A Life of Self-Control

As an overseer of God’s household, he must be . . . loving what is good, sensible, righteous, holy, self-controlled. —Titus 1:7–8

The idea of “self-control” runs through Paul’s message to Titus. It’s mentioned six times and applies to all varieties of people in the church.

Elders are to be self-controlled (1:8). Older and younger men are to be self-controlled (2:2, 6). Older women are to train the younger women to be self-controlled (2:5)—something they can’t do effectively if they aren’t themselves!

Self-control is both a lifetime need and a lifelong pursuit. We’re all in this together for the long haul. Yet this doesn’t mean the journey is meant to leave us discouraged or weighed down— constantly beating ourselves up and hearing that scolding voice of shame in our heads.

For while self-control is hard work, it’s not God’s plan to torture us with this lofty demand from Scripture. When seen rightly, against the backdrop of His grace and gospel, the rewards of self-control become a sweet, soul-satisfying experience. And they make us instruments of goodness and grace in the lives of those around us.

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Adorned: Living Out the Beauty of the Gospel Together

©2017 Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth

Scripture taken from The CSB