But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such, there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. — Galatians 5:22–25 (NKJV)
Self-control, or egkrateia (from the Greek), means self-mastery, self-restraint, and continence. It is the strength with which an individual governs their own desires and passions. But, in the Christian faith, this mastery is not merely a personal exertion of will; it is a fruit of the Spirit, meaning that it is produced as we yield to the influence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Self-control is also an extension of love (agape), the highest form of love described in the Scriptures. Agape is a selfless, goodwill-driven affection toward God and, by extension, our neighbors (Matthew 22:36–40). Thus, self-control is a way we demonstrate esteem for God and those He has qualified as our neighbors. It is a restraint on the desires of the flesh that, left unchecked, would cause us to violate the terms of our confession of Christ.
The fruit of the Spirit as we know it is not simply a list of virtues; it is an indicator of the Zoe life — the divine life that we, as believers, possess in Christ, therefore, walking in self-control suggests that we are walking in the Spirit, living out the eternal life granted to us by God. So we see that self-control is more than just a moral trait; it is a manifestation of the divine nature at work in us, showing that we have been transformed and are no longer slaves to the flesh (Romans 6:6).
The flesh is continuously at war with the Spirit, pulling us toward desires that lead to death. These desires are categorized in three broad aspects, as described in 1 John 2:15–17 (NKJV):
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
Here, we are warned against three powerful pulls of the world:
1. Lust of the Flesh — Desires that originate from our carnal nature.
2. Lust of the Eyes — Covetous desires triggered by what we see.
3. The Pride of Life — A preoccupation with status, accomplishments, or material possessions.
The word “lust” (epithumia) means an inordinate or forbidden desire. It is a noun, much like self-control hence it is not a mere action or fleeting impulses; they are personalities that we either become or embody, depending on the direction of our lives. Thus, if we embody the fruit of the Spirit, particularly self-control, we weaken the influence of lust. However, when we yield to lust, we allow it to strengthen its hold over our lives, progressively shaping us into its likeness.
Self-control, therefore, is not simply about suppressing actions; it is about guarding ourselves from becoming a person controlled by lust. Every time we find ourselves tempted, facing the vice that seeks to strip us of control, we are being lured into the deception of death — a state that reflects alienation from the life of God. This is why, in moments of temptation, it is critical to remember that the battle is not just over behavior but over identity. Lust seeks to make us into ambassadors of death, while self-control, empowered by love, seeks to establish us as bearers of Zoe — God’s eternal life on earth.
Self-control cannot be exercised without love because, at its core, it is the love of God that constrains us to live in alignment with His will (2 Corinthians 5:14). Love, operating in its self-control mode, restrains us from giving in to the passions of the flesh. It molds us into vessels that reflect the life and nature of God. By reigning in the lusts of the flesh, we are actively participating in the divine process of sanctification, becoming more like Christ in character and conduct.
In conclusion, self-control is a divine virtue, a preservative against the destructive forces of lust. It is through self-control that we keep ourselves from being consumed by the world and its fleeting desires. As we live out this fruit of the Spirit, we demonstrate that we are walking in the Spirit, crucifying the flesh with its passions, and manifesting the life of God in our daily conduct. Through love and self-control, we become living expressions of God’s divine life — Zoe — on earth.
Shalom
Nonso Orji
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