To Encourage You

Titus 1:7-8 “For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must (be) . . . self-controlled”

Titus 2:1 “Older men are to be . . . self-controlled”

Titus 2:2-5 “Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior . . . They are to . . . train the young women . . . to be self-controlled

Titus 2:6 “Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled.”

I’m reading a book right now by the late Martin Lloyd Jones.  He was a pastor in the mid-1900’s in England who wrote many books and he is one of my favorite authors on spiritual things.  Yesterday I was reading some of his writings on the nature of man, and one of his main points had to do with the subject of “the self.”  He noted – and this was in 1950, mind you – that man’s natural view of himself had become that of “self-expression.”  It’s the idea that our own natural self is the highest ideal, and whatever we are in our natural inclinations is a very good thing.  It’s the opposite of the idea expressed throughout Scripture that there is indwelling sin in every person, and the tendencies, inclinations, and desires of the natural man are greatly influenced by that sin, which is not a good thing, and thus the great need for self-discipline.  Today we hear people exulting in and speaking of freedom in being “who they are,” but so often the expression of that condition is sin.  People actually speak of taking pride in behavior that the Bible talks about as evil.  It’s the exact same thing that Martin Lloyd-Jones was writing about. 

By contrast, one of the themes of the Bible is the need for “self-control.” It’s something that Paul urged his disciple Titus to emphasize in his teaching in the words above.  Jesus spoke about it in this way: “If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell” (Matthew 5:29-30).  Obviously, Jesus saw this tendency toward self-expression, to follow the mantra of “if it feels good, do it,” to be one of the most self-destructive things anyone can do.  In another place the Bible tells believers that “the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do” (Galatians 5:17).  It’s talking about how a person’s natural inclinations and desires are very often at war with the pure and holy desires of the Holy Spirit that dwells within believers.  Another place this same idea is expressed is in Romans 6:12-13, where we are told “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.” 

So, believer, are you allowing your self to control you, or are you controlling yourself by allowing the Holy Spirit to have His way with you.  You see, “self-control” is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:23).  As Christ lives in us and as we follow Him, He will lead us away from the sins of selfishness, self-centeredness, self-expression, and other bondages to self-destruction that a focus on “self” leads toward.  Rather, as we follow Christ, our desire will be that “I (i.e., our flesh, our focus on our self) have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). 

You see, Jesus, Whom we say we follow, was not focused on Himself.  Rather, although He was tempted in every way as we are (which is first and foremost a focus on preservation, protection, and the coddling of “self” by yielding to all its natural and sinful desires), He did not yield, for He was without sin.  Jesus was filled with the Spirit completely, and He demonstrated this by giving Himself, His very life, for us. 

May the Lord fill us with His Spirit, so that the members of our bodies, i.e., our hands, our feet, our tongues, our minds, and everything else that is a part of us, are yielded to Him to be used for His glory, for that’s exactly what He did when He gave Himself to free us from sin and a bondage to “self.”