CENTRAL THOUGHT
We must each grow in the fruit of self-control (self-restraint, continence) daily.
TEXT: GAL. 5:22; 2 PETER 1:5-6; 1 TIM. 4:1-5; 2 TIM. 3:1-5
INTRODUCTION:
God made man a rational being with free will, unlike the
animals that are controlled by their instincts and bodily
desires. God built into man a capacity to make choices and
thus regulate his thoughts, words, and actions. It was lack
of self-control that led to the fall of man. The devil, by
arousing lust of the eyes and the pride of life, made man eat
the forbidden fruit and brought death upon man.
An ever-worsening lack of self-control is one of the signs
of the end times (2 Tim. 3:1-3). It reflects how distant the
world has moved from obeying God. We do not need to
look far to see its manifestations: fornication, adultery,
corruption in and out of government, hypocrisy in the
church, and so on. The purpose of this study is to highlight
this malady and help us escape its ominous consequences.
LESSON OBJECTIVES
- To understand what lack of self-control means
- To understand the cause of lack of self-control
- To understand why lack of self-control is prevalent today
BIBLE TRUTH:
QUESTION 1) WHAT IS LACK OF SELF-CONTROL?
The oxford dictionary defines self-control as control over
oneself, temper, emotions, and desires; self restraint, selfcommand. For us Christians, self-control involves the
exercise of the human will to ensure that our thoughts,
words, and actions are appropriate, in agreement with the
will of God for our lives. It means ensuring that we are not
controlled by desires for food, sex, sleep, material things or
the emotions: fear, anger, jealousy, and so on. Lack of selfcontrol therefore means the absence of the capacity to
exercise restraint in such issues as we have enumerated.
QUESTION 2) WHAT MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
LACK OF SELF-CONTROL?
The desire to please self at the expense of obedience to
God’s word (or the voice of the Holy Spirit) and the good
of others is the reason for all lack of self-control. This may
be because of the immediate pleasures and benefits our
actions will bring. It may also be due to the unwillingness
to suffer, be in need, suffer loss, fail an examination, not
get a job or a contract, and so on. Hence, the individual
gives in to the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the
pride of life. When the desire is to please God, the
individual exercises his will by refusing to conform to the
pattern of the world as the case may be (Rom. 12:1-3) and God enables him, if he is a child of God, to overcome and do His will.
QUESTION 4) WHY IS LACK OF SELF-CONTROL SO PREVALENT TODAY? 2 TIM. 3:1-3, 1 PETER 4:1-3; 2
PETER 2:17-22; 2 TIM. 4:1-4
We are warned that in the last days, which we are in, many
in the church will love themselves, money, and pleasures
more than God. This is partly the effect of seducing spirits
and demonic activity that make love for God and obedience
to Him seem outdated and “old school”. A different picture
of God is painted: one who loves us and understands when
we continue to sin. A God who is only a means to our
enjoying life and getting rich. A God we can serve on our
own terms and at our convenience because he understands.
The result is that many profess Christianity, but their lives
do not show a devotion to godliness. However, since they
are constantly told by their preachers that they are fine and
are the “beloved of God’ they are not worried. We are
warned not to have anything to do with them.
Also, the Bible warns of the activities of false teachers.
These men, we are told, will be such smooth operators that
if it were possible even the elect will be deceived (Matt.
24:24). We are also warned that men will not put up with
sound doctrine. “Instead, to suit their own desires they will
gather around them a great number of teachers to say what
their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears
away from the truth and turn aside to myths” (2 Tim. 4:3-4).
We have many of these “entertaining preachers” today.
The crowd flocks to them because they say next to nothing
about the need to live above sin, God’s judgement of sin,
the fact that only faithful Christians will be taken at the
rapture, and so on. The faithful Christian may be tempted to
compromise on essentials of the faith, but we must
remember always that only those “who stand firm to the
end will be saved”.
DAILY LIVING APPLICATION:
God holds each of us responsible for his/her thoughts, words,
and actions and we will give an account to Him. We must decide
to live by what we believe in every area of our lives.
Compromise is easy, cheap, and common. But heaven applauds
those who stand firm and control their beings in order to please
God. We must each grow in the fruit of self-control daily. This is
a major need of the family, church, and society today.
MEMORY VERSE:
2 TIM. 3:1-2
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall
come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous,
boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents,
unthankful, unholy”.
DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE:
MON: Incontinency: a sign of the last days. 2 Tim. 3:1-3
TUE: Lack of self-control over anger. Gen. 4:3-8
WED: Lack of self-control over lust. 2 Sam. 11:2-5
THU: Lack of self-control over greed. Num. 22:4-29
FRI: Appeal to present all your members. Rom. 12:1-3
SAT: Grow in this fruit of the Spirit today. Gal. 5:22-2