In what way is self-control a fruit of the Holy Spirit? from Compelling Truth
Galatians 5:22-23 is one of the most popular passages in the Bible. It lists the “fruit of the Spirit.” Two things should be mentioned. “Fruit” here does not mean apples, bananas, or mangos. In fact, despite the long list of attributes, “fruit” doesn’t refer to individual items. It refers to a general outcome or result. The result of the Holy Spirit working in a person’s life is love, joy, and all the rest. The second thing to note is that these are the results of the Holy Spirit. They are not the product of hard work or self-improvement. We must cooperate with the Holy Spirit, but it is still the Holy Spirit doing the work in us.
Self-control as a fruit of the Spirit is a bit of a paradox. How can the ability to control oneselfbe the result of being controlled by someone else?
The Bible teaches that, in a certain sense, the unbeliever has no free will. There are influences beyond his control. Unbelievers are “slaves to sin” (Romans 6:16-20). Our sinful nature “predetermines” us to choose selfish, harmful behaviors, and our fallen world aids the process. Without Christ, we are not free to completely release our thoughts and actions from sinful influences and simply choose what is good.
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That’s where the Holy Spirit comes in. As He works in a believer’s life, the fruit, or result, is that the believer is able to pull away from the determinant of the sinful nature and make a truly independent choice. That is the first step of self-control.
The freed self then has choices to make, and he finds that the range of choices has broadened. Instead of choosing one sin over another, the new man in Christ can make choices based on love for God and rooted in the wisdom of God.
A decision made in the freedom of self-control will do what it can to ensure future freedom. Whenever we follow unhealthy appetites or society’s lies, we limit our options in the future. A sinful act is another step down a dead-end road; the more steps we take, the harder it gets to make an independent choice in the future.
