The Fruit of the Spirit is Self-Control: A Call to a Disciplined Life

We’ve arrived at the final fruit of the Spirit in Paul’s letter to the Galatians. It’s been a joy and privilege to walk through this list of important character traits in the Christian life with you. The most important bedrock principle in this entire series has been that each one of these attributes is a fruit of the Spirit. The Spirit works in us with each of these attributes, and he does so in increasing measure as part of his work of sanctification.

If, as a next step, you’re interested in working through a good book on the Spirit’s sanctifying work, may I recommend my wife Marny’s short but substantive study, Sanctification as Set Apart and Growing in Christ? As you read this book, you will develop a deeper appreciation for our holy God and how he works holiness in us. That said, let’s now tackle the final fruit of the Spirit, translated in most English Bibles as “self-control.”

An Interesting Observation

When I recently taught a life group lesson on this passage, I was in for a surprise: The word used for “self-control” in Galatians 5:23 is not the more common term for self-control in the New Testament, sōphrosynē, which Paul uses when writing to Timothy and Titus with reference to women (1 Tim. 2:9, 15; Titus 2:5) as well as older (1 Tim. 3:2; Titus 2:2) and younger men (Titus 2:6; cf. 2 Tim. 1:7), but the rare word egkrateia, which occurs in the New Testament only four times.

Apart from Galatians 5:23, egkrateiais found twice in the virtue list in 2 Peter 1:6 (“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love”; note the reference to the Spirit at 1:4) and in Acts 24:25, where Paul speaks to the Roman governor Felix about “righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment.”

Exercising Self-Control

This observation raises a set of critical interpretive questions: Why did Paul not use the more common word for “self-control” in Galatians 5:23 but instead employed the rare word egkrateia? And what is the difference in meaning between those two Greek words, both of which are rendered as “self-control” in our English translations?

The verb form, “to exercise self-control” (egkrateō), is used in two important passages in 1 Corinthians. In 7:9, Paul writes about men, “But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.” In 7:5, he says a couple should not refrain from sex so Satan does not tempt them due to their lack of self-control.

And in 9:25, Paul writes, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? … Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. … So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”

So 1 Corinthians 7:9 speaks specifically about self-control in the sexual arena, while 1 Corinthians 9:25 talks about self-control “in all things,” using the athletic metaphors of a runner and a boxer. Paul says that he disciplines his body and keeps it under control so he won’t be disqualified from the race of the Christian life.

Finally, the related adjective egkratēs, “self-controlled,” is used in Titus 1:8, where Paul says that an elder must be “hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled [sōphrōn], upright, holy, and disciplined [egkratēs].” What’s interesting about that passage is that Paul uses both words, which suggests they are not exact synonyms.

Some Probing Questions

So, what does our study of those relevant passages teach us about discipline and self-control? The Bible urges us to exercise control over our minds and bodies. We should be deliberate and intentional and maintain control rather than being controlled and led astray by our passions and desires.

What do you and I need to do to get control over that which we currently don’t control?

• Are we undisciplined with our use of time?
• Is any of us dabbling in pornography?
• Do we need to revisit our eating or drinking habits?
• Do we need to control our tongue and what we say to others better?
• Are we insensitive toward our wives?

As pastors and Christian leaders, we urgently need to examine ourselves in each of these areas and take appropriate action if needed.

How to Avoid Disqualification

Let’s look at the same issue from a slightly different vantage point: How does one get disqualified from a sporting event? You get disqualified if you break the rules, like, in golf, incorrectly signing the scorecard. You may get ejected from a game and even suspended if you engage in violent behavior out of anger or lack of self-control.

How do you avoid being disqualified? That’s simple: Keep the rules.

What are the rules in the Christian life? Avoid a pattern of egregious sin, or even one egregious sin, like pastors or Christian leaders committing adultery. Usually, that’s not a one-time lapse but precipitated by a failure to lead a disciplined daily life with healthy life rhythms and meaningful accountability.

Don’t let your major weakness—your Achilles’ heel—define you and cause you to fall. As Proverbs 25:28 says, “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.” Such a person is defenseless.

The Other Word for Self-Control

Before I close, here is a brief word on the other word for “self-control” in the New Testament, sōphrosynē, which is used several times in Titus 2. The word actually means “be of a sound mind” and is much broader than self-control. It has to do with thinking about things in a healthy way—the way God does—and setting proper priorities, so Paul is talking about mental health or mental wellness already in the first century!

For example, when Paul tells older women to “train the young women,” “train” actually means to instill in young women a proper sense of priorities in their lives: to love their husbands and children (not merely to exercise self-control regarding them).

In conclusion, the two words used in the New Testament for self-control refer to (1) leading a disciplined life and (2) thinking about one’s priorities in a healthy, God-honoring way.

Pastoral Implications

Pastors, are you leading a disciplined life? Do you have a healthy sense of your priorities? Everyone can win a reward if they discipline themselves and finish the race. So make sure you don’t get disqualified! This was Paul’s motivation. Remember, Moses wasn’t allowed to enter the Promised Land because he failed to restrain his anger.

Be disciplined and develop healthy spiritual habits. Be in the Word, be in prayer.

As Peter writes, “The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers” (1 Pet. 4:7). Paul sums it up nicely: “The grace of God has appeared, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age” (Titus 2:12).

©2024 Andreas Köstenberger. Used with permission.