The following student report was submitted by Ambassador League Agent Joshua E. during the 2007-2008 League.
Self-control is one of the defining characteristics of true Christians. Though it is a rarity in our modern age of reckless disregard for personal responsibility, it is required of us if we are truly pursuing Christ. God wants us to be good stewards of our most valuable tools: ourselves. Self-control allows us to have total command of everything under our dominion; it is taking every thought, word, and action captive for God's glory.
The fruits of the Spirit are the characteristic products of a genuine Christian life. We read in Galatians 5:22-23a: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." If we are allowing Christ to live in us and are surrendering to him, we will be able to live in self-control, denying the predominance of our own interests and putting our selfish desires in check.
The Bible tells us that we are to teach each other to be self controlled. In Titus 2:6 we read: ".encourage the young men to be self-controlled." And again, in 1 Peter 4:7: "The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear-minded and self-controlled so that you can pray." It is often hard to think clearly in our reckless culture; we must decide to be under control so that we can focus on God.
Proverbs 29:11 says that "A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control." And again, in Proverbs 25:28: "Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control." These verses speak to the defenselessness of those who lack control. It points out the foolishness - the utter betrayal of self - which recklessness really is. A lack of self-control can literally ruin your life.
Self-control is often linked to what we say. It is easier to control our actions than our words. "The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison." (James 3:6-8) To maintain self control, we must keep our speech in check. We read in Proverbs 13:3 that, "He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin."
The Bible is rife with examples of people who lacked control and paid the price. One of the most notable examples is Cain. The Bible does not make it completely clear why Cain's offering was rejected. The point was whether he would respond correctly to a tough situation. God told him: "If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." (Genesis 4:7) To lose control is to lose everything. To lose command of our own decisions is to court death. As we read in 1 Peter 5:7-9: "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." There is only one thing the devil needs to gain a stronghold in our lives: a breach in our self-control.
In many instances throughout the Old Testament, sexual sin caused a loss of self-control. Judah, David, Solomon, and Samson were all led into trouble by this temptation. Paul wrote: "It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable." (1 Thessalonians 4:3-4) The Bible says of the adulteress: "Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house." (Proverbs 5:8) The implication is that part of self-control is not testing ourselves unnecessarily - lest we lose control! And how do we feel when we do? "You will say, 'How I hated discipline! How my heart spurned correction! I would not obey my teachers or listen to my instructors. I have come to the brink of utter ruin in the midst of the whole assembly.'" (Proverbs 5:12-14) For lack of control, we can be ruined.
Samson is a prime example of somebody who lacked self-control. When we read about his life (Judges 13-16), we see that it is characterized by snap decisions. Nothing was well thought out; most decisions were hasty and foolish, based on lust or anger. A Nazarene, he was set apart for God, but wasn't willing to invest the effort it took to control himself. Ultimately, he was humiliated before his enemies and (only by the grace of God) was allowed to deliver a final blow before he died. In him, we see what happens when great potential meets great carelessness.
We can learn self-control from Jesus' example in the garden of Gethsemane. When the soldiers came for Jesus, Peter opted for violent reaction: "Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) Jesus commanded Peter, 'Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?'" (John 18:10-11) Then Jesus asked: "Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?" (Matthew 26:53) Jesus realized that controlling his own desires was critical to the big picture. As we read in Isaiah 53:7: "He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the laughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth."
While most of this essay focuses on self-control, due to its common occurrence in the Bible, self government is also addressed indirectly in several passages. When the Jews were taken into Babylonian captivity, Daniel exemplifies what self-government is all about. Taken into the Kings court to be trained for service in the palace, the Israelite "interns" were expected to follow local customs. "But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way." (Daniel 1:8) Daniel understood that he was under Babylonian authority. But he also realized that he was the one responsible for how he reacted to less-than-idyllic circumstances. Did he lead a revolution? No. He simply did the best that he could to lead a principled life in a bad situation.
As Jesus said in Mark 12:17b: "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." Self-government is the principle that dictates how we react when the authority, general populace, or circumstances are against us. It is the willingness to stand alone on principle. It is realizing that even when we don't have any power, we still have power over our own beliefs and actions. Joshua put this well to the Israelites. After speaking about how God had always watched over Israel, Joshua puts it to them plainly: "But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15) Even if Israel abandoned God, Joshua had the resolve to remain faithful in a bad situation.
