Tag Archives: self-mastery

The Christian and self-control

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Continuing with yesterday’s discussion, I tend to agree with Rex, that the term enkrateia carried such connotations in that culture that it was hardly useful.

I think that “self-control” and “self-discipline” carry some of the same connotations. Principally, I think they convey an idea of reliance on self that goes beyond what the New Testament writers wanted to convey. Just as Plato was uneasy with the idea of achieving “temperance” through the self mastering the self, we should be equally wary of any teaching that places the responsibility for man’s sanctification squarely on man.

“Pull yourself up by your bootstraps” may be a popular concept in our culture, as is the idea of the “self-made man,” but that’s not the image of holiness that the New Testament presents. Christians become more like Christ as the Spirit works in our lives (2 Corinthians 3:18). We are able to do what the Law requires not by leaning on ourselves (our flesh) but by following the Spirit’s lead (Romans 8:4). We live by the Spirit and walk by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16, 25) thereby producing the fruit of the Spirit.

And part of that fruit, according to Paul, is self-control. It’s not about control of the self by the self, but rather man submitting his self to God’s control.

Does that relieve man of all responsibility? By no means, for we see that man must choose to follow the Spirit’s lead, that he must learn to not resist nor quench the Spirit. And this is a lifelong process. We grow in sanctification; it isn’t thrust upon us. We become more like Christ, day by day, if we follow the Spirit’s lead. When we follow our flesh, this sanctification process is stymied.

“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.” (2 Peter 1:5-7)

Self-control and the New Testament

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The concept of self-control was a popular one in Greek philosophy. The Greek word enkrateia comes from a root that means power or control. Enkrateia refers to mastery of one’s appetites and passions, power over oneself in the sense of persistence or restraint.

Socrates listed enkrateia as one of the chief virtues. Schools of thought like stoicism and cynicism highly valued self-control. Philosophers like Plato and Aristotle lauded the man who could suppress his desires and impulses. However, Plato did wonder a bit about how a man could master himself, since the one mastering and the one being mastered are one and the same.

Interestingly enough, this concept which seems to mesh so well with Christianity makes few appearances in the New Testament. Here are the three occurrences of this word:

“After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. And as he reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, “Go away for the present. When I get an opportunity I will summon you.”” (Acts 24:24-25)

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

“For this very reason, 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.” (2 Peter 1:5-7)

Is there any significance to the fact that this word appears so few times? Is it just that the concept is present, merely expressed in other words? Or is there something about the concept of self-mastery that doesn’t fit with the teachings of the rest of the New Testament?