Devotion

We live in a world dominated by hedonism: the ideology insisting that pleasure and/or happiness is the chief good in life. To be sure, hedonism “sells” to sinners navigating through a fallen world (James 1:14). In a created order full of turmoil, adversity, and hardships, it undoubtedly appeals to the human senses to prescribe intensified bouts of self-gratification to offset any negative experience one might encounter (Ecclesiastes 1:12-2:11). Stressed out and want to escape? Get high on drugs or drunk with alcohol. Are you dissatisfied with your spouse? Have an affair or file for divorce. Are you unhappy with your job? Quit, file for unemployment, and leisurely search for the “perfect fit.” Dissatisfied with your kids? Put them in every possible self-help program to “fix” them. Are you dissatisfied with your belongings? Get a credit card with a higher spending limit or a loan from the local bank and buy whatever your heart desires. Are you unsatisfied with your appearance? Use whatever means necessary, natural or artificial, to create the best version of “yourself.”

For every (oftentimes genuine) negative feeling or difficult circumstance one might face at any given time in this life, there are assuredly myriads of temporary solutions that are offered as potential remedies. Tragically, no amount of pleasure offered from the world can quench the appetite of the human soul (Proverbs 19:23). Mankind has been created to live eternally, and as eternally oriented beings, nothing of a temporal nature will ultimately bring about lasting satisfaction within the soul (Ecclesiastes 1:1-11). Indeed, for human beings to obtain the depth of satisfaction, pleasure, and gratification, we so desperately crave, we must allow God to be our source of creaturely fulfillment (Psalm 16:11). God, as the eternal Creator of all things, possesses in Himself the fullness of life, happiness, and satisfaction (1 Timothy 6:15-16). As Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the triune God is the highest and greatest being of which nothing greater can be conceived (Psalm 95:3). As such, God does not need or depend upon anything outside of Himself to fill a void or to rectify a lack of perfection that He doesn’t already possess by virtue of His own divinity (Acts 17:24-28).

As the supreme and perfect divine being, God epitomizes absolute goodness itself (Psalm 145:9). Because we have been created in His likeness, there is an inherent desire within mankind to be consumed with that which is good, satisfying, and fulfilling (Psalm 34:12). From the moment that man fell into sin, he has intentionally sought to consume himself with every earthly pleasure imaginable, in a desperate attempt to feel wholesome (Romans 1:18-32). Throughout human history, there have certainly been many enticing pleasures that sinners have turned to (Ecclesiastes 7:29). Nevertheless, as great as any source of worldly pleasure may feel in the moment, one quickly discovers that it does not last forever (James 4:13-14). In fact, it’s temporality often leaves one feeling even more dissatisfied than before (James 1:14-15). Try as we may to suppress the inevitability in our sinful nature, there’s really only one worthwhile, lasting, and eternal source of delight: God Himself (Psalm 43:4). When spiritually dead sinners come to the end of themselves and become new creations through faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to reside within their soul (1 Corinthians 2:12-13). By a work of God’s sanctifying grace, the old things are gone, and new things have come (2 Corinthians 5:17).

One of the most powerful fruit of the Holy Spirit that is produced in the life of a Christian is self-control (Galatians 5:23). The Greek term that is used in the New Testament for self-control (Gk. enkrateia) literally means “in strength.” The Spirit-produced fruit of self-control refers to an inward restraint of appetites and passions resulting in a spiritual mastery that submits consistently to the greater cause of God’s commanded will over the sinful desires of man’s will.[1] When the Holy Spirit comes to indwell a Believer, the endless pursuit of the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life begin to gradually pass away (1 John 2:15-17). In time, the follower of Jesus Christ becomes more and more dominated by a desire to discipline his body and mind for the purpose of being able to serve their Lord as faithfully as possible (1 Corinthians 9:24-27). Those who desire to serve in local church leadership must exhibit lifestyles marked by self-control, and every Christian will progressively find themselves less ensnared by the temptation to indulge themselves with the sinful pleasures of the world (Titus 1:5-9). Moreover, the Believer will also begin to exercise self-control with their mind, developing a worldview that is distinctively Christ-centered and informed by the Word of God (Romans 12:1-2).

As you meditate on this devotional throughout the week, evaluate the corpus of your life: have you seen evidence of exhibiting the fruit of self-control for yourself? How can you grow in your propensity of doing so moving forward? In what ways can you praise God for His faithfulness to further conform you into the likeness of Jesus Christ? May God richly bless you in your efforts to glorify Him with both your body and mind!

Weekly Passages For Meditation:

Monday- 2 Peter 1:5-7

5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.

Tuesday- 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. 25 Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; 27 but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

Wednesday- Titus 2:11-14

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

Thursday- James 3:1-7

3 Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. 3 Now if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well. 4 Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. 5 So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. 7 For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race.

Friday- James 3:8-12

8 But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; 10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. 11 Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh.

Saturday- Luke 4:1-13

4 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He became hungry. 3 And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” 4 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”5 And he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said to Him, “I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. 7 Therefore if You worship before me, it shall all be Yours.” 8 Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”9 And he led Him to Jerusalem and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here; 10 for it is written, He will command His angels concerning You to guard You,’ 11 and, ‘On their hands they will bear You up, So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’”12 And Jesus answered and said to him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 13 When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time.

[1] John MacArthur, Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth, Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2017, Page 377.