What is the difference between the world's depiction of self-control and the fruit of self-control produced in a Christian? The presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Worldly self-discipline relies on one's own will-power whereas Godly self-control is fully reliant upon the work of the indwelling Holy Spirit. The first glorifies human ability whereas the second displays human weakness while pointing to the glory of God. 

Many who wear the name of Christian confuse Paul's call to walk in the fruit of self-control (Galatians 5:23) with a mastery of human effort or ability. When actually, scripture teaches that the very Spirit of self-control produced in a Christian is the product of God's grace.

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age" (Titus 2;11-12).

"...for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control" (2 Timothy 1:7).

While the world teaches that one can master their own minds, body, and spirits through will-power and human effort, God teaches that true self-control is not sourced by human effort but instead, through a reliance on God's indwelling Spirit produced by His grace. We grow in self-control because of God, not apart from God.

As seen in the header image of this post, the world views discipline through one of two lenses: through the lens of "self" or through the lens of "control". When God's Holy Spirit indwells the heart of a believer, however, self-control has little to do with either, and everything to do with surrendering self and surrendering control to the work and ability of God's grace through the Spirit. It's a process of dying to self and surrendering control.

Throughout the month of October, we will be diving into what biblical self-control tangibly looks like when produced in the life of a follower of Jesus. But first, it's important to understand that the source of self-control is not human effort, but God's Spirit through grace.