Bible Verses About Self Control
Introduction
Self-control in the biblical sense is not the white-knuckled suppression of the desires by the person who has developed sufficient willpower but the specific fruit of the Spirit who is producing in the person who is walking by the Spirit the capacity to order the desires toward their proper ends. The Galatians 5:22-23's the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control establishes the specific location of the self-control: it is the last fruit in the list, the comprehensive ordering of the whole inner life that the other fruits together produce. The fruit establishes the organic character: the self-control is grown by the Spirit in the person who is walking by the Spirit rather than achieved by the person who is trying harder.
The specific theological grounding of the self-control is the specific character of the God who is self-controlled: the 2 Timothy 1:7's the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid but gives us power and love and self-discipline establishes the source. The self-control is the specific gift of the Spirit rather than the natural capacity of the person who is sufficiently disciplined. The Titus 2:11-12's the grace of God teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled and upright and godly lives establishes the specific means: the grace of God is the specific teacher of the self-control. The grace does not only forgive the failures of the self-control but actively teaches the person the self-control that the grace produces.
The specific practical wisdom of the 1 Corinthians 9:24-27's the athlete who goes into strict training and the boxer who does not beat the air but disciplines the body establishes the concrete character of the self-control: the self-control is the specific practice of the person who is running to win rather than the general aspiration of the person who would like to be more disciplined. The strict training and the discipline of the body are the specific practices of the person who takes the self-control seriously as the specific means of the finishing of the race.
These verses speak to anyone who is struggling with the specific area of the self-control that is most resistant to the willpower, anyone who needs the specific biblical grounding for the self-control as the gift of the Spirit rather than the achievement of the sufficient willpower, and anyone who needs the practical wisdom of the Scripture for the specific practices of the self-control.
What the Bible Means When It Talks About Self-Control
The Greek word egkrateia describes the self-control: the specific quality of the person who has the inner mastery of the desires and the impulses. The root is the kratos, the strength or the power, with the en, the in: the self-control is the specific power within the person rather than the external constraint. The Greek word sophrosune describes the sound mind or the self-control: the specific quality of the person whose mind and desires are ordered toward the proper ends. The Greek word nepho describes the being sober-minded or the being clear-headed: the specific alertness of the person who is not under the control of the desires that would cloud the judgment.
Bible Verses About Self-Control as the Fruit of the Spirit
Galatians 5:22-23 — ("But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.")
"The fruit of the Spirit is... self-control" establishes the specific location of the self-control as the fruit of the Spirit rather than the achievement of the willpower: the self-control is grown by the Spirit in the person who is walking by the Spirit rather than generated by the person who is trying harder. The against such things there is no law establishes the specific freedom: the person in whom the Spirit is producing the fruit of the self-control is the person who is doing what the law requires from the inside rather than being compelled by the law from the outside.
2 Timothy 1:7 — ("For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.")
"The Spirit God gave us... gives us power, love and self-discipline" establishes the specific source of the self-control: the Spirit is the specific giver of the self-discipline rather than the person who has developed sufficient inner resource. The power and the love and the self-discipline are the three specific gifts of the Spirit: the self-discipline is the specific companion of the power and the love rather than the substitute for them. The does not make us timid establishes the specific contrast: the self-control is not the timid suppression of the desires but the specific ordering of them by the Spirit.
Bible Verses About the Practice of Self-Control
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 — ("Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.")
"I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave" establishes the specific concrete character of the self-control: the discipline of the body is the specific practice of the person who is running to win rather than running aimlessly. The strict training establishes the intentional character: the self-control is the specific practice of the person who has decided to compete rather than the natural capacity of the person who has not made the decision. The crown that will last forever establishes the specific motivation: the self-control is motivated by the specific destination of the lasting crown rather than the temporary crown of the athletic competition.
Titus 2:11-12 — ("For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.")
"The grace of God teaches us to say No to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives" establishes the specific means: the grace of God is the specific teacher of the self-control rather than the law that demands the compliance. The teaches establishes the ongoing character: the grace is not only the forgiveness of the failures but the active teaching of the person in the self-control that the grace produces. The in this present age establishes the specific context: the self-control is the practice of the person who is living in the present age while waiting for the blessed hope.
Bible Verses About Sober-Mindedness and Alertness
1 Peter 5:8 — ("Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.")
"Be sober-minded; be watchful" establishes the specific practices of the self-control in the context of the spiritual warfare: the sober-mindedness is the specific alertness of the person who is not under the control of the desires that would cloud the judgment. The your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion establishes the specific reason for the sober-mindedness: the spiritual warfare is the specific context in which the failure of the self-control produces the specific vulnerability to the adversary who is seeking to devour. The be watchful establishes the active character: the self-control is the active practice of the watchfulness rather than the passive hoping that the temptation will not arrive.
1 Thessalonians 5:6-8 — ("So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.")
"Since we belong to the day, let us be sober" establishes the specific ground of the self-control: the belonging to the day is the specific identity that produces the sobriety. The faith and love as a breastplate and the hope of salvation as a helmet establish the specific armor of the self-controlled person: the self-control is the specific practice of the person who is armed with the faith and the love and the hope rather than the unarmed person who is attempting the self-control by the willpower alone.
Bible Verses About Self-Control in Specific Areas
Proverbs 25:16 — ("If you find honey, eat just enough — too much of it, and you will vomit.")
"If you find honey, eat just enough" establishes the specific wisdom of the self-control in the area of the appetite: the just enough is the specific measure of the self-control that the Proverbs commends. The too much of it and you will vomit establishes the specific consequence: the absence of the self-control in the area of the appetite produces the specific result that the excess always produces. The honey is the image of the good thing in the creation whose goodness is destroyed by the excess rather than the inherent evil.
Proverbs 16:32 — ("Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.")
"Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city" establishes the specific value of the self-control over the external achievement: the taking of the city is the great external achievement, and the self-control is the greater achievement of the inner mastery. The patient person who rules the own spirit is the person who has achieved the greater victory than the warrior who has taken the city by the external force.
A Simple Way to Pray These Verses
Self-control is most honestly prayed from the honest naming of the specific area where the self-control is most needed and the specific asking for the Spirit who produces the fruit rather than the willpower that attempts to achieve it.
Galatians 5:22-23 — ("The fruit of the Spirit is... self-control.") Response: "I am asking for the fruit rather than trying to generate it by the willpower. The self-control is the fruit of the Spirit who is walking in me. Let me walk by the Spirit in the specific area where the self-control is hardest. Produce the fruit. I am cooperating with the growing rather than trying to manufacture the fruit."
2 Timothy 1:7 — ("The Spirit gives us power, love and self-discipline.") Response: "Give me the self-discipline that is your gift rather than the self-discipline I am trying to produce independently. The Spirit you gave me gives the power and the love and the self-discipline. Let me receive the gift rather than straining to achieve it. Let the self-discipline be yours working in me."
1 Peter 5:8 — ("Be sober-minded; be watchful.") Response: "I am being sober-minded. I am being watchful. The adversary is prowling. Let the sobriety and the watchfulness be the specific practices that close the door to the devouring. Let the self-control be the specific armor that the sober-mindedness provides in the area where I am most vulnerable."
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Bible say about self-control? The Bible presents self-control as the specific fruit of the Spirit who produces in the person who is walking by the Spirit the capacity to order the desires toward their proper ends. Galatians 5:22-23's the fruit of the Spirit includes self-control establishes the organic character. 2 Timothy 1:7's the Spirit gives us power and love and self-discipline establishes the source. Titus 2:11-12's the grace of God teaches us to say no to ungodliness establishes the specific means. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27's the strict training of the athlete establishes the concrete practice. And 1 Peter 5:8's be sober-minded and watchful establishes the spiritual warfare dimension.
Is self-control a gift of the Spirit or something we develop? The Galatians 5:22-23's the fruit of the Spirit includes self-control establishes the gift character: the self-control is grown by the Spirit in the person who is walking by the Spirit. The 1 Corinthians 9:24-27's everyone who competes goes into strict training establishes the human practice: the self-control requires the specific discipline of the person who has decided to compete. The Philippians 2:12-13's work out your salvation for it is God who works in you establishes the interplay: the human discipline and the divine working are not the competing alternatives but the specific cooperation of the person who is working out what God is working in.
How do I develop self-control according to the Bible? The Galatians 5:16's walk by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh establishes the primary practice: the walking by the Spirit is the specific practice that produces the self-control rather than the willpower that suppresses the desires. The Titus 2:11-12's the grace of God teaches establishes the specific means: the self-control is learned from the grace rather than the law. The 1 Corinthians 9:24-27's run to win and go into strict training establishes the intentional character: the self-control requires the specific decision to compete and the specific discipline of the person who is running to win. And the Romans 13:14's put on the Lord Jesus Christ and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh establishes the specific practice.
What does the Bible say about self-control and temptation? The 1 Corinthians 10:13's no temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind and God is faithful and will provide the way out establishes the specific promise: the temptation is the common experience of the human being, and the way out is the specific provision of the faithful God. The James 1:14-15's each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed establishes the specific origin: the temptation is the desire of the own heart rather than only the external assault. And the 1 Peter 5:8-9's be sober-minded and watchful and resist him establishes the specific practice: the sober-mindedness and the resistance are the specific practices of the self-control in the context of the temptation.
What does the Bible say about self-control with food and drink? The Proverbs 25:16's if you find honey eat just enough establishes the specific wisdom: the just enough is the measure of the self-control in the area of the appetite. The 1 Corinthians 6:12's everything is permissible for me but not everything is beneficial and I will not be mastered by anything establishes the specific principle: the self-control in the area of the food and the drink is the specific practice of the person who will not be mastered by anything. And the Romans 14:17's the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit establishes the specific perspective: the food and the drink are not the ground of the standing before God but the specific area of the self-control that the righteousness and the peace and the joy require.
