing the works of the flesh.
The reason God wants us to grow in self-control ties in with all the other fruit of the Spirit
We are in a battle. We see in John 8:44
You are the children of your father, the Devil, and you want to follow your father's desires.
From the very beginning he was a murderer and has never been on the side of truth, because there is no truth in him.
When he tells a lie, he is only doing what is natural to him, because he is a liar and the father of all lies.
God's idea for the world, on the other hand, includes having everyone demonstrate the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Why is self-control last in the fruit of the Spirit?
Perhaps it's because self-control ties in with each of the fruit of the Spirit:
It takes self-control to show true godly love instead of lust and infatuation - to love others not as the world loves, but as Jesus loved us.
The story of Jesus is found mainly throughout the Gospels but is also illustrated throughout the entire Bible because He was the Creator who then came to earth in the flesh.
We look to His experiences and actions as a human being and then try to model our lives after Him.
Jesus Christ's time as a human being defines self-control.
In order to pay the penalty for our sins, Jesus had to live a sinless life.
This required constant self-control, with the help of God.
Even in the face of blatant temptation by the devil, who offered Him the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life, Jesus remained in control
The fruit of the Holy Spirit is how Christians show God's character and gospel message in their thoughts and actions.
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This is an edited version.
The full article and Bible references are avaiable on request
'Eddie Foster'
Eddie Foster was born in Ohio.
He lives in the Dayton area with his wife, Shannon, and two daughters.
They attend the Cincinnati/Dayton congregation of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association.
Eddie has a bachelor of science degree in early to middle childhood education from Bluefield State College (West Virginia) and a master's degree in speech-language pathology from the University of Cincinnati.
He works in public schools, serving elementary and middle school students with speech and language impairments, as well as children with other disabilities.
He also enjoys writing, especially on topics that help people fight and win the battle against harmful sins, which he believes is the leading cause of misery.
He is passionate about sharing "how to" methods and insights he has learned while fighting his own battles to overcome sin and learn from the God of love and wisdom.
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