Then they can urge the younger women… to be self-controlled …
Summary: We visit the topic of self-control again. This time we look at our dual nature: part spiritual, part physical. Understanding this has everything to do with self-control.
Paul wants the younger women to be self-controlled. They needn’t feel special. Paul wants everyone to be self-controlled! This is the third time he has mentioned this topic so far, and he is not done yet.
Self-control requires something that many people never get. To have self-control, a person has to have an awareness of self. As a Christian, this means that we are aware of the difference between our spiritual self that has been reborn in Christ and our worldly self that is still part of a corrupt physical existence.
It is the worldly self that was born when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3: 6-7). Suddenly, the human psyche found itself severed from God the Father and alone in a universe of evil temptations. Without God’s protection and guidance, mankind was prone to sin (Genesis 6: 5-6).
Now, through the power and grace of God, our Lord Jesus has made it possible to be born again (John 3: 3-15). This rebirth is spiritual. Jesus describes how this works in the story of The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). In the story, the Father explains, “this brother of yours was dead and is alive again.” We are the brother that was dead. Like the brother who had left his family, we don’t “feel” any more dead than he does. Yet our relationship with the Father is dead.
In The Parable of the Wedding Banquet (Matthew 22:1-14), Jesus draws a picture of heaven. The king is God, and the banquet is heaven. Many are invited, but they reject the king’s invitation. Those that accept are required to be properly attired. The proper attire for heaven is righteousness (Matthew 5:20). Only by accepting Jesus Christ are we able to attain that righteousness (Galatians 3:26-27).
Having submitted to Jesus as Lord, self-control becomes possible. This control is not a worldly self-control, but control of the worldly “self” itself. Such control results in a spiritual check on our desires, passions, and impulses.
To return to the metaphor of the wedding banquet, when we accept Jesus, we put on his righteousness. It is our job to keep the clothes we are wearing presentable until we join Jesus at the wedding.
Application: Examine your wedding clothes. Are they ready for the arrival of the Groom?
Food for Thought: How does knowing Jesus as Lord help a person remain sane?
Thank you for another excellent devotion.
I love your question. I know it is a serious question but it actually made me laugh out loud. This world is definitely insane and we see that everywhere we look. It seems that keeping ourselves connected to Jesus and living by the power of the Holy Spirit and the truth of God’s word is the only way to keep our bearings.
As people in the world drift from godly standards, they don’t even know who they are. We can self identify by any pronoun we want. We deny the obvious to embrace the absurd. Jesus is our anchor amidst this drifting storm. Hebrews 6: 17 – 20.
Rich,
Thank you for sharing your laugh today! That makes me smile. 🙂
You are absolutely right about Jesus being the anchor in the storm. On top of that, he can calm the sea! (Mark 4:35-41)
How does knowing Jesus as Lord help a person remain sane?
Bible Dictionaries – The generic meaning of sanctification is “the state of proper functioning.” To sanctify someone or something is to set that person or thing apart for the use intended by its designer.
Jesus came to us, sanctified by God, so we as believers could become sanctified for service according to God’s design and purpose in this world. We have been set apart for our intended purpose, easily identified by our God given sanity which is opposed to this worlds insanity.
John 10:36, 2 Timothy 1:7, Mark 5:1-20, Ephesians 5:25-27, 1Thessalonians 5:23
To remain sane we should obey the command of Jesus in Matthew 6:33, and give the highest priority to seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Begin our day with God, in thanksgiving and prayer. Turn off our social media, don’t be fed by what is called the news of this world, remember who we are in Christ and spend our time in the Word of God, placing our hope in God and focused on being Christ-like in all we do. WE CAN AT LEAST TRY.
Ron,
Great words of advice! By putting our Lord first, we put ourselves in a place of peace and protection.
Good Job Jeff!
Ron
Jesus gives a peace that is beyond understanding,..beyond what words can describe,..learning from and listening to Jesus is the only way to anykind of sanity these days,..He leads me beside still waters, He makes me lay down in green pastures, He restores my soul,..surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of The Lord forever,..that helps keep me sane,..knowing that I have a Shepherd that cares. There is more to the Psalm than what I wrote,..but you see where I am going with this,..What about Psalm One?,…love that one,..I am like a tree planted by the streams of water, my leaves never whither and whatever I do prospers,..all because my delight is in the law of The Lord and I meditate on it day and night,..
There is truth to what we read of the scriptures,..it all about how they are applied to one’s walk with Jesus,..still my words are only a beginning to describing how knowing Jesus keeps me sane
John,
Thank you for bringing us back to Psalm 23. What a beautiful place to be!
👍🏻