SELF-CONTROL IS BOTH FRUIT AND DISCIPLINE

We must practice Spiritual disciplines to be like Christ. 1 Peter 1:14-16 (ESV) As obedient
children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as He who called
you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am
holy.”
Jesus implies that we have to be spiritually disciplined in Matthew 11:29 (“learn from me, for I
am gentle and lowly in heart”) and Luke 9:23 (“if anyone would come after me, let him deny
himself and take up his cross and follow me”). To be a disciple of Jesus, we have to learn from
and follow him. Learning and following require discipline. The fruits of the Spirit living within
us manifest discipline, with self-control being one of the fruits and also a requirement of
discipline.
A very important feature of any discipline is its purpose. If any discipline isn’t productive, it’s
not worth pursuing. There is little value in practicing Spiritual disciplines apart from the single
purpose (Christlikeness) that unites them. 1 Timothy 4:7-8 (ESV) tells us “Have nothing to do
with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of
some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for
the life to come.” However, we can’t do it on our own. No matter how much effort we put into
disciplining our lives, only God makes it work. However, while God is the catalyst in the
process, we have to make the effort. As we exercise the Spiritual disciplines to seek communion
with Christ, His grace flows to us and we are changed.
The freedoms of discipline-nurtured Christlikeness don’t develop overnight. There is a process
through which self-control is evidenced. We see the process in 2 Peter 1:5-7 (ESV) “For this
very reason (becoming partakers of the divine nature), 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.”