4/3/2024
Elijah McSwain, Sr.
Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV — But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
In his book entitled Grace, Lewis Chafer once wrote that the divine record of all that enters into true Christian character is stated thus: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” (self-control, Gal. 5:22, 23). These graces are elements of divine character which are never found unless divinely fashioned. They are “the fruit of the Spirit.” They are never gained by struggle, long or short; they are the immediate experience of every believer who comes into the right adjustment with the Spirit. Therefore the way to a victorious life is not by self-development; it is through a “walk in the Spirit.” In the context in which the above passage appears, the apostle also states: “This I say then, walk in the Spirit [by means of the Spirit], and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” (5:16). The believer’s responsibility is not the walk; it is rather the willingness to yield to the Spirit who promotes the walk. 1
The fruit of the Spirit involves godly virtues that should be exemplified in the life of every Christian as he or she walks in the way of God and by the means that God has ordained for godly living. Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, faithfulness, meekness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control are inward traits that are produced by the Spirit of God and are governing factors by which believers' lives are molded after. The notion of walking after the order of the Spirit of God helps us to show forth the will of God for our lives. Every redeemed person is called to “walk in the Spirit” on the basis of this walk being in alignment with God’s will. The will of God prompts the community of faith to walk in the newness of life, to walk in the vocation by which we are called, and to walk under the lead of the Spirit. In doing so, it helps us to stay the course and flee from being overtaken by the desires of our sinful flesh which aims to suppress our godly conduct.
Within the context of this blog, it is of upmost importance to understand the last virtue detailed in Galatians 5:22-23 pertaining to self-control. There are two actualities to contemplate in regard to self-control, namely the self-control of God and the essentiality of self-control in the life of a believer.
The Self-control of God
God is the typification and great model of one who displays self-control. Self-control is evidently perceivable when it comes to the Person of God in connection with His perfect restraint. In order to better grasp the restraint of God, we will need to survey the biblical record of the Bible to examine His interaction with mankind in the historical and present-day storyline of humanity. From the onset of our rebellious activity in the Garden of Eden up until now as a human race, God has shown great forbearance from fully executing His righteousness judgment upon a fallen and frail creation.
He has abstained from the enforcement of His divine right and prerogative as a result of being merciful and gracious (cf. Psalm 103:8-10).
As we discussed in a previous blog entitled, The Virtue of Longsuffering, God shows constraint because He is longsuffering. 2 Peter 3:9 is written that "the Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." The MacArthur Study Bible reveals that “God has an immense capacity for patience before He breaks forth in judgment.” 2 His patience is an element of His self-control. His patience is interconnected with His self-control. God has every right to display His anger for our ill-willed inclination to engage in sin, but He elects to show constraint through His communicable characteristic of patience.
In many cases He exhibits self-control to demonstrate the totality of who He is. Romans 9:22-23 (ESV) states "what if God, desiring to show His wrath and to make known His power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of His glory for vessels of mercy, which He has prepared beforehand for glory." God is not fond of sin by any means, yet out of every sin that every person commits on a daily basis against God, He forbears in giving us what we truly deserve; that is to experience the fury of His wrath. A prime example of the resolve and willpower of God is found in Isaiah 65:1-9 in association with rebellious people in whom His judgment should have fell completely upon. The writings of Isaiah 65:1-9 (ESV) reveal that God "was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for Me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek Me. I said, “Here I am, here I am,” to a nation that was not called by My name. I spread out My hands all the day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices; a people who provoke Me to My face continually, sacrificing in gardens and making offerings on bricks; who sit in tombs, and spend the night in secret places; who eat pig’s flesh, and broth of tainted meat is in their vessels; who say, “Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for you.” These are a smoke in My nostrils, a fire that burns all the day. Behold, it is written before Me: “I will not keep silent, but I will repay; I will indeed repay into their lap both your iniquities and your fathers’ iniquities together, says the LORD; because they made offerings on the mountains and insulted Me on the hills, I will measure into their lap payment for their former deeds.” Thus says the LORD: “As the new wine is found in the cluster, and they say, ‘Do not destroy it, for there is a blessing in it,’ so I will do for My servants’ sake, and not destroy them all. I will bring forth offspring from Jacob, and from Judah possessors of My mountains; My chosen shall possess it, and My servants shall dwell there." In this passage God frequently exhibited firmness of control and extended an invitation for His people to walk after His prescribed way of living despite them electing to go their own way.
This is the same disposition that He has with humanity today. Even though most of the world is spiritual out of tune with God, He is operating by His own control of forbearance not as a sign of any weakness or lack of control, but He is granting sinful men an opportunity to experience His grace as opposed to His eternal anger. A survey of other foundational passages speak to the self-control of God as He operates under His own authority and power as He holds back from taking action against a fallen world as well as His wayward children. Romans 2:4 records "or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?"
John MacArthur stated, “to hold back,” was sometimes used of a truce between warring parties. Rather than destroying every person the moment he or she sins, God graciously holds back His judgment (cf. 3:25). He saves sinners in a physical and temporal way from what they deserve (see note on 1 Tim. 4:10), to show them His saving character, that they might come to Him and receive salvation that is spiritual and eternal.” 2
Examples of God constraint:
In the book of Genesis (cf. Genesis 6:6-8), God regretted that He ever made mankind because of their wickedness. He elected to destroy all of mankind from the face of the earth, but He showed mercy as a result of Noah finding grace in His eyes.
God's anger burned hot with Israel when they constructed a golden calf and worshipped it. However, through the pleading of Moses on behalf of the people, God relented from causing them harm (cf. Exodus 32:1-14).
In the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, they constantly complained against God and tested Him; instead of putting them to death in the wilderness, He allowed them to wander for 40 years but in the end, they would not enter into the promised place of rest, the Promised Land (cf. Psalm 95:8-11).
These are just a few instances of God showing forth His stance of self-control throughout human history. Furthermore, the greatest display of self-control as it relates to the darkness of sin was displayed at the cross. Instead of crushing violators of His holy law, God provided an innocent substitute to undergo the gruesome suffering of the cross that we may receive forgiveness of sins and obtain eternal life through repentance, confession, and belief.
Brian Taylor once acclaimed that “we see God’s self-control at the cross, where our Lord Jesus died for us. Romans 8:32 – “He who did not spare His own Son but delivered Him up for us.” So many Scriptures tell of God’s decision to sacrifice His own Son for our sins. Who could make a decision like that? Could you or me or any man or woman? John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son.” The Son that He loved. Our Lord Jesus showed self-control in Matthew 26:53. At His arrest in the garden “Do you think that I cannot pray now to My Father and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?” He did not call. Self-control is a quality of the character of God, and we all benefit from this and from all of the fruit of the Spirit.” 3
The Essentiality of Self-control in the Life of a Believer
Galatians 5:23 instructs us that virtue of self-control that derives from the fruit of the Spirit is essential to the life of every Christian. Self-control is a virtue of a person who is able to master his or her desires.
The mastery of this virtue is not a result of the human will, but it is a result of our submission to the administration of the Holy Spirit.
Grant Richison quoted that “self-control implies that Spirit-filled Christians can control their desires. “Self-control” is self-mastery over a person or thing. It is inherent power over the self. Unrestrained flesh indulges the self, but a person walking in the Spirit has the power to control inner urges than a person walking in the flesh. Biblical self-control is the concentration of the power of the Spirit toward the end of doing God’s will. This goes beyond abstinence or unadulterated power in self. A purpose or end in view is always at the heart of biblical self-control. There is a reason beyond self to deny oneself of something, whether it is controlling our tongue or our anger. We watch where we let our eyes fall because we want to please the Lord. The Spirit-filled believer has the power of the Spirit to enable him to master his passions.” 4
Self-control is control functioning under the Spirit of God. Self-control is Spirit-controlled. Self-control is God administered. Self-control is Christ-centered.
When we depend upon the Spirit of the Lord then our bodies will be brought under subjection, we will exhibit discipline, our tongues will be tainted, our thoughts will be controlled, and our conduct will be set on the right dial of walking in the will of God as opposed to being governed by the flesh. Proverbs 16:32 (ESV) expresses "whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city." The essence of self-control helps us to guard our thought process which enables us to spiritually and logically think through things before we speak or act out of character. If we resort to our own power, we will fail at this time after time. Everything that comes to mind will be enacted out, when there is a lack of restraint.
A lack of restraint causes a multitude of unnecessary problems to arise that could have been avoided if we simply yielded to the Spirit’s control instead of resorting to our own logic and reasoning.
If we set a guard against our minds, then a guard will be set against our mouths since that which we say and do flow from the seat of the mind. Psalm 141:3-5 implies "set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips. Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men who work iniquity; and do not let me eat of their delicacies. Let the righteous strike me; it shall be a kindness. And let him rebuke me; it shall be as excellent oil; let my head not refuse it." Are we yielding to the Spirit or are we taking matters into our own hands when someone wrongs us because we are inwardly out of control? Are we asking the Spirit of God to aid us in such endeavors of displaying the fruit of the Spirit or are we laying our religion down?
The Christian life is total dependency upon God and not ourselves as it relates to all facets of life. Every saved person should demonstrate fruitful growth on our spiritual journey as we rely on the Spirit of God. 2 Peter 1:5-9 indicates,"but also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins."
The Holman KJV Study Bible mentions that these seven virtues, sometimes called the "ladder of faith," are the fruit of sharing in the divine nature of God. Christians that are fruitful Christians have an abundance of the qualities. On the other hand, those who lack them are blind and shortsighted because they deliberately forget the background from which God delivered them. Old sins refer to sins committed before professing faith in Christ. 5
The question may be posed.........are we making fruitful progress in our walk with God, or have we reverted back to the former conduct of the flesh in connection with our former life? Being controlled by the Spirit of God will help us to stay the course and walk under the authority of the fruit of the Spirit. Otherwise, a person who lacks self-control is unpredictable and one act away from being placed in a controlled environment with legal implications. Proverbs 25:28 pinpoints the notion that "whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls." William MacDonald concluded that “a man who has never learned to discipline his life is like an undefended city, open to every kind of attack, exposed to every temptation.” 6 Living in such an ungodly and uncontrolled manner is not reflective of godly character. A person who has a lack of control needs to take a self-examination to see if they are truly connected with the fruit of the Spirit.
There is a stark contrast of eternal outcomes between those who are out of control and governed by the flesh in comparison to those who operate under the governing authority of God’s Spirit. Romans 8:13 points out "for if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." The deeds of the body are only put to death by our interconnectivity and obedience to God. By abiding in God, we bear the fruit of the Spirit and grow in our ability through reliance on the Spirit to continually display self-control.
Michael Beckwith stated “grow deep roots to harvest rich fruit! When your roots run deep, you cannot help but bear the fruit of the Spirit.” 7
John 15:4 affirms that believers should abide in Christ, and He in us, "as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me." When we abide in God and He in us, the fruit of the Spirit will be evident and visible in all that we do.
Resources
Lewis Sperry Chafer. Grace. 1922
The MacArthur Study Bible
Grant Richison. Verse By Verse Commentary
The Holman KJV Study Bible
William MacDonald. The Believer’s Bible Commentary.