An old saying goes: “Next time you want a cupcake, eat a carrot.” The saying is good advice for dieters, but those who first said it may have had all of us in mind. By disciplining our desires when no moral principle is at stake, we prepare ourselves for those moments when we face a temptation to sin.

This kind of discipline is what Paul referred to when he used the term self-controlled in his list of qualifications for church leadership (Titus 1:8). We need this reminder today. Many people think they can live immorally now and suddenly stop when they want to. Because they do not consider the addictive power of sin, they find that living up to their good intentions is far more difficult than they had anticipated.

Proverbs 25:28 tells us that if we lack self-control we are as defenceless as a city with broken down walls. Consistent self-discipline will build up our spiritual defence system against the forces of evil.

As we try to keep our ordinary desires under control, we make a habit of righteous living and practise the reality of Paul’s words in Romans 6:18, “Having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.”

Author

Herbert Vander Lugt

Topics

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