Commentary on "The Fruit of the Spirit is Self-Control"

PHIL HARRIS

 

Day 2: Sunday, February 28, 2010

 

Overview

This is the lesson theme text for today:

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure (Phil. 2:12-13 ESV).

Observations

In the lesson we see some very good references given but the author doesn’t seem to properly tie them together in a way that conforms to biblical truth.

Keeping our focus on ‘Self Control’ being one of the Fruit’s of the Spirit, the admonition to ‘work out your own salvation’ would translate into a display of self control in the conduct of our Christian lives. What you need to have and the world needs to see is the reality of the gospel of Jesus Christ by your changed life. Among other things, the world will know us by the love we have for each other but should include real self control.

Self control is a paradox where we willingly and freely do God’s good pleasure instead of our own.

Like Paul, John declares that we cannot love both the world and God:

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 desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions--is not from the Father but is from the world (I John 2:15-16 ESV).

Paul admonishes us to focus and think on the things of God:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things (Phil. 4:8 ESV).

Sooner or later, hopefully much sooner than later, a Christian will confront the same conflict that Paul describes in the following passage:

For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out (Rom. 7:14-18 ESV).

Paul cries out; “Who will deliver me from this body of death?”

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit (Rom. 7:25-8:4 ESV).

The answer to Paul’s cry is; Jesus Christ will free you!

In the lesson there are a number of self help solutions offered under the headings of “mastery over self” and “modifying thought and behavior”. Beware of what you adopted into your life. Instead, go to Scripture for solutions. If what you are doing is of the world it will fail.

 

Summary

1. Jesus Christ was able fulfill the perfect requirements of the Mosaic Law because God and only God is perfect. Put another way, only a perfect Jesus could come in the flesh and perfectly fulfill the perfect requirements of the “Law of Flesh”. Those of us with sinful flesh could never do what only Jesus was able to do for us on the cross.
2. You can have life because the “Law of the Spirit” has set you free in Christ Jesus from the “the Law of Flesh”.
3. The answer to Paul’s plea is centered on Jesus Christ and his gift of the Holy Spirit in his life. The fruit of the Holy Spirit includes that of ‘self control’ which is the only possible solution for doing what our sinful flesh cannot do.

 

GO TO DAY 3

 

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