Self-Control

Galatians 5:22-23 states, 22 The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. The Greek word translated “self-control” is “enkrateia” which is a combination of two Greek words: “en” and “krateia.” “En” means “in” and “krateia” means “strength” or “power.” So a person who has “enkrateia” is a person who has strength and power within themselves. We get the English words democratic (people power) and autocratic (self-power) from this Greek word. It is used in the New Testament of someone who has self-mastery, power over themselves, rule their over behaviors because of their submission to the indwelling Holy Spirit. In this sense it only applies to believers. While unbelievers can have self-control, they cannot have it in the way the New Testament uses the word since the Holy Spirit is the One Who empowers the will for believer. It is more then mere self-discipline, although it includes that. It is a supernatural ability to have inner dominion over the thoughts, feelings and actions, resulting in godliness. 

The word is use four times in the New Testament. In addition to the Galatians 5:23 passage, this word is used twice in 2 Peter 1:5-6, 5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance. This is another virtue list that includes self-control. These are qualities that stem from a Spirit-controlled life. This is how believers are called to live in this fallen world. Those who profess to be believers but do not possess these virtues or lacks in them is short-sighted and blind to their sins (2 Peter 1:9-10). The fourth usage is found in Acts 24:25. Here the Apostle Paul is on trial before the Governor Felix and the text tells us what he spoke to him about, 25 Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid. Paul was reasoning with the governor and explaining how a Christian has the power to restrain himself as part of his evangelistic presentation.

There is another word that is closely related to this word that is also translated “self-control.” In 1 Corinthians 7:9, Paul uses this term in reference to singles when he says, If they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion. If a single person has too much passion running through their blood and it is a great struggle to remain celibate, then they should find a spouse and get married. Paul uses this word in a general sense as referring to human desires. God created us to be attracted to the opposite sex; it is natural and good. However, some people who are not married can really struggle resisting the urge to lust and sin. It is not that they don’t have the power to resist, they do if they are believers with the Holy Spirit inside of them, but the struggle is a very difficult one. This struggle can apply to other sins such as anger, pride, gossip, lying and a host of other vices. This is why walking in the Spirit is so important, because it produces virtues such as self-control so that believers can overcome sin.