Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
We have reached the end of our study of the fruit of the Spirit. Temperance is the last one mentioned. The word used here literally means “self-control.” This is a discipline of which we see very little in our culture. The motto of the time is, “If it feels good, do it.” There is no absolute truth. Each person decides what is right for themselves. This is the opposite of what temperance teaches. Commentator Albert Barnes says, “In the original language, this word denotes the self-rule which a man has over the evil propensities of his nature. Things such as chastity, self-government, and rule of his temper.”
The person who exhibits temperance will not be happy or ok with what is acceptable. He will be seeking a progression in his life of good, better, and best. This attitude takes discipline, and the person who seeks to please Christ, above all else, exercises self-discipline to be the best for Christ. This person is controlled by the Holy Spirit, not the flesh. The flesh will seek to raise and exalt itself, but the person yielding to exercise temperance may stumble and fall, but they will not stay down. Their calling is higher and greater than the desire to please themselves.
This concept is foreign to the average Christian. The average Christian’s goal is no different than the average person who doesn’t know Christ. Their goal is to be happy. This person seeks to gain all the happiness affordable on this earth, and gain heaven at the end. Anything that interferes with their happiness is viewed as an assault from the devil. However, that is not biblical. God may allow many things in our lives that we feel are bad, but they are there to refine us to be the best we can be for Him. I Peter 1:7 teaches us that God will test our faith. He will try us to see if our faith is genuine. He desires that it will receive the praise of the final judge. Those who are seeking a life free of conflict in this life, will not grow in their temperance. Their idea of temperance is to live close to the edge but not fall off. That is the opposite view of the one who truly loves God. Temperance will increase our love for God, not vault love of self.
I Peter 1:7 “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it is tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:“
I personally don’t want to be an average Christian. I want to be the very best I can be, not so that I can achieve more and gain more in this life, but so that I can discipline myself in a way that promotes the cause of Christ and allows the Holy Spirit to reign in all that I do. I know that is a lofty goal, but a goal that is not sought will never be achieved. I want to continually seek to be the very best for Christ that I can be.
