Part 9: Faith in Jesus, or is it Faith in Something else?

Faith in Christ Jesus must have a foundation of righteousness, self-control, and judgment to come. (Acts 24:24,25). We are to test ourselves to see whether we are in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5). In this podcast we look closer at self-control. 

Self-control means “self restraint- temperance- control of ones passions, desires, and sexual impulses.” It does not mean control of others. It means to control your self and your body. We are to take authority over our words and thoughts. We are to demand obedience out of ourselves according to God’s word, commandments, and requirements. 

“A man has needs” and “a woman has needs” many say. People that say that mean that sexual union outside of marriage in necessary to quell those “needs.” That is a big fat lie! Paul taught that the body is not for sexual immorality (fornication) but for the Lord… so flee sexual immorality” (fornication) (1Cor. 6:13, 18 NASB). Only in marriage can a man and a woman have the spiritual and physical right to satisfy each other sexually. See 1 Corinthians 7:1-9. God blesses sex in marriage. Outside of marriage, it is cursed!

Sexual immorality includes all illicit forms of sex such as: adultery (sexual union with someone other than your spouse), fornication (sexual union between a man and a woman outside of marriage), homosexuality (includes bisexuals), lesbianism (includes all woman that want to act like men), men that are effeminate (includes all transgender), bestiality (sexual union between a human and an animal), and incest.

“Oh, I just couldn’t help it. He or she looked so good that I just had to do it.” Lies, lies, lies! People have actually used this excuse when they come for counseling. No, you did not have to do it. Self-control was needed! You didn’t submit to God, and you did not resist the devil! (James 4:7) Instead of controlling yourself, you yielded to the un-renewed mind, conformity to the world, and the old man. You yielded to works of the flesh (Galatians 5:17-21). Nobody made you do anything. You did it! The devil may have tempted you, but who said you has to obey him? No, we resist him and cast him out. We reject his temptation to sin sexually or in any other area that violates God’s Word.

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate (self-controlled)in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified(Greek: adokimos)(1Cor. 9:24-27 NASB).

We discipline our body and we demand it to be in subjection to God and His Word so that we are not disqualified (adokimos). Adokimosis the same word translated “fail the test” or “disqualified” in 2 Corinthians 13:5. 

I only refer to this in passing, but another area people need self control is with overeating or anything else that controls you. It could be worry and anxiety. It could be alcohol, prescription drugs, or illegal drugs. It could be pornography. It could be masturbation. It could be the shopping channel! It could be any number of things in control of a human being! See Luke 21:34; 1 John 2:16, 17. 

Is Jesus your Lord? Have you yielded control of your life to Him? (Romans 10:9) If we have, nothing else of this evil world should control us! If something ungodly is controlling us on some level then true repentance, which includes acknowledging sin and confession of sin, is needed. (See Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:7-10, 2:1.) Other important parts are becoming accountable to spiritual leaders at your church, changing your contributing environment, and getting rid of enabling people.

May you be richly blessed with the podcast! See the bottom of the page for PART 9 of this series.

 

 

From the Back Cover:

A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus explores the depths of the Scriptures to excavate, refine, and lift up its words of power, revealing deep truths that will radically change the lives of believers. By tapping into this rich vein of biblical insight, Dan Alan Rodriguez offers Christians the insights to enable them to set out upon paths of discipleship that follow Jesus closely and that lead to profound experiences of His presence and powe