Self-control

First off, some friends in Orlando have graciously invited me to join in on a study of 1 Timothy with them. I wanted to invite you all to read along if you would like. You can read the posts here.

Well, I’m at the chapter on self-control in the book, “The Fruitful Life.” Over the next couple of days I’m going to expound on what Jerry Bridges has shared on what it looks like to have self-control in our thoughts and emotions.

“Self-control is control of one’s self. It is probably best defined as the governing of one’s desires. Self- control is necessary because we are at war with our own sinful desires. James describes those desires as dragging us away and enticing us into sin (James 1:14). Self-control is an essential character trait of the godly person that enables obedience to the works of the Lord Jesus, ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me’ (Luke 9:23). It is impossible to be a follower of Jesus without giving diligent attention in our lives to the grace of self-control. Ultimately, self-control is the exercise of inner strength under the direction of sound judgment that enables us to do, things, and say the things that are pleasing to God."

Take Captive Every Thought:

Paul said, We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5) Self-control of our thoughts means entertaining in our minds only those thoughts that are pleasing and acceptable to God. Bridges says, “The best guideline for evaluating the control of our thoughts is that given by Paul”:

Philippians 4:8- “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent of praiseworthy, think about such things.”

Self-control of our thoughts is more than just refusing to admit sinful thoughts into our minds. Controlling our thoughts also includes focusing our minds on that which is good and pleasing to God.

“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life” (Proverbs 4:23) “The meaning of the Hebrew word for ‘heart’ generally refers to our entire conscious person. The warning is particularly applicable, however, to our thought life. It is in our thought life that our emotions and actions begin and sinful desires plant their roots and entice us into sin. Our minds are mental greenhouses where unlawful thoughts, once planted, are nurtured and watered before being transplanted into the real world of unlawful actions.”

I believe the gates to our thought lives are primarily our eyes and our ears. What we see or read or hear largely determines what we think. Guarding our hearts begins with guarding our eyes and ears. We should avoid all things that lead us to temptation- music, movies, internet, etc. We need to do what Paul instructed to Timothy, “flee from all this” (1 Timothy 6:11)

We allow in our minds what we would not allow in our actions, because other people cannot see our thoughts. But God sees them. “Before a word is on my tongues you know it completely, O Lord” (Psalm 139:4) Christians who fear God, controls his/her thoughts- not because of what other people think, but because of what God thinks. David prayed, and we should also pray, “May the words of my mouth and the mediation of my hear be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14)

Listening to such things as gossip, slander, or criticism about others needs to be rejected just as strongly as the tendency to gossip or slander ourselves. I know in my own life it is impossible to listen to gossip or criticism about someone else and then think only thoughts that are true and noble about that person. If we guard our thoughts we will more easily guard our tongues, for Jesus said, “For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34)