The fruit of the Spirit: Self-control
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)
The final attribute of the fruit of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5 is a very challenging one – self-control. Because it starts with “self” we can fall into the trap of thinking we do it. The “works of the flesh” are wilful actions of disobedience and self-interest. But the fruit of the Spirit is not an effort of the will. It is the cultivation of the life we have in Christ, the True Vine. The Spirit of God connects us to the Lord Jesus, and God the Father, the Holy Vinedresser, oversees our fruitfulness.
We tend to limit the idea of “control” to specific issues. For example, we think of temperance as controlling alcohol abuse. We tend to focus on those issues we have problems with, such as our pride, impatience and temper. God has given us many things to richly enjoy. And He has also clearly told us what we should not do. There are dangers in becoming absorbed and distracted by the good things God gives, such as possessions and careers. Demas was an example of a Christian who was in love with this present world. There is also the constant danger of giving way to sin in all its forms. David had a terrible fall caused by idleness and looking at a beautiful woman who was another man’s wife. But self-control should not be isolated to single issues. It is a whole-life issue.
We have to grasp the depth and power of these words of the Lord Jesus: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). The secret of producing the fruit of the Spirit, and in doing so avoiding spiritual dangers, is abiding in Christ. We need so much to respond to the Saviour’s invitation to abide in Him. Obedience begins with abiding. Mary sat at the feet of the Lord Jesus to listen to His words. But in John 11 she learned to move when the Lord spoke to her. Astonishingly the Lord moved, with the incredible power of the One who is “the resurrection and the life,” when He saw Mary’s tears. When we move into the presence of God, He moves in our lives. He makes us Christlike. He directs our paths and empowers our service. Power for the Christian testimony does not come from our innovation, organisation and effort; it comes only from the presence of God. When we came to Christ, we understood, without any doubt, that we could never save ourselves. We needed the Lord Jesus to save us. The expression of the life we have in Christ is founded on the same principle – coming to Him and finding rest and all our resources in the Saviour. In this sanctuary the fruit of the Spirit is produced in us. This is the basis of God fulfilling His purposes through our lives to His glory.
We began our reflection on the fruit of the Spirit with some words D.L. Moody quoted:
Love is the first thing … Someone has said that all the other eight can be put in terms of love. Joy is love exulting; peace is love in repose; long-suffering is love on trial; gentleness is love in society; goodness is love in action; faith is love on the battlefield; meekness is love at school; and temperance is love in training.
Moody was a remarkable evangelist who was used of God to bring thousands of souls to Christ, and his ministry was influential in so many powerful ways. He understood that everything that is done for the glory of God begins in the presence of God. This is the presence we are invited into: “Abide in Me.”
